Translation Grants for Foreign Publishers

The Dutch Foundation for Literature may offer financial support to a publisher for a maximum of four titles per genre by the same author or illustrator. If the author or illustrator switches to a different publishing house, previously published titles do not count toward this limit: the number of titles by the same author/illustrator that may be eligible for funding is four per genre per publisher. In exceptional circumstances, financial support may be provided to a single publisher for more than the usual limit of four titles per genre by an author/illustrator. If you have any queries, please contact us before submitting your application.

The sum is based on the standard translation rate (in euro cents per Dutch word) in the relevant country, with a specified limit per country or region. This limit corresponds to the subsidy granted by the Dutch Foundation for Literature. Any amount exceeding this limit is the responsibility of the publisher. This limit should not be understood as a recommended rate; the publisher is, of course, encouraged to pay a higher amount. This applies to both prose and poetry.

In the case of poetry, the grant amount is based on a maximum fee of €3 per line (including titles, and with a minimum of €50 per poem).

For illustrated children’s literature, graphic novels of exceptional quality, and poetry, an additional production subsidy may be granted. The maximum for poetry is €1,400, for illustrated literature €2,800.

Publishers are required to explicitly mention in their application any other organisations they have approached for a grant, including, if possible, the sum requested or granted, and for what costs this grant was applied for. Should translation costs already be covered by another grant, the amount awarded by the Dutch Foundation for Literature will be adjusted.

Grant applications should be submitted by the foreign publisher using the application form. The requested documentation should be attached to your reply to the confirmation email that you will receive after filling in the online form. The Foundation aims to inform the applicant of its decision within twelve weeks.

The sum will be paid to the foreign publishing house upon publication of the translated book and the receipt of the agreed complimentary copies. The Dutch Foundation for Literature also requires the publisher’s bank statement confirming the translator’s payment as per the contract. Direct payments to the translator are allowed only for urgent reasons, in which case an additional written statement stating the reason and the translator’s bank details must be included with the initial application. Note that the beneficiary cannot be changed after grant approval. The total amount of the grant will be reduced proportionally if the fee paid to the translator is less then stated in the contract. Where the payment to the translator is given as an advance on royalties, the translation grant should be counted as a credit to the translator’s account.

An experienced translator living in the Netherlands can apply for a supplementary payment in addition to the fee from the foreign publisher, up to a maximum of € 0.10 per word. This additional fee is dependent upon the quality of the translation. An additional fee only applies to translations for which a Translation Grant has been awarded and for which the book has not yet been published.