Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
WORK-IN-PROGRESS GRANT PROCEDURES

The SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grants have been established to assist children's book writers in the completion of a specific book project.

ELIGIBILITY:
The Work-In-Progress Grants are available to both full and associate members of the SCBWI. They are not available for projects on which there is already a contract. Please note: members may apply for only one SCBWI grant per calendar year.

In any given year, an applicant may apply for: the General Work-In-Progress Grant OR the Work-In-Progress Grant for a Contemporary Novel for Young People OR the Work-In-Progress Nonfiction Research Grant. The Grant for a Work Whose Author Has Never Had a Children's Book Published may NOT be applied for -- it will be chosen from among entries in the other Work-In-Porgress Grant categories.

All genres (picture-books, fiction, nonfiction) are eligible for the General Work-In-Progress Grant. The Contemporary Novel for Young People, for this purpose, is a realistic story that takes place during the current decade. Any category listed as nonfiction under the Dewey Decimal System (including poetry, folklore, mythology, etc.) is eligible for the Nonfiction Research Grant.

GRANT AMOUNTS:
Four Grants of $1,500 will be awarded annually, one in each category. Four Runner-Up Grants of $500 will also be awarded, one in each category. Authors of other projects cited by the judges as noteworthy will receive a Letter of Merit. In any given year, the SCBWI Grant Committee reserves the right to withhold the grant for that year. 

USE OF GRANT MONEY:
For the General Work-In-Progress Grant, the Work-In-Progress Grant for a Contemporary Novel for Young People, and the Grant for a Work Whose Author Has Never Had a Children's Book Published, acceptable uses are: the purchase of necessary materials; travel for research; conferences, courses and/or workshops in advanced writing techniques; child care; rental of work space; supplemental basic support; other items deemed necessary to complete the project.

For the Nonfiction Research Grant, acceptable uses are those directly related to research: travel for research, including basic living expenses for the trip or trips; the cost of a tape recorder and tapes for interviewing; the cost of photocopies of research material; travel and expenses for photo research; the cost of prints and photocopies of archival material.

PROCEDURES:
It is necessary that applicants use the most current application form and guidelines, since the procedures do change. Each year new applications and guidelines are available from the SCBWI office or on the SCBWI website starting October 4th. Please double check that you have the most current version by looking at the bottom of the last page. The revised date should be 10/06.

1) Prepare 7 clearly reproduced copies of:
  a) the most current Grant Application Form completed in full
b) a writing sample, not to exceed 2,500 words, from the work for which the grant will be used.
c) a no more than 750-word synopsis of that work.
 
2) Collate the material in the order given above and securely staple it into 7 separate sets. 
 
3) Your name, as listed by the SCBWI, should be the one used on the Application Form and should appear on the first page of both your manuscript and synopsis. (We need to be able to verify your membership, so be sure you list the name that appears on your membership card. You can double check how we have you listed by emailing SCBWI Membership.)
 
4) The application may be single-spaced, but all other material should be typed double-spaced with adequate margins, using a type face and point size that is easily read.
 
5) Each set of material may total no more than 15 pages, including the Application Form.

PLEASE FOLLOW THESE PROCEDURES CAREFULLY.
ENTRIES NOT IN COMPLIANCE MAY BE DECLARED INELIGIBLE.

DEADLINE:
Deadline: Completed application and accompanying materials must be postmarked no earlier than February 15th and must be RECEIVED BY March 15th. Receipt of your application will be acknowledged only if a stamped self-addressed post card is enclosed. The recipients of the grants will be announced in September.

Questions may be directed to the Coordinator, Sue Burgess. Completed materials should be sent to:

SCBWI W-I-P Grant Committee
8271 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
revised 10/06

Click here for the Work-In-Progress Grants Application.