Subvention awards support not-for-profit academic presses in publishing books, including the open-access publication of new titles, that align with the Geiss Hsu Foundation’s mission and goals. Applications are evaluated on the basis of merit and the need for financial assistance. Please thoroughly review the Geiss Hsu Foundation’s mission statement and guidelines before applying.
Priority consideration will be given to applications that: (1) help publish the work of a first-time and/or independent author; and/or (2) enhance the book visually through the use of maps or illustrations, especially when they closely relate to the arguments of the text.
Awards are made directly to the publisher, and publishers are encouraged to collaborate with their authors in applying. Publishers with not-for-profit tax status under the US Internal Revenue Service Code, or international organizations that meet their countries’ definitions of registered charities or academic institutions, are eligible to apply. Please note that awardees must submit proof of their organization’s tax-exempt status (or the equivalent documentation for their country) prior to the receipt of the awarded funds.
Subvention awards usually range from $5,000 to $7,500, and may exceed those amounts if the applicant is able to show that such a sum would be necessary for the inclusion of photographs, maps, or other images. This could include the cost of creating charts or maps specific to the project. In rare instances, the Foundation may make an award to support specialized translation or editing, if the applicant demonstrates that such services would significantly enhance the reach and impact of a work of scholarship.
Publishers may also apply for smaller awards of $1,000 to $2,000, in addition to the normal subvention, to defray the costs of indexing, image rights, editing, and other fees that are often borne by the author. If awarded, the publisher is expected to reimburse the author for such out-of-pocket expenses.
Please note that awards are meant to supplement the total cost of production, and assume that the majority of production costs have already been met. They are not intended to include overhead costs to a parent organization, such as a university.
Should you have questions or difficulties with the application, please contact programofficer@geissfoundation.us.
How to Apply
Submit applications by email to applications@geissfoundation.us
Application deadlines
Applications submitted by:
September 1st
Will be reviewed and awards will be announced by November of the same year;
March 1st
Will be reviewed and awards will be announced by May of the same year
Application Requirements
Publishers’ applications should include the following in unlocked PDF format:
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- A completed application form;
- A publisher’s letter of nomination that provides a summary of the proposed book’s importance to Ming, Chinese, and/or Asian studies, the amount of money requested, and to what purpose an award would be used, particularly as it relates to visual enhancements such as maps and illustrations. Please be as specific as possible in describing how an award will benefit a publication (for instance, if it will allow for a lower purchase price, or for color illustrations rather than black-and-white). Please indicate if a portion of the award will be used to reimburse an author for out-of-pocket expenses associated with the costs of indexing, image rights, editing, or other fees, or, in the case of open-access publication, for estimated lost royalties;
- An abstract, table of contents, and a sample section of 25-30 pages of the proposed book. Representative illustrations, if relevant, should also be submitted; if the publisher proposes to use the award to offset the cost of the creation of specialized charts, maps, or other images, these should be described;
- Reader reports of the proposed book, as already submitted to the publisher. If available, please include the author’s response to those reports;
- For new translations of a work that has previously been translated, please provide a statement of why a new translation is needed, and in what ways the new publication will differ from previous translations;
- A list of grants and awards that have already been received or are pending, if the number of awards and grants exceeds the space available in the application form.