Nominations Open for the Donner Prize for Canadian Writers 2017/18

 

Deadline: November 30, 2017

This year the Donner Canadian Foundation proudly celebrates the nineteenth anniversary of the Donner Prize, which annually rewards excellence and innovation in public policy writing by Canadians. The Donner Prize is the largest and most prestigious prize of its kind. It is meant to encourage an open exchange of ideas and to provide a springboard for authors who may not necessarily be well-known, but who can make an original and meaningful contribution to policy discourse.

The Donner Canadian Foundation established the prize to recognize and reward the best public policy thinking, writing and research by a Canadian, and the role it plays in determining the well-being of Canadians and the success of Canada as a whole. Previous honourees have shed light on a wide range of issues bearing on the economy, politics and society in general.

The Donner Canadian Foundation, one of Canada’s largest foundations, was established in 1950 by businessman and philanthropist William H. Donner to support projects that advance the common good in Canada by encouraging private initiative, independence and individual responsibility. Over the years, the Foundation has been instrumental in encouraging and supporting public policy research throughout Canada in a variety of fields. Since 1967, the Foundation has contributed over $100 million to more than 1,000 projects across the country.

Award

• A prize of $50,000 is awarded to the author of the winning book, with $7,500 awarded to each of the other shortlisted titles (to a maximum of five titles).

Eligibility

• All entries must be published in English or French between January 1 and December 31 of the prize year;
• A collection of essays by one author is eligible if the essays are on a single theme, and if the work in its entirety has not been reproduced elsewhere. A collection of essays by more than one author is not eligible;
• A work by two co-authors is acceptable, provided the whole work is integrated and coherent;
• Posthumously published works, pamphlets, monographs, reference books, conference papers and subsequent or revised editions of books are not eligible;
• Books published outside Canada are eligible provided that the author is a Canadian citizen and the book is published in English or French;
• Shortlisted authors are required to attend an awards ceremony the following May and, if winners, address the audience at that time;
• The rules for eligibility shall be interpreted and may be revised from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Donner Canadian Foundation.

Application

Download the Submission Package

• All entries must be submitted by the publisher. No other entries will be accepted.
• Six copies and, when possible, an electronic version of each title must be delivered to the Prize Manager by November 30, 2017. For titles published between November 30 and December 31, the publisher may submit bound galleys or manuscripts.
• Each submission must include a publication or release date and a general overview of its contents.
• The earliest possible submission of books is recommended.

Receipt of each candidate title will be acknowledged by the Prize Manager in a letter that will also set out the responsibilities of the publisher and the author should their title be shortlisted or chosen for the Prize.