Translation Grant Programme of the Goethe-Institut

The Goethe-Institut’s translation grant programme “Translations of German books into other languages” provides support to non-German publishers with the publication of translated German titles. This enables important academic contributions, challenging fiction, literature for children and young adults, and selected non-fiction works, to be made accessible to non-German-speaking readers. The programme serves cultural-political aims and is an important guiding instrument of cultural and educational foreign policy. In cases where an application for a translation grant is successful, the Goethe-Institut contributes part of the translation costs to the publisher, payable on publication of the translated work. It is not envisaged that the Goethe-Institut will finance the full costs of the translation or printing or editorial costs. The programme has been running for nearly 35 years, during which time they have given financial support to the publication of around 5000 books in 45 languages.

Priority is given to works in the following subject areas:

• democracy, the rule of law, and civil society
• current regional and global issues
• the cultural dimension of European integration
• recent German history
• outstanding works of contemporary German literature

Consideration will also be given to:

• classical German literature
• contemporary drama
• quality literature for children and young adults

Eligibility

Only non-German publishers are entitled to apply for translation grants.

Grant

In cases where an application for a translation grant is successful, the Goethe-Institut contributes part of the translation costs to the publisher, payable on publication of the translated work. It is not envisaged that the Goethe-Institut will finance the full costs of the translation or printing or editorial costs.

Application

The following documents are required:

• a fully completed application form;
• a legally valid licence agreement;
• a legally valid translator’s contract;
• justification of the project with information on the relevance of the work to the target sales audience, how it fits into the publisher’s list, and on why financial support is required
• two copies of the German edition of the publication plus reviews. (Books and reviews should be requested from the German publisher and then forwarded to the Munich Central Office of the Goethe-Institut, Bereich 33, Literatur und Übersetzungsförderung.

Please submit the application form to the Goethe-Institut in your country. If there is no Goethe-Institut in your country, please contact the German embassy.

The Goethe-Institut in your country will evaluate your application. If an application is successful, the Goethe-Institut will forward the documents, together with a supporting statement, to the central office of the Goethe-Institut in Munich. There a committee will decide on the value of the sum to be granted. If an application is rejected, the Goethe-Institut in your country will inform you directly.

Application deadlines:

The committee meets four times a year as follows:

• End of January: fiction; literature for children and young adults
• End of April: all categories
• End of July: fiction; literature for children and young adults
• End of October: all categories

The Goethe-Instituts accept applications all year round. They are dealt with at the next meeting due to take place. However, please note that applications which arrive less than four weeks before the next due meeting in Munich cannot usually be taken into consideration.

For academic works longer submission deadlines apply because a validation from the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” (German research organisation) is required. In order to be able to process your application at the April meeting, the documents should have arrived by the 31st January at the Goethe-Institut’s central office, and for the October meeting by the 31st July.

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