ASPP: Frequently Asked Questions
I’m looking for the Aid to Scholarly Publications Program. Is this it?
Yes, in 2012 the ASPP’s name was changed to the Awards to Scholarly Publications Program. Under its new name, the ASPP continues to fund the publication and translation of scholarly books in the humanities and social sciences.
When is the application deadline?
There is no application deadline. Applications are accepted throughout the year.
How can I tell if a book is eligible?
The ASPP supports the publication and translation of scholarly books. Scholarly books are extended academic texts that display sound scholarship and contribute to the advancement of knowledge and research. To figure out whether a book is eligible, please consult the relevant web page, For authors or For publishers, and review the grant guidelines available there.
Do you fund translations of scholarly books?
Yes, the ASPP Translation Grant supports the translation of scholarly books written by Canadians that are being translated from English, French or a Canadian Aboriginal language to one of those same languages. Please consult the relevant web page, For authors or For publishers, and review the Translation Grant Guidelines available there.
Do you fund critical editions?
Yes, the ASPP Publication Grant supports the publication of critical editions, critical bibliographies, reference works and documentary collections. However, these works must include a significant analytical component that makes a contribution to scholarship, and a full scholarly and critical apparatus. Please consult the relevant web page, For authors or For publishers, and review the Publication Grant Guidelines available there.
Can books by non-Canadian authors get ASPP grants?
Yes, books by non-Canadians may be eligible for the ASPP Publication Grant, but only if they are on a Canadian subject and use Canadian sources. Otherwise, ASPP-funded books must be written or edited by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. For collective works--collections of individually-signed articles --at least half the principal editing team and half of the contributors must be Canadian.
Can I apply electronically?
Yes, the ASPP accepts applications by email. The preferred file format is PDF. Please send electronic applications to the email address found at the end of the application form. Please consult the relevant web page, For authors or For publishers, and review the “Submitting an Application” section.
Can I apply before the book is complete?
No. A work must be complete before it can be considered for ASPP funding.
How do you choose which books get funded?
The ASPP is a competitive program and funding is awarded according to the ASPP’s mandate to assist the publication of books of advanced scholarship in the humanities and social sciences that make an important contribution to knowledge. The ASPP's Publications Committee assesses all Publication Grant applications and scores them on scale. (For the complete assessment scale, please consult the relevant web page, For authors or For publishers, and review the Publication Grant Guidelines available there.) Applications will be ranked according to the Publications Committee's score and the top ranking applications be will be approved. Applications scored within a given calendar month will be ranked along with other applications scored in that month. An allotted number of applications will be approved and the others will be declined.
Who gets the money?
All ASPP grants are paid to a book’s publisher after publication.
What if a book changes publishers during or after the ASPP process?
All ASPP grants are awarded per book. If a book has been approved to receive an ASPP grant, the grant will be paid out to any publisher eligible to receive ASPP funds, even if it is not the publisher that was involved during the application process.
Can an ASPP-funded book be published in Open Access?
Yes, the ASPP is "format neutral" and its grants can support Open Access books, provided all the other eligibility criteria are met. The Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences supports Open Access and has established a policy to actively promote and facilitate Open Access publishing of ASPP-funded books. For more details, please consult the full policy.
Can an ASPP-funded book be published outside of Canada?
No, ASPP-funded books must be published in Canada since ASPP grants are only paid out to eligible Canadian publishers. Please see the For publishers for more information on publisher eligibility.
Can an ASPP grant be used for research?
No. ASPP grants support the publication and/or translation of scholarly books. For more information on research funding, contact the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Can an ASPP grant be used to publish in a journal?
No, the ASPP supports the publication of books only.
If you have additional questions, please email [email protected].