Diverse Voices Scholarship

We are proud to announce the launch of the Diverse Voices Scholarship for the SCBWI Kansas/Missouri 2024 Virtual Middle of the Map Conference! This scholarship is dedicated to fostering inclusivity and amplifying underrepresented voices in children's literature.

Our 2024 judge will be Saba Sulaiman, Senior Agent at Talcott Notch Literary Services.

What is the Diverse Voices Scholarship?

The Diverse Voices Scholarship offers a unique opportunity for one talented author, illustrator, or translator to attend the SCBWI KS/MO 2024 Virtual Middle of the Map Conference free of charge. This scholarship covers the full cost of conference registration, providing access to a wealth of knowledge, networking opportunities, and industry insights. (Note: any additional expenses, such as critiques, are not included.)

Who Can Apply?

This scholarship is open to authors, illustrators, and translators in the Kansas/Missouri region who identify as members of underrepresented communities. Eligible applicants include (but are not limited to) individuals from LGBTQIA+ communities, Native peoples, people of color, those with gender diversity, people with disabilities (including physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses), and individuals from ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. You do not need to be a current paid member of SCBWI to apply but you must sign up at least as a preview member (Preview User Plan: Website users who register on scbwi.org but do not purchase an annual membership have limited access to public content only, meaning our podcast, our YouTube channel, select events, and our blog. Get a free sneak peek of all that the SCBWI community has to offer.)

How to Apply:

Applications will be open from June 1st through June 30th. Please fill out this Google form with the following information:

Name
City, State
Email address
Underrepresented community/communities with which you identify
Sample of your work with no identifying information (e.g., no name, pen name, etc.). Full PB manuscript, first 10 pages of a novel, one illustration sized at 72dpi saved as a jpg, or dummy in PDF format and under 25 mb.

The winner will be announced in August. Scholarship awards are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.

If you have any questions regarding the scholarship or the application process, please reach out to ksmo@scbwi.org.

Best of luck to all applicants!

Please note: By applying for scholarships or contests, if you win, you agree to be a judge the following year in that category.