The award and foundation were established in 2018 to honor the memory of Rebecca Swift, a poet, essayist, editor, and founder of The Literary Consultancy.
[6] In 2018, the first shortlist for the award included nine poets: Jenna Clarke, Claire Collison, Alice Hiller, Holly Hopkins, Bryony Littlefair, Anita Pati, Nina Mingya Powles, Em Strang, and Jemilea Wisdom-Baako.
"[2][3] Each of the three winners received £1,000 and support from the Rebecca Swift Foundation and its partner organizations and two mentors, one for poetry and one to help them with their life.
[7] The award prize money was increased to £1,500, and the 2020 jurors were Liz Berry, Malika Booker and Pascale Petit.
[8] The Rebecca Swift Foundation postponed the award for 2024 due to an inability to secure funding from Arts Council England.