VORBA Project - Romani Publications Grants

Currently not accepting applications

Publishing in Romani language dates back to the early 20th century. While the majority of the printed publications in Romani are newspapers and magazines, the number of publishers or NGOs publishing books in Romani has been growing in the recent years. The language of the largest minority group is increasingly being used today as a written language both in print and in communication on the Internet and is becoming a center of positive self-identification for the European Roma community. At the same time development of the language as a means for public communication and expansion of its possibilities are powerful tools for emancipation of the Roma. Despite the lack of standardization of oral and written Romani, the mutual intelligibility of some varieties allows for the publications to reach bigger audience, beyond the national borders. Romani Publications project aims to facilitate and progress these processes by supporting publications in Romani language and by providing tools for development of professional skills in the field of publishing in Romani.

Romani Publications Project will provide grants to publishers and other organizations for printed and web-publications in Romani language of the following kind:
  Original works or translations on Roma issues such as history, Roma movement, contemporary social issues
  Publications of oral traditions of the Roma (oral history, tales, legends, etc.). Priority will be given to project which generate additional activities around the publications such as involving Roma in collecting and recording oral traditions
  Educational materials (translated or original) for all levels of education, including interactive children boos accompanied by audio or video materials
  Fiction or poetry written by Roma

Who can apply?

Publishing houses or organizations (NGOs) dealing with publishing can apply. Applicants from all countries are eligible. However, projects from Western Europe or non-European countries should be of benefit for Roma people in Eastern and Central Europe and former Soviet Union. Priority is given to projects involving Roma in their implementation.

To which priorities should the project correspond?

Romani Publications Project will support with priority: Publications of books that are likely to be of immediate interest to a readership, rather than of primary symbolic value; Titles which will potentially reach a wider audience outside the country of publication (accessible for Roma outside a particular country); Co-productions or co-distribution initiatives between publishers in two or more countries

Which projects can not apply?

Individual projects (by authors, translators, editors) are not eligible. Publishers or organizations that have not completed previous grant agreements with Next Page Foundation within the framework of Romani Publications Project can not apply.

What are the application components?

There is no application form. Each application should consist of:

1. Details on the applying publisher/organization such as: name, address, representative, telephone/fax/e-mail; full bank information; main activities and programs; experience in publishing (including list of publications, if applicable); other relevant information.

2. Detailed project description:
  Titles, author, date and place of original publication (in applicable)
  Information on the text if not published so far: when was it written/comprised; in which dialect;
  Assessment of the need of the publication
  Outline how the publication will be used, details on the conditions and regions of usage
  Distribution plan

3. 20 (twenty) sample pages of the text to be published

4. Detailed budget (according to the sample provided). Grants could cover only expenses directly related to the project.

Grants competitions regulations

  Application are accepted throughout the year and reviewed each 3 moths by the Romani Publications Project Committee and independent experts. The Next Page Board takes the final decisions.

  Applications shall be written in English OR Romani Grant requests may not exceed 2,500 USD per title

  All applications shall include the components listed above, a recent catalogue or list of publication of the applicant and CVs of the project participants (author, translator, editor). Applicants shall be send by e-mail, fax or post to:

Next Page Foundation

Romani Publications Project

Sofiya Zahova, project coordinator

35, Ljuben Karavelov str.

1142 Sofia, Bulgaria

e-mail: szahova@npage.org

tel: ++ 359 2 987 56 55

tel./fax: ++ 359 2 986 65 12

  Each applicant may submit a maximum of 3 titles. Application with the listed above components is requested for each of the titles/publications submitted
  Applicant should report all other subsidies and grants received for the publication
  There is no limitation for the amount of the grant requested. However, the budget should be realistic for the type of publication and should correspond to the local publishing conditions
  Once the grant application is approved, Next Page foundation prepares a grant contract and mails it to the grantee; the contract requires the grantee to commit to the publication deadline, the minimum print run (in case of project for printed materials) or the content and size of the web-publication (in case of web-publication) and the distribution plan approved
  In case of publication of printed materials (books, textbooks, handbooks) grants are paid in two installments: 50 % upon signing of the grant contract and receiving copies of the contracts with the person involved in the publication (author, translator, editor) as well as copies of the copyright contract and 50 % after the approval of the edited and proof-read text and the design of the book cover
  In case of web publication the grants are paid in several installments proposed by Next Page in accordance with the project activities
  Next Page reserves the right to withhold the grant if the text of the publication is substandard of if the grantees does not fulfill the contract duties
  Grant payments are denominated in US dollars and are made directly to the grantee’s bank account
  A narrative and financial report for each grant is required upon publication of book or completing of the project activities