The Book Department of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy works with FACE (French American Cultural Exchange), the Institut françaisand the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote French and Francophone literature and to encourage English translations of French fiction and non-fiction. To that effect, it provides a range of grants and awards. It oversees three bi-annual programs concerning translations from French into English of works that have not yet been published in the United States. All these grants are awarded to fiction and non fiction translations (including comic books, poetry and digital books).

The French Voices Award honors both translators and American publishers for English translations of works that have been published in France in the last 6 years. Award recipients are selected by a literary committee. Each book receives a $6,000 award.

The Hemingway Grant allows publishers to receive financial help for the translation and publication of a French work into English. Grant beneficiaries are selected by the Book Department of the French Embassy in the United States. Grants awarded for each work range from $500 to $6,000.

The Acquisition of Rights Program
The Institut français helps American publishers offset the cost of acquiring the rights to French works. Grant beneficiaries are selected by the Institut français in Paris. The amount awarded cannot exceed the amount of the advance paid to the French publisher for the acquisition of rights and varies from 500 to 7,000 Euros.

Application deadlines

The deadline for the second 2014 session is August 29, 2014.
(Expected date of printing: no sooner than March 2015 for the upcoming session.)

The deadline for the first 2015 session is February 17, 2015.