Introducing: The PANA/Pozotron Rising Voices Grant
PANA is proud to partner with our Diamond Level Sponsor, Pozotron, to help support and uplift narrators.
Why PANA? Our mission is to advance education, recognition, and networking opportunities for a diverse community of professional audiobook narrators. We do this through a number of programs, including PANArama with a Producer, PANAcademy, PANAcon, Online and in-person socials, and more. (Scroll down for more about PANA.)
Through Pozotron’s sponsorship, we are able to offer 12 free one-year PANA memberships to rising voices in the industry. These memberships will provide access to PANA’s vibrant community, educational resources, and professional support helping new narrators grow their careers.
To learn more about Pozotron, you can visit their website at www.pozotron.com
Why it matters:
Audiobook narration is about more than reading – it’s about representation, connection, and craft. By offering these memberships, we are working together to invest in the future of audio storytelling and empowering narrators from all backgrounds to find their voice.
The funding cycle for 2025 has closed.
Please check back in the Fall of 2026.
To qualify for the grant, you must:
- Be a professional narrator. (According to Article IV, section 1 of PANA’s bylaws, “Professional Narrator” is defined as a narrator with “at least one title released by a known publishing entity or equivalent.” To paraphrase – you need a minimum of one commercially available audiobook.)
- Have not been a member of PANA in the past, or have a membership that has lapsed for a year or more.
- Fill out our application. It is a few short-answer questions and should take about 10 minutes to complete.
Grant winners will receive the following:
- A free one year membership to PANA
- 2 months of free access to Pozotron Studio, including 14 hours of Proofing Tool credits and onboarding call with a Pozotron expert.
- A welcome packet with a few surprise goodies
- Connection to a supportive professional community through PANA’s educational resources and narrator network.
If you do not receive the grant, you will be sent a discount code for 20% off a membership.
FAQs (Fantastically Anticipated Questions):
Q: What is the application window?
A: We will accept applications through Friday, November 14, with all grants being awarded by December 1. Memberships will run through the 2026 calendar year. (January 1-December 31)
Q: Do I have to be a new narrator to enter?
A: Nope! You can be at any stage of your career. The only qualifications are that you’re a new member of PANA. And for this grant, we consider folks whose memberships have lapsed for over a year to also be new members.
Q: Why are you considering lapsed members to be new members?
That’s because we are just so excited to share everything PANA has been up to since those members left! We have created new programs (hello, PANAcon!), expanded PANArama, and hosted new socials – in person and online.
Q: What sorts of questions are on the form? How long will it take me to fill out?
A: The form has a few short-answer questions and asks for a headshot and a link to an audiobook you’ve recorded. (It took me about 8 minutes, but I knew the questions in advance.)
Q: I want to know the questions in advance! What are they?
A: So glad you asked! We ask you to
- Describe your level of experience. (You can talk about training, number of books, years working, or anything else you feel is pertinent.)
- Tell us what you hope to gain from your PANA membership
- Tell us why you’re seeking support through this grant
- Tell us anything else you think we should know (optional).
The funding cycle for 2025 has closed.
Please check back in the Fall of 2026.
PANA Membership Benefits
Membership in PANA has many perks! For example:
PANArama with a Producer: Our exclusive sessions held multiple times per year, when host Hillary Huber talks casting with an audiobook producer, then three members selected by lottery read a short selection and receive feedback.
PANAcademy: Our education program for narrators of all levels. All of PANAcademy’s courses are subsidized so they are offered at fantastic discounts, and all webinars are free.
PANApplause: Our recognitions program, which has two different levels of award: Narrator Spotlight (NSL) and Narrator of Distinction (NoD).
DEI Database: For authentic representation, over 90 producers have access to our members-only database, including multiple ethnicities, disabilities, ages, and more.
PANAcon: While it’s true that anyone can sign up for PANAcon, members receive extra perks. In 2025 perks included a special PANAcon PANArama, discounted tickets to the con itself, the opportunity to submit a sample and receive personalized feedback via email from a producer, and more!
PANArama, discounted tickets to the con itself, the opportunity to submit a sample and receive personalized feedback via email from a producer, and more!
In addition to the above, PANA hosts quarterly online socials, periodic in person socials, and other community-building activities. For example we had a trivia night we called “CopacaPANA,” where the wining team was the “Barry PANAlows.” (Clearly we have a fondness for anything we can use with PANA to make a portmanteau.)
When you join PANA, you join the ONLY organization created specifically for the narrator community. You show your support for human voices in audiobooks. Our board of directors is always working to build an organization we can all be proud of, from advocating on the state and federal level for protections from AI to advancing narrators’ careers and building their supportive community. We believe the narrator community is unparalleled and it is our honor to serve that community in every way we can.
