Application deadline: June 1
Please note, if the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will be moved to the next business day.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes the important role of the publishing industry in the cultural and economic life of the province. Additionally, Government recognizes the economic disadvantages faced by the publishing sector due to the small domestic market, difficulty in distribution, and pressures from national and international competitors.
The Publishers Assistance Program supports publishers with potential for sustained or expanding business strength, sound market and business planning, employment growth over the long term, and responsiveness to the provincial literary sector. The program is designed to strengthen the publishing and the literary sectors overall by encouraging quality products, effective marketing, and by making professional development services available to publishers.
The Publishers Assistance Program is a component of the Cultural Economic Development Program (CEDP). CEDP is designed to stimulate economic activity by providing financial assistance for heritage and professional arts activities including support for the growth of self-sustaining economic activity within the sectors and for increased capacity for market access and expansion of cultural products. CEDP programming adheres to the principles outlined in Creative Newfoundland and Labrador: The Blueprint for Development and Investment in Culture, 2006.
- Eligible Costs
- Ineligible Costs
- Applicant Eligibility
- Funding Structure
- Ineligible Titles
- Eligible Categories
- Application Process
- Final Report
- Application Form
- Contact
Eligible Costs
The Publishers Assistance Program targets editing, design, marketing, and professional development as a means of enhancing products and the overall impact of government funding to the publishing sector.
Editing This component assists publishers with costs related to enhancing the presentation of books. Eligible costs include content editing and copyediting.
Design This component assists publishers with costs related to enhancing the presentation of books. Eligible costs include cover and page layout and design, including costs associated with images (artwork, photography).
Marketing This component assist publishers with costs related to marketing activities aimed at enhancing audience development locally, nationally and internationally. Eligible costs include those directly related to the promotion and sale of books.
Professional Development This component assists publishers in participating in professional development opportunities, including training programs, forums, information sessions, and attendance at industry-led conferences, both within and outside the province.
Ineligible Costs
The program does not support general operations, printing costs, royalty payments to authors, or the earnings or wages of owners of companies; these costs are ineligible.
Applicant Eligibility
To be eligible for assistance under the Publishers Assistance Program a publishing company must:
- Have its effective management, editorial and financial control within the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador;
- Have as its primary activity the publication of books;
- Have in print no fewer than ten eligible titles;
- Be able to provide a financial statement (Review Engagement or Audit Engagement) and a Royalty Certification Report for the previous fiscal year;
- Demonstrate fiscal viability;
- Demonstrate contractual relationships with authors;
- Issue clear royalty statements on a regular basis and fulfill all contractual obligations and agreed terms to writers, illustrators, translators, artists and other services and licensors;
- Have an on-going publishing program of at least three eligible titles per year;
- Be incorporated and publishing eligible titles for a minimum of two years; and
- Score greater than twenty-five (25) assessment points out of the maximum one hundred (100) points of the Evaluation Component (see Funding Structure below). The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador reserves the right to ask for additional information to determine the eligibility of an applicant.
Funding Structure
Funding is allocated based on two components: a Base Component allocated on a per publication basis, based on eligible titles released the previous year (40% of funding); and an Evaluation Component based on an assessment of the company’s publishing program (60% of funding) as presented in the application.
The Evaluation Component is based on points awarded for each criterion (as indicated on the Application Form) per the following scale: 0 for Very poor or non-existent; 1 for Poor; 2 for Fair; 3 for Good; 4 for Very good; and 5 for Excellent. An applicant will not be eligible for funding under the Publishers Assistance Program if fewer than twenty-five (25) assessment points out of the maximum one hundred points (100) of the Evaluation Component are awarded.
Ineligible Titles
- Vanity titles; titles that are subsidized by the author through pre-publishing sales or through financial contribution towards publication costs, including editing, distribution, warehousing, marketing, and print
- Titles for which the author or illustrator does not receive royalties;
- Titles for which legal obligations to authors, illustrators and other copyright holders have not been honoured;
- Titles commissioned or paid for by an individual, group, political party or company where the publisher does not have complete and independent editorial control;
- Reprints of titles;
- Titles designed to meet educational curriculum criteria;
- Titles intended for a specialized or academic audience. Published titles should be accessible to a general reading audience;
- Titles written by owners or employees of the publishing company;
- Exhibition catalogues, reference books, calendars, activity and colouring books, quiz and trivia books, psychology and self-help books, manuals, commissioned publications and government publications.
- Titles with text that is primarily short captions, quotations, jokes or sayings;
- Titles with fewer than a total of 48 pages between the covers, with the exception of children’s books which must contain at least 24 printed pages; and
- Titles with a minimum print run of less than 350 (print-on-demand titles are eligible if it can be demonstrated that 350 copies have been printed).
Eligible Categories
The following categories and combinations thereof are eligible: fiction and non-fiction; children, young adult and adult; poetry, drama and literature; history, biography, folklore/folk-life, art, music, Aboriginal themes, architecture, literary criticism, nature, philosophy, politics, social sciences, sport, travel, adventure tourism and humour. Cookbooks and guidebooks are eligible when it is deemed they reflect to a significant degree the culture of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Application Process
The deadline for applications is June 1, 2024. Decisions on allocations will be made within 12 weeks and 90% will be made available to the applicant upon signing the contract. A holdback of 10% will be paid on receipt of a final report, due no later than March 15, 2025.
Publishers must submit the completed application form, including all required support materials, by the deadline to be considered for funding. Participation in the program is determined annually and is based on program criteria and the strength of the application. Publishers Assistance Program support is not automatic for all eligible applicants.
Final Report
Successful applicants will be required to submit a comprehensive final report that outlines in detail how the funds were used. The final report will include the following:
- For each eligible title published 2023-2024: Financial information identifying allocation of funds for editing, design, and marketing
- Copies of paid invoices (proof of payment) pertaining to eligible costs (editing, design, marketing, professional development) up to the amount of the grant. Invoices should include name and contact details of consultant, date, description of services rendered, rate of pay, applicable taxes, and total amount of invoice.
- General marketing activities undertaken by the publisher, including copies of catalogues, posters, etc.; any awards, critical responses and other professional recognition; professional development initiatives; any other activities and accomplishments deemed relevant.
All publications supported under the Publishers Assistance Program must identify the Government’s logo and acknowledge the support of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Application Form
Publishers Assistance Program, Arts and Heritage Division
Department of Tourism, Culture Arts and Recreation
P.O. Box 8700
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 4J6
Contact
For more information, contact Paula Morgan: paulamorgan@gov.nl.ca