The Sherwood Anderson Foundation has been helping developing writers since 1988 in order to honor, preserve, and celebrate the memory and literary work of Sherwood Anderson, American realist of the first half of the twentieth century. The amount of the award each year depends on a number of factors, including the investment market. The 2009 award was $15,000. Applications must arrive postmarked no later than April 1 of each year. The winner will be announced on or before the following September 1 on this Web site. If the applications are not deemed to have high literary merit, no award will be made in that year.