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Application guidelines – Support for Publishers: Business Development

Canada Book Fund

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Objectives and expected results for the Canada Book Fund

The Canada Book Fund (CBF) ensures access to a diverse range of Canadian-authored books nationally and internationally, by fostering a strong book industry that publishes and markets Canadian-authored books.

Objectives and expected results for Support for Publishers: Business Development

The Support for Publishers component helps to ensure the sustainable production and marketing of Canadian-authored books by offsetting the high costs of publishing in Canada and building the capacity and competitiveness of the sector. The Business Development sub-component provides assistance to publishers for internship projects and business planning projects:

  • Internships: Publishing and technology internships provide valuable training for new Canadian book industry professionals, who in turn accomplish useful work that the firm might not otherwise have had the resources to carry out.
  • Business planning: Business planning projects help recipients develop strategic approaches to improving their business activities and competitiveness.

Application deadline

January 31

When an application deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or a statutory holiday, it is extended to the following working day.

Who can apply

To be eligible for funding, your organization must meet the following requirements:

Publishing internships

Technology internships

  • Individual publishing firms that received funding from the Publishing Support sub-component of the CBF’s Support for Publishers component in 2023-2024.

Business planning

Eligibility

We are responsible for determining the eligibility of each applicant, its project and project-related expenses. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee funding.

Eligible projects

Publishing Internships

To be eligible for funding, internship projects must:

  • propose an intern who is Canadian;
  • demonstrate the capacity of the applicant to provide a productive training environment for the intern;
  • provide the opportunity for the intern to contribute to the development of a publishing firm; and
  • assign the intern useful work that the applicant organization could not otherwise undertake due to a lack of human or financial resources.

Technology internships

In addition to the criteria applicable to internship projects listed above, technology internships must:

  • place a significant emphasis on the acquisition and application of skills relating to innovative technology strategies in production, marketing or information management; and
  • include a strategy for knowledge transfer to ensure that the recipient continues to benefit from the work undertaken by the intern after the internship period is completed.

Business planning

To be eligible for funding, business planning projects must:

  • contribute to the development of a business plan, succession plan or strategic plan related to significant business shifts.

Eligible expenses

Only project-related cash expenses are eligible; these may include:

Publishing and technology internships

  • the salary of an intern, including benefits, during the period covered by the project; and
  • professional development costs related to the training of interns who are Indigenous peoples, from a Racialized community, from an official language minority community or have a print disability, excluding travel and accommodation expenses.

Business planning

  • fees to an independent third party for research and analysis of business strategies, and the preparation and presentation of a business plan;
  • executive training related to the development of a business plan (salaries of owners, executives and employees, as well as travel and accommodation expenses, are not eligible expenses); and
  • administration fees.

We cannot fund expenses incurred before April 1, 2024. If you incur expenses for your project before receiving written confirmation of your funding approval, you will be doing so at your own risk.

Limits of government assistance

To ensure the success of your project, we encourage you to have other funding sources. This may include contributions from your organization, the private sector or other levels of government.

The total financial assistance received from the Business Development sub-component and other levels of government (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) cannot exceed 75% of total expenditures, 90% of total expenditures for official language minority publishers, Indigenous publishers, publishing companies owned and controlled by members of a Racialized community or small literary publishers and 100% of total expenditures for not-for-profit recipients.

Depending on the project type, we can fund eligible expenses as follows:

Publishing internships

Up to 50% of the total eligible expenses or $15,000.

In the case of Indigenous interns, interns from a Racialized community, interns from official language minority communities or interns with a print disability, up to 75% of the total eligible expenses or $22,500.

Technology internships

Up to 70% of the total eligible expenses or $20,000.

In the case of Indigenous interns, interns from a Racialized community, interns from official language minority communities or interns with a print disability, up to 90% of eligible expenses or $20,000.

Business planning

Up to 50% of the total eligible project-related costs or $50,000.

In the case of Indigenous publishers, publishing companies owned and controlled by members of a Racialized community or official language minority publishers, up to 75% of the total eligible expenses or $50,000.

How to apply

Read these Application Guidelines in their entirety before completing your application. 

You must meet all eligibility requirements and submit a complete application to be considered for funding. Incomplete applications will be rejected. A complete application package includes the application form and the following supporting documents:

  • a project plan; and
  • an intern resume (if applicable).

Application process

Your application, including all supporting documents, must be submitted electronically through the Canadian Heritage Online System.

Your online application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), January 31.

