Funding for English translations

Being selected by the jury is already an achievement, given that around 25 – 30 books are selected each time from over 100 submissions. Once a book is selected by our jury, it can go on to gain financial support for its translation into English. 

Editorial mentions of books alone on the site – for example in a news article – do not qualify them under the funding guarantee. Books needs to have been submitted to us by a publisher and chosen by our jury in order to benefit from funding support.

“Knowing that we would receive support for the translation played a big part in our deciding to translate and publish this book in English”

Harry Hall, Publisher, Haus Publishing

NBG is a guarantee of quality. As a publisher, being able to access a curated catalogue like this so easily is extremely helpful. It is like having someone personally picking jewels for you to select from!

Aina Martí, Héloïse Press 

Fiction

As an English-language publisher, you are guaranteed a grant towards the costs of translation into English of a fiction book which has been chosen by the jury in the last five years. The amount which is covered depends on the institution providing the funding. Please see the country specific information from the links below.

You can see these books in the explore books section of the website. It is your own responsibility to check the date is within the correct time frame.

Fiction titles outside the five-year period will be considered for funding, but there is no guarantee. We recommend you contact the relevant funding body directly for an informal discussion.

We sometimes talk about books in other sections of our website, for example because they have been longlisted for prizes, or because people talk about them in interviews. These editorial mentions do not imply any funding guarantee. Only books which have been submitted to us via their German-language publishers and chosen by our jury benefit from the funding guarantee.

Nonfiction

Nonfiction books by authors from Germany that appeared here in the last five years are also guaranteed funding. Nonfiction titles outside the five-year period will be considered for funding, but there is no guarantee. We recommend you contact the relevant funding body directly for an informal discussion.

Nonfiction books by authors from Switzerland within the five year funding period and up to 2020 are also guaranteed funding. As of 2021, nonfiction books by authors from Switzerland no longer qualify for support and so we do not feature them.

Nonfiction books by Austrian authors are not eligible for financial support and so we do not feature them.

The nationality or country of residence of the author determines which funding body should be approached, rather than the location of the publishing house or any other factor.

Funding for authors from Germany

Costs of translation into English are supported by our partner the Goethe-Institut.

Funding for authors from Austria

Costs of translation into English are supported by our partner the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport.

Funding for authors from Switzerland

Costs of translation into English are supported by our partner the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.

Overview of selected publishing houses in Austria, Germany and Swizterland

New Books in German and its partners want to champion some hand-picked smaller, boutique or newer German-language publishers we know who publish engaging titles suitable for international audiences. This resource will be helpful when planning meetings, visits, and outreach and will help in your search for the book that will be perfect for your readers.

Latest book recommendations

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