Malta Book Fund Goes Fully Online with an Increased Budget for 2025

The National Book Council (NBC) is pleased to announce that applications for the Malta Book Fund 2025 are now open. This year, the Fund has been allocated an increased budget of €135,000 and includes improvements designed to streamline the application process and enhance transparency in adjudication.

The Malta Book Fund is issued annually across different categories for eligible submissions at project stage. Since its inception in 2015, it has played an important role in fostering cultural growth in the local book market by funding publications and supporting publishers and authors throughout their projects.

For the 2025 edition, the Fund is structured into five grant categories:

1. Publishing Grants for New Books (€55,000) – Supports the publication of high-quality literature and research works, prioritising ambitious projects with significant cultural value that may not be commercially viable.

2. Publishing Grants for New Editions of Out-of-Print Works (€10,000) – Facilitates the re-publication of culturally, educationally, or intellectually significant books that have been out of print for at least 20 years from the current edition of the Fund.

3. Translation and Export Grants Category 1: Grants for the Translation and Export of books by Maltese authors (€45,000) – Funds translation projects of works by Maltese authors (published in Maltese or English with a Maltese ISBN) into other languages, including anthologies featuring original Maltese fiction or non-fiction and the publication of English-language Maltese works in new markets.

4. Translation and Export Grants Category 2: Book Translation Pitch Grants (€5,000) – Supports the translation of excerpts from Maltese works into other languages, to be used as a pitch.

5. Grants for Translations into Maltese (€20,000) – Encourages the translation of works originally published in other languages into Maltese, promoting accessibility and cultural exchange.

All grants within the Malta Book Fund adhere to the Writers’ Charter of Economic Rights.

Successful applications may receive up to 100% of the proposed project budget, with a maximum of €5,000 per grant and €500 per pitch proposal.

Key Changes for 2025

Fully Online Application Process: Applicants must submit their proposals via the NBC online platform from here. To ensure a smooth process, applicants are encouraged to read the guidelines carefully and prepare necessary documents in advance. 

Increased Transparency in Adjudication: Each applicant will receive a summary report, including their scores for each adjudication criterion. Reports will be automatically sent to all applicants after the evaluation process.

Increased Budget Allocation: The total fund has increased from €120,000 to €135,000, with additional funds allocated as follows:

+€5,000 for Publishing Grants for New Books
+€5,000 for Translation and Export Grants Category 1: Grants for the Translation and Export of books by Maltese authors
+€5,000 for Grants for Translations into Maltese

Revised Guidelines for Clarity and Consistency: The application structure and regulations have been refined to ensure greater coherence and ease of use.

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the Malta Book Fund webpage to access the guidelines, regulations, and the online application form. 

The call for applications closes on 20 May 2025, at noon. Results will be announced on 15 July 2025.