Should you be unable to access the online system or apply online for any reason, please contact our technical support team:

Email

info@pch.gc.ca

Telephone

819-997-0055
1-866-811-0055 (toll-free)

TTY

1-888-997-3123 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired)

Agents are available to answer your questions, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (ET).

How applications are evaluated

We fund projects that have clear objectives and measurable results. Funding decisions are based on the number and quality of applications received for the Business Development Support sub-component.

Your application will be evaluated based on the criteria below.

Failure to comply with any conditions of a previously funded project will be considered in the evaluation of your new application and could result in the rejection of your new application.

Evaluation criteria

Each application will undergo review and approval to ensure compliance with CBF requirements and government policies, as well as to ensure consistency and transparency of process and best use of public funds. Applications are compared with other applications and are prioritized in relation to the funds available. To ensure fair distribution of funding, we may consider multiple applications from members of affiliated groups to be a lower priority.

You must demonstrate that:

  • your project meets the objectives of the Canada Book Fund;
  • your project is well planned; and
  • you have the capacity to undertake the project.

Internships

Funding priority may be given to projects that:

  • are proposed by publishing companies owned and controlled by members of a Racialized community, official language minority or Indigenous publishing firms;
  • propose an intern who is Indigenous, a member of a Racialized community, from an official language minority community or has a print disability; and/or
  • are proposed by an applicant that did not receive support for an internship in recent years.

To provide opportunities for more new professionals to enter the publishing industry, the duration of internships is limited to one year.

Proposed interns cannot be existing employees of your publishing firm and must not have previously benefited from a CBF-funded internship. Where possible, you should identify candidates at the time of application. Should the intern not be selected at that time, you must identify the intern and submit the intern's résumé or other relevant documentation to the CBF within 60 days of signing the grant or contribution agreement. If you do not provide this information, the CBF may withdraw the approved funding. The recruitment and hiring of interns is your sole responsibility.

Business planning

Funding priority may be given to projects that:

  • place a significant emphasis on the adoption of innovative technology strategies in production, marketing or information management;
  • are proposed by publishing companies owned and controlled by members of a Racialized community, official language minority or Indigenous publishing firms; and
  • are proposed by applicants that did not receive support for business planning in recent years.

Application processing time

Please refer to the Service standards for Canadian Heritage funding programs or contact the Program.

We will acknowledge receipt of your application within two weeks of receiving your application in our office.

Funding decisions

Please note that decisions regarding eligibility and funding amounts are final. 

How funding is provided

We will determine if funding will be disbursed as a grant or as a contribution.

A grant is a payment issued to a recipient for a project. The conditions you agreed to at the time of application will apply. At the end of your project, you may be required to submit a report and/or participate in the evaluation of results.

A contribution is a conditional payment issued for a specific purpose, as outlined in a funding agreement. The agreement is signed by your organization and by us and specifies the terms and conditions to receive payment. At the end of your project, you must submit a final report.

Funding conditions

You may be required to submit interim reports during your project and a final report is required at the end of your project.

Additional conditions may apply and, if applicable, will be included in your funding agreement.

Anti-racism and anti-hate

Canadian Heritage is committed to address systemic racism, promote diversity, and create environments where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered. We strive to challenge discriminatory beliefs and practices, cultivate understanding and empathy, and champion policies and programs that advance equality for all.

Organizations receiving funding, including any representatives whether employees, consultants, or other persons directly affiliated with the organization, must take steps to ensure they respect the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy.

Workplace well-being

The Government of Canada is strongly committed to promoting healthy workplaces where harassment, abuse and discrimination are not tolerated. Organizations that receive funding from Canadian Heritage must take measures to create a workplace free from harassment, abuse and discrimination.

Official languages requirements

We are committed to taking positive measures to enhance the vitality of official language minority communities and to promote the use of English and French in Canadian society. If you receive funding, you agree to comply with the official languages requirements set out in your application and in your funding agreement.

Acknowledgement of financial assistance

If you receive funding, you must publicly acknowledge – in English and in French – the financial support received from us in all public communications materials and promotional activities related to your project. Additional requirements may be included in your funding agreement.

For more information, please refer to our Guide on the public acknowledgement of financial support.

Access to information requests

We are subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. The information you submit in your application may be disclosed in accordance with these acts.

Disclosure of information

By submitting your funding application, you authorize us to disclose any information submitted with this application within the Government of Canada or to outside entities for the following purposes:

  • to reach a decision;
  • to evaluate the results of the project; and
  • to support transparency, accountability and citizen engagement.

