Submission Guidelines

SUBMISSION WINDOW

Submissions will remain open until we receive 70 applications. We plan to open to more applicants after our judging committee has reviewed this first round.

ELIGIBILITY

• • Applicants must identify as diverse. Applicants must identify as one or more of the following:
  • • Person of color
    • Native American
    • LGBTQIA+
    • Person with a disability
    • Marginalized religious or cultural minority

  Please note: The applicant themselves must be diverse. Being married to, a parent of, or a sibling of a diverse person, or being someone who has grown up with diverse people, will not qualify an otherwise ineligible applicant.

  • For writers and illustrators: 
    • The applicant must be a published author and/or illustrator, with at least one book-length title at a traditional publishing house. 
    • The applicant’s published work must include at least one title aimed for children or teens. This includes: Picture Books, Early Reader Books, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction, and Poetry.
    • The applicant must have lost income.
    • At this point in time, we are unable to consider self-published authors and/or illustrators. 
  • For publishing professionals: 
    • The applicant must be furloughed or recently laid off from a publisher or literary agency. Their position must have focused on children’s literature. 
  • Applicant must be a U.S. resident.
  • Applicant must be at least 18 years of age.

What is meant by diverse?

Applicants must identify as one or more of the following:

• • Person of color
  • Native American
  • LGBTQIA+
  • Person with a disability
  • Marginalized religious or cultural minority

                Please note:

• • The applicant themselves must be diverse. Being married to, a parent of, or a sibling of a diverse person, or being someone who has grown up with diverse people, will not qualify an otherwise ineligible applicant.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Please visit this link to access the online application. Please note: only applications submitted through the online application will be considered.

To ensure that our selection committee has the time to review each submission and select recipients within a 2-3 week timeframe, we must cap the number of applications at 70. We plan to open to more applicants after we've completed this first round.

1. General information:

• Full name
• Address
• E-mail address
• Phone number
• Diversity the applicant identifies with.

2. Financial Information 

A.) What is your present monthly income? What was your recent monthly income prior to the COVID-19 pandemic? 

B.) Please list the sources of your recent income before the pandemic. (You may note if you were salaried or contractual.) 

C.) Please provide contact information for your employer or client (to confirm employment and/or the status of your contracts). 

3. Employment Information 

A.) For authors and illustrators: please provide documentation of lost income. This may include screenshots or scans that show the cancellation of school/library visits and book events OR contact information for parties who can confirm lost income, like a client, a booking agent, or an event organizer where the canceled visit would’ve taken place. 

For publishing professionals: please provide documentation of your primary source of income. 

B.) Are you eligible or registered for unemployment? (Y/N) 

C.) Do you have PTO or severance available? 

4. Degree of Need

A.) Please provide a statement of need and how you would use these funds. (Maximum of 250 words.) 

B.) How many people are in your household?

C.) Please attach a copy of your most recent bank statement. 

For additional information please read our Emergency Grant FAQs and direct any questions to emergencygrant@diversebooks.org.