The Nossrat Yassini Poetry Prize—housed and managed by the University of New Hampshire’s English Department—honors a first book published by a U.S. poet of genuine promise in the previous calendar year. This year’s final judge will be the renowned poet Cornelius Eady.
The poet receives:
- $10,000
- A headline reading at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival, taking place at the University of New Hampshire April 17-18, 2026.
- Promotion of the poet and their book leading up to the Festival
Eligibility:
Any full-length poetry collection (48+ pages/with an ISBN) published between January 1 - December 31, 2025
Entering the prize implies the author’s willingness to attend the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival in Durham, New Hampshire (April 17-18, 2026), and to take part in the headline reading and offer one workshop virtually. The honorarium is awarded in exchange for/after appearing at the Festival. If money is needed to assist with travel, arrangements for a portion of the prize to be received in advance will be made.
Submission guidelines:
- Contact Form
- Fee: $50
- Copies of the book:
While some of the judges will be considering book design, those judging for content (including final judge Matthew Olzmann) will not be made aware of the poet’s identity until the winner is revealed, therefore we ask you to submit:
-One digital copy submitted as a PDF with design/identifying info removed, though acknowledgments can be included.
-Three physical copies of the book sent by mail, postmarked by the 12/12 deadline.
Please note, poets are not eligible to apply if they are close friends and/or have studied with the final judge in full-time accredited courses within the last three years.
Winners of the Granite State Poetry Prize are not eligible to apply.
Decisions regarding eligibility, both initial and throughout the award period, are final. UNH/The YAS Foundation reserves the right to withhold the Granite State Poetry Prize in any given year.
Any questions about the contest should be sent to nossratyassinipoetryfestival@gmail.com. To find out more about our book prizes and other programming, including the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival, please visit our website.
The New Hampshire Teen Poetry Prize—funded by the YAS Foundation and managed by the University of New Hampshire’s English Department—was created to promote and honor excellence in writing at the high school level. Each year, students (ages 13-19) across New Hampshire are invited to submit their original poetry for a chance at publication, as well as three significant monetary prizes of $500 each. Grand prize winners will read their winning poems at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival, the evening of April 17, 2026.
Eligibility:
- Must be a New Hampshire youth, between the ages of 13-19
- Must submit original writing in verse. May include, but is not limited to, free verse, formal poetry, prose poetry, song lyrics, and spoken word.
- Must be willing to have your work appear in the Young Poets Anthology and, if chosen as a grand prize winner, to read your winning poem at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival on April 17, 2026. The honorarium is awarded in exchange for/after appearing at the Festival.
Guidelines:
Please be sure you follow all requirements related to your application. Failure to comply with any of the requirements listed below may make your application ineligible for an award.
- Poems may be submitted by the poet, by a parent/legal guardian, or a teacher.
- Each submission may consist of 1–3 poems, up to a maximum of 5 pages. There should be one poem per page, typed single-spaced (unless the poems are meant to be presented using nonstandard spacing). Poems should be submitted as a single document.
- Do not include the poet’s name on the submission. Submittable will collect all contact information, ensuring an anonymous screening process.
- Poems should be your original work. We reserve the right to disqualify any poems we believe to be plagiarized.
- If accepted for publication, the poets may use their whole name, first name, or a pseudonym. We will not publish any contact information.
- All contributors will receive a copy. Three grand prize winners will receive $500 each and will read their winning poem at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival on April 17, 2026.