Audits of recipients and evaluation of the Program

We reserve the right to audit your accounts and records to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of your funding agreement. We also conduct periodic Program evaluations, during which you may be required to present documentation.

You must keep any records, documents, or other information that may be required to perform the audit or the evaluation for five years. Demonstrated failure to maintain such records may result in the repayment of amounts previously received.

Contact us

For further information, please contact us:

Department of Canadian Heritage
Canada Book Fund
25 Eddy Street, 25-8-T
Gatineau, Quebec
J8X 4B5

Email

info@pch.gc.ca

Telephone

819-997-0055
1-866-811-0055 (toll-free)

TTY

1-888-997-3123 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired)

Agents are available to answer your questions Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (ET).

Regional offices of the Department of Canadian Heritage

Glossary

Affiliated group
A group of companies in which the same person, group of persons, or entity holds the majority of shares with full voting rights or has control in fact of these companies.
Book publishing
Professional activity involving the selection, development and editing of manuscripts; contractual agreements with authors or copyright holders; production and marketing of printed books under the firm's imprint; and the assumption of the risks associated with these activities.
Canadian
A citizen within the meaning of the Citizenship Act or a permanent resident within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Canadian-owned and -controlled firm

A firm:

  1. that is a sole proprietorship, partnership, cooperative or corporation (for profit or not for profit) established under the laws of Canada or a province;
  2. whose activities are based primarily in Canada;
  3. whose firm’s headquarters is based in Canada;
  4. whose chairperson or presiding officer and more than half of whose directors and other similar officers are Canadian; or permanent residents within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
  5. if a corporation with share capital, of which Canadians beneficially own or control, other than by way of shares held only as security, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate at least 50 per cent plus 1 of all the issued and outstanding voting shares;
  6. if a corporation without share capital, of which Canadians beneficially own or control, directly or indirectly, interests representing in monetary value at least 50 per cent plus 1 of the total value of the assets;
  7. if a partnership, trust or joint venture, of which a Canadian or Canadian corporation or any combination of the two, beneficially own or control, directly or indirectly, interests representing in value at least 50 per cent plus 1 of the total value of the assets of the partnership, trust or joint venture, as the case may be, and of which the Chairperson or other presiding officers and more than half of the directors or other similar officers are Canadian.

If at any time one or more persons that are not Canadian have any direct or indirect influence through a trust, an agreement, an arrangement or otherwise that, if exercised, would result in control in fact of the firm, the firm is deemed not to be Canadian-owned and-controlled.

Employee
Full- and part-time paid staff working directly for the publishing firm. Owners are considered employees unless they have no active role at the firm. Independent contractors are not considered employees.
Final report
A final report is submitted at the end of your project based on the requirements in the funding agreement. Your final report needs to provide the results of the activities you have undertaken for the duration of your project and include a final report of actual revenues and expenses.
Indigenous publisher
A publisher owned and controlled by members of the Indigenous peoples of Canada, which includes First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.
Interim reports
Interim reports are submitted during your project based on the requirements in the funding agreement. These reports indicate the results of the activities undertaken for a specific period. In addition, they include a status report on the work to be accomplished and updated revenue and expense reports.
Official language minority communities
The official language minority communities are the Anglophone communities residing in Quebec and the Francophone communities residing outside of Quebec.
Official language minority publisher
A publisher based outside Quebec who publishes primarily in French or a publisher based in Quebec who publishes primarily in English.
Print disability

A print disability is any disability that prevents or inhibits a person from reading a literary, musical, artistic or dramatic work in its original format and includes people who:

  • are blind or visually impaired to the extent that corrective lenses will not allow them to access regular-sized print;
  • have a physical disability that impacts their access to print media; and
  • have a reading, perceptual, or comprehension disability, including those with learning disabilities, who require specialized software.
Publishing company owned and controlled by members of a Racialized community
A publishing company that is owned and controlled by persons, other than Indigenous peoples, who are members of a Racialized community.
Racialized (person or group)
Often used to replace “visible minority,” this more nuanced term acknowledges that race is a social construct and that racialization is a process through which groups come to be socially constructed as races, based on characteristics such as ethnicity, language, economics, religion, culture and politics. It can be applied to people and attributed to them as a group in ways that negatively impact their social, political, and economic life (e.g., Black, Asian, Muslim).
Small literary publisher
A publisher with sales of Canadian-authored books during the reference year of less than $400,000, who has also been awarded a Supporting Artistic Practice – Literary Publishers program grant by the Canada Council for the Arts or an operating grant from a provincial arts council in the most recent funding cycle.

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