We’ve had a busy year with the 2023 microgrant program here at the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund. The microgrants are our core program through which we give out $1,500 a month to causes that we strongly believe in. Below, check out the amazing causes we’ve already supported in 2023 and what we’ve got slated for the rest of the year. As always, if you know of any organizations that you feel deserve and need the support of a microgrant, please let us know!
In January, we partnered with the Highlights Foundation to sponsor a full scholarship for an author or illustrator whose story is underrepresented in the children’s book community to one of the Foundation’s remarkable in-person workshops.
In February, we gave out the first of our four annual School Librarian’s Mini Library grants, which provides $500 in banned books each to three school librarians every quarter. We are dedicated to challenging book banning and censorship in schools and the School Librarian’s Mini Library grants are one of our favorite ways to do so. We also gave out the Mini Library grant in May and will do so again in August and November.
In March, we partnered with the visionary South Africa-based organization Book Dash to translate two brand new books—Baby Talk and Dance, Khuzwayo, Dance—into five languages! Book Dash’s unique model is making huge strides in getting unique children’s book titles into homes in the languages of those homes. We are so proud to support them.
As a global organization, the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund strives to support pressing causes across our planet. As such, we dedicated our April microgrant to Book Arsenal, a literary festival held annually in Kiev. We strongly believe that the people of Ukraine deserve our support and care.
In June, we turned our sights back to the United States and partnered with the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival to sponsor their debut author school visit mentorship program. With the money provided by ILF, three debut Latinex authors will embark on their first school visits to promote their books. Four seasoned children’s book authors will mentor the debut authors on the art of the school visit.
In September, we’re thrilled to support Pride and Less Prejudice, an organization dedicated to putting age-appropriate LGBTQ+ reading materials in schools across the United States.
At the end of the year, we’ll dedicate our microgrants to supporting our larger plans for Giving Tuesday.
Thank you so much, everyone, for your continuing support of the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund! It’s an honor to be able to support and partner with these incredible organizations to continue doing good work for our entire children’s book community!