Donate and Support

National Writers Series

The NWS, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to hosting meaningful conversations with the best —as well as emerging literary — talent today. We want to move our audiences toward a greater understanding of issues and ways of life that exist within and beyond our current boundaries. We are “raising writers” by helping students to think critically, express themselves, develop their imaginations, and explore the world.

You can contribute online or mail a check to National Writers Series, 1200 W. 11th St. #231, Traverse City, MI 49684

Click to Donate Now

Donation Levels

Keep the Conversation Going with an NWS Membership

The NWS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the Grand Traverse area with the best and brightest literary talent today. Plus, NWS works diligently to raise the next generation of writers by offering numerous educational opportunities and college scholarships to area youth – elementary through high school.

Yes, a good portion of our programming is supported by event ticket sales but we still need your charitable support to bridge the gap (about 20% of our operating budget relies on your donation dollars). A NWS membership of any level helps tremendously.

Contribute online or mail a check to: National Writers Series, 1200 W. 11th St. #231, Traverse City, MI 49684.

Individual Membership – $50

Purchase up to two (2) tickets during advance purchase week
NWS Sticker
10% off purchases at Morsels

Family Membership – $100

Purchase up to four (4) tickets during advance purchase weeks
NWS Sticker
10% off purchases at Morsels

Quill Donation – ranging from $125 – $999

NWS logo canvas tote and NWS sticker
Family Membership benefits

National Book Award – Donations between $1,000 – $5,000

NWS logo canvas tote and NWS sticker
Family Membership benefits

Best Seller List – Donations Between $5,000 – $9,999

Two (2) complimentary premium reserved tickets to all NWS events – an $800 value
NWS logo canvas tote and NWS sticker
Family Membership benefits

Nobel – Donation of $10,000 or more.

Signed books from ALL author events (16 events on average) – a $400 value!
Four(4)complimentary premium reserved tickets to all NWS events – a $1600 value
NWS logo canvas tote and NWS sticker
Family Membership benefits

Sponsorship Opportunities

Business Sponsorship of National Writers Series

When you invest in the National Writers Series’ corporate sponsorship program, you are building valuable social capital by aligning with our events and experiences that targeted consumers are passionate about. At the same time you are supporting our mission to promote students’ writing excellence and connect communities with national writers to advance appreciation of the written word.

Who Will See Your Business

More than 5,000 patrons attend 16 to 18 NWS Main Stage Author Events per year with average attendance of 330.
- Including 3 to 4 events per year that are sell-out crowds of 670
There are typically 1-2 NWS author events held elsewhere in the community
- In 2017 – The NWS Book Club event at Kirkbride Hall had 200 in attendance, a Milliken Auditorium author/photography exhibit event had 175 in attendance and the poet Dan Gerber at Bluewater Hall had 160 attendance
- IPR has more than 100,000 listeners in the greater northern Michigan region
- Up North Cable TV reports more than 75,000 YouTube views per year of NWS author interviews
90% of NWS attendees are adults who pay $15 to $45 for their ticket
80% of NWS audience members live in Grand Traverse County and 15% live in Leelanau County
NWS Website boasts 64,000 page views and 30,000 website visitors in 2016
Major and event sponsors are recognized in a myriad of ways, from a high-profile banner at Cherry Capital Airport to weekly email blasts, logos on website, posters distributed throughout out the region and event displays. We also give verbal recognition from the stage and in a pre-event slide show. See following page for full details.

NWS prints two seasonal program books per year. these are given to all event attendees (average of 330 per event or 5,200 attendees per year) and have an extremely high readership rate. all are full-color ads with two programs printed per year with option to change your ad between seasons.

Cost of ads:

$225 – Quarter Page – 1 Season

$400 Quarter Page – 2 Seasons

$400 – Half Page – 1 Season

$720 – Half Page – 2 Seasons

$600 – Whole Page – 1 Season

$1,080 – Whole Page – 2 Seasons

Awarded to businesses who donate or discount services $500 or more yearly.

Inclusion of logo in the NWS event slideshows
1⁄4-page ad in the Program Guide ($225/season or $400/full year)
Mention in our weekly email blasts with clickable link
Inclusion of logo in the NWS Program Guide
Inclusion on the NWS website with clickable link
Two free reserved tickets for one event per season (value of $31)

Literary Sponsorship – $1,000

Quarter page color ad in program (Sept-Dec or Jan-Aug) ($200 value)
Sixty event posters distributed throughout the Grand Traverse region
Business listed in the season line-up poster displayed at Horizon Books and
Cherry Capital Airport, also at City Opera House for all events
Cherry Capital Airport banner
Business name included in Record-Eagle and Northern Express ads
A public “thank you” for that evening’s sponsorship during introductory speech
Business name and logo in pre-event slide show, which is shown at all events
24 x 36-inch “thank you” poster displayed at the sponsored event
2 premium reserved tickets to your sponsored event – a $51 value
Opportunity to set up a display table at event to promote your business and/or collect attendee contact information
Clickable logo weblink on website
Inclusion in weekly email blast to 6,800
NWS attendees – includes your business name/logo with clickable link

Single Event Sponoship – $2,000

Quarter page color ad in program (Sept-Dec or Jan-Aug) ($200 value)
Sixty event posters distributed throughout the Grand Traverse region
Business listed in the season line-up poster displayed at Horizon Books and Cherry Capital Airport, also at City Opera House for all events
Cherry Capital Airport banner
Business name included in Record-Eagle and Northern Express ads
A public “thank you” for that evening’s sponsorship during introductory speech
Business name and logo in pre-event slide show, which is shown at all events
24 x 36-inch “thank you” poster displayed at the sponsored event
2 premium reserved tickets to your sponsored event – a $51 value
Opportunity to set up a display table at event to promote your business and/or collect attendee contact information
Clickable logo weblink on website
Inclusion in weekly email blast to 6,800 NWS attendees – includes your business name/logo with clickable link

Single Season Sponsorship $6,000

Half page color ad in program (Sept-Dec or Jan-Aug) ($400 value)
Sixty event posters distributed throughout the Grand Traverse region
Business listed in the season line-up poster displayed at Horizon Books and Cherry Capital Airport, also at City Opera House for all events
Cherry Capital Airport banner
Business name included in Record-Eagle and Northern Express ads
A public “thank you” for that evening’s sponsorship during introductory speech
Business name and logo in pre-event slide show, which is shown at all events
24 x 36-inch “thank you” poster displayed at the sponsored event
4 premium reserved tickets to your sponsored event – a $100 value
Opportunity to set up a display table at event to promote your business and/or collect attendee contact information
Clickable logo weblink on website
Inclusion in weekly email blast to 6,800 NWS attendees – includes your business name/logo with clickable link

Sustaining Sponsorship – $10,000

Half page color ad in program (Sept-Dec or Jan-Aug) ($400 value)
Sixty event posters distributed throughout the Grand Traverse region
Business listed in the season line-up poster displayed at Horizon Books and Cherry Capital Airport, also at City Opera House for all events
Cherry Capital Airport banner
Business name included in Record-Eagle and Northern Express ads
A public “thank you” for that evening’s sponsorship during introductory speech
Business name and logo in pre-event slide show, which is shown at all events
24 x 36-inch “thank you” poster displayed at the sponsored event
4 premium reserved tickets to your sponsored event – a $100 value
Opportunity to set up a display table at event to promote your business and/or collect attendee contact information
Clickable logo weblink on website
Inclusion in weekly email blast to 6,800 NWS attendees – includes your business name/logo with clickable link