Home
History
Poetry Contests
Manuscript Contest
Student Awards
Student Competition
Publications
Strophes Online
FYI
State Links
  The National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) is a non-profit organization, exclusively educational and literary. Its purpose is to recognize the importance of poetry with respect to national cultural heritage. It is dedicated solely to the furtherance of poetry on the national level and serves to unite poets in the bonds of fellowship and understanding.

The NFSPS sponsors fifty annual poetry contests with cash prizes totaling over $6,000, including a grand prize of $1,500. It also sponsors a contest for a collection of poems by one poet, with a cash prize of $1,000.

Strophes is the national society's official newsletter. It is published quarterly with national news but also with state societies' news. It announces numerous contests and lists the national board members and state presidents. The summer issue provides names of judges and winners for the national contests.

Annual conventions are conducted for business, instruction, and fellowship. Poets who attend share poetry, ideas, and inspiration, which they carry home to their local organizations.  The 2010 convention was held in Memphis, Tennessee, on June 10-13.

The Federation Library Collection is housed at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. In addition to the Encores (prize poem anthologies which contain winners of the national poetry contests), the collection includes books and materials provided by organizations and individuals.

The emblem of the Federation is the Athenian Greek coin insignia that appears on all NFSPS publications and has been incorporated into the design of the medal (see above) which is presented to NFSPS presidents at the end of their terms.

The members of the Federation are members of an NFSPS affiliated state organization. Any poet wishing to know the location of his or her state society may contact NFSPS for this information. Send a business-sized SASE to Russell H. Strauss, 18 S. Rembert St., Memphis, TN 38104.

These officers were elected at the national convention in 2010 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Honorary Chancellor 
Ted Kooser
Executive Board: The Executive Board shall be comprised of all elected officers of the NFSPS
and the immediate past president.  This body shall serve as the governing body of NFSPS.
[NFSPS Bylaws, Article VI--Executive Board, Section A.]

President: Russell H. Strauss, 18 S. Rembert St., Memphis, TN 38104 - Russell H. Strauss
1st Vice President: Jeremy Downes, 832 Tacoma Dr., Auburn, AL 36860 - Jeremy Downes
Stevens Manuscript Competition Chairman
2nd Vice President: N. Colwell Snell, P. O. Box 520698, Salt Lake City, UT 84152-0698 - N. Colwell
Publicity Chairman

3rd Vice President:
Eleanor Berry, 22614 N. Santiam Hwy., Lyons, OR 97358 - Eleanor Berry
Membership Chair
4th Vice President: Caroline Walton, 6176 W. Pinedale Cl., Crystal River, FL 34429 - Caroline Walton
Historian

Chancellor:
Steven Concert, 49 Kitchen Ave., Harveys Lake, PA 18618 - Steven Concert
Youth Chairman

1st Vice Chancellor:
Dena Gorrell, 14024 Gateway Dr., Edmond, OK 73013 Dena Gorrell
Poetry Day/Poetry Month Liason
2nd Vice Chancellor:
Valerie Martin Bailey, 2207 Parhaven Dr., San Antonio, TX 78232 - Valerie Martin Bailey
Encore Editor

Treasurer:
Lucille Morgan Wilson, 2325 61st St., Des Moines, IA 50322 - Lucille Morgan Wilson
Secretary:
Christine Delea,  Christine Delea
Immediate Past President: Nancy Baass, 2603 N. De Leon St., Victoria, TX 77901-4812
Appointive Board

College/University Competition Chairman: Kathryn E. Clement, 1510 N. Sinova St., Mesa, AZ 85205 -  Kathryn E. Clement
Contest Chair:
Mikki Pennington, P O Box 7842, Moore, OK 73153 Mikki Pennington
Contest Sponsors/Brochures: Sharon Martin Turner, 10807 Silhouette Dr., San Antonio, TX 78216 -  Sharon Martin Turner
Convention Coordinator: James Barton, P. O. Box 263, Huttig, AR71747 - James Barton
Development Chairman:  Christina Foster, 709 N. Avalon, Memphis, TN 3810 - Christina Foster
Judges Chair: DeAnna Spurlock, 110 S. Bedford St., Carlisle, PA 17013 - DeAnna Spurlock
Librarian: Peggy Zuleika Lynch, 6954 Elusive Pass, San Antonio, TX 78233 - Peggy Zuleika Lynch
Manningham Trust Awards: Budd Powell Mahan, 7059 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, TX 75254
Manningham  Trust Advisor: Sam Wood, 1570 Auburn Way, Reno, NV 89502
Special Awards:
Amy Jo Zook, 3520 State Rd. 56, Mechanicsburg, OH 43044
Strophies Coeditor:
Paul Ford, 10239 Hickory Point Dr., Sandy, UT 84092 - Paul Ford
Strophes Coeditor: Bethany Ng 5217 S. Heath Ave., Kearns, UT 84116
Website and Contest Clerk:
Billy Pennington, P.O. Box 7842, Moore, OK 73153 - Billy Pennington
Legal Advisor and Parlimentarian: Floyd (Michaud) L. Lamrouex, 4147 Acorn Hill Suite 1, San Antonio, TX 78217 - Floyd (Michaud) Lamrouex

************Officers, please review the above information. If you wish to make any corrections/changes please email me************

Past NFSPS Presidents:

*Cecilia Parsons Miller, *Clinton Larson, *Robert D. West, *Edna Meudt, *Marvin Davis Winsett, *Max Golightly, *Hans Juergensen, *Russell Ferrall, *Jean Jenkins, *Catherine Case Lubbe, Glenn Swetman, *Carl Morton, *Alice Briley, *Wauneta Hackleman, *Jack Murphy, *Barbara Stevens, *Henrietta Kroah, *Jerry Robbins, Pat Stodghill, *Wanda Blaisdell, *Ralph Hammond, Amy Jo Zook, Susan S. Chambers, Clarence P. Socwell, Madelyn Eastlund, Budd Powell Mahan, Doris Stengel, and Nancy Baass

* Deceased