Each year Naugatuck River Review hosts a Narrative Poetry Prize.

[1] NRR subscribes to the ethical code for contests laid out by the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses.

Past judges have included Patricia Smith, Patrick Donnelly, and Lesléa Newman.

[2][3] Edward Byrne, Ernie Wormwood,[4] Laurie Junkins, José Gouveia, Steven Riel, Terry Lucas, Wyn Cooper, Diane Lockward, Alan King, Laurie Ann Guerrero,[5] Sally Rosen Kindred, Marie-Elizabeth Mali, Naomi Benaron,[6] José B. Gonzalez, Monica Hand,[7] Daniel Nathan Terry, Taylor Mali, Richard Vargas,[8] Tim Mayo, Marge Piercy, Truth Thomas, Janet Jennings, Christel Warren, Monica A.

Hand, Lyn Lifshin, Lucille Lang Day, and Tara Betts.