The Dolly Parton Songwriters Award is an annual, nationwide competition open to aspiring songwriters. The awards can be used as a career grant for study, instrument purchase, recording costs, or other professional expenses and are not restricted to tuition costs. The program offers an award to up to two best original song entries in any of the following genres: Americana, blues, bluegrass, contemporary Christian, country, folk, and roots. All applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 24 as of February 15, 2025 and must be in residence in the United States or its territories. Applicants may only submit one application per BMI Foundation awards program; may not submit the same musical work to more than one BMI Foundation awards program; and may only submit works that have not been assigned to any major music publisher or major record label. Applicants may only apply if they have not previously won the Dolly Parton Songwriters Award or Nashville Songwriting Scholarship. Honorable mentions may apply again. If the work is co-written, it must meet the following requirements: (1) Co-written works can have no more than 3 total writers. (2) All co-writers must meet eligibility requirements. (3) One single songwriter of record must submit the application. Songwriters can only be the writer of a record on one submission. Songwriters of record and their co-writers can also be co-writers on other submissions. (4) Awards will be split evenly among co-writers for co-written works, and co-writers will each receive the award. (5) Only songwriters should be listed as co-writers for the award. No other artists should be listed (performers, producers, etc.). Please visit the award's website for more information.