North Carolina State Poetry Contest
Deadline March 2, formerly March 1. Neutral free contest gives $500 for poems by North Carolina residents with no published books. Send 1-3 previously unpublished poems of any length. Previous winners, poets with a published book, UNC-system tenured/tenure-track professors, and NC State writing instructors may not enter. UNC teaching assistants and out-of-state or international undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in North Carolina universities are eligible to enter. No email entries accepted; mail hard copy entries. Prior to 2012, this prize was known as the Brenda L. Smart Grand Prize for Poetry.
Source: https://english.chass.ncsu.edu/research-and-engagement/creative-writing/poetry-contest/
Published: February 13, 2026
