Click on any grant or award below for more information and submission guidelines.
Manuscript Awards – Given in conjunction with the SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles for promising manuscripts.
Emerging Voices Award – Established with funding from Martin and Sue Schmitt of the 455 Foundation to foster the emergence of diverse voices in children’s books.
Student Writer Scholarship – Conference tuition for full-time university students in an English or Creative Writing program.
Work-in-Progress Awards – To assist children’s book writers and illustrators in the publication of a specific project currently not under contract. Given in the categories of: Picture Book Text, Chapter Books/Early Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult Fiction, Nonfiction, and Multicultural Fiction or Nonfiction.
Karen Cushman Late Bloomer Award – An award for a work-in-progress from an unpublished author over 50.
SCBWI PJ Library Jewish Stories Award – An award sponsored by the PJ Library to encourage the creation of more high-quality Jewish children’s literature.
FOR PUBLISHED AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS
Book Launch Award – Provides authors or illustrators with $2,000 in funds to help the promotion of their newly published work and take the marketing strategy into their own creative hands.
Crystal Kite Awards – Peer-given award to recognize great books from 15 SCBWI regional divisions around the world.
Golden Kite Awards – Instituted in 1973, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. The Golden Kite Awards recognize excellence in children’s literatures in five categories: Young Reader and Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Book Text, and Picture Book Illustration.
Jane Yolen Mid-List Author Grant – Critically acclaimed children’s book author Jane Yolen created this grant to honor the contribution of mid-list authors.
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award – The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award recognizes and encourages the publication of an excellent book of poetry or anthology for children and/or young adults. This award is given every three years.
Magazine Merit Award – For original magazine work for young people in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, illustration, and poetry.
Martha Weston Grant – The Martha Weston Grant was established by the Hairston Family to remember author/illustrator Martha Weston. The grant helps authors and illustrators who want to switch children's book genres.
Sid Fleischman Award – Given with the Golden Kite Awards, an award for exemplary writing for children in the genre of humor.
Spark Award – An annual award that recognizes excellence in a children’s book published through a non-traditional publishing route.
Work-in-Progress Awards – To assist children’s book writers and illustrators in the publication of a specific project currently not under contract. Given in the categories of: Picture Book Text, Chapter Books/Early Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult Fiction, Nonfiction, and Multi-Cultural Fiction or Nonfiction.