Each year since its inception in 1915, the Society has presented awards for excellence to authors and poets. Currently the Society presents awards of cash and recognition plaques to winners in the categories of adult fiction and nonfiction, biography, poetry, and children's fiction and nonfiction published in the previous year. The juried competition is open to authors and poets who reside in, were born in, or have strong ties to the twelve-state Midwestern Heartland.

Beginning in 2002, the James Friend Memorial Award for Literary Criticism is also presented under our aegis. In addition, at the discretion of the Society's officers and board of directors, lifetime achievement awards are presented to individuals who have donated their time and energies to assist the Society over a period of years and authors recognized for their contributions to Midwestern letters.

Midwestern Heartland States

Illinois Indiana Iowa

Kansas Michigan Minnesota

Missouri Nebraska North Dakota

Ohio South Dakota Wisconsin