To be eligible the small press must meet each of the following:

The average annual net revenue of the small press, based on the two preceding years, must be less than US $750,000.00 (excluding arts grants).
The small press must be established in the US or Canada and dedicated to publishing new, literary fiction as its main creative aim.
The small press must be an independent financial body defined as: an entity not wholly or partly owned by any other financial body or business or sharing costs within a group or partnership. (Exception may be possible in the case of a small press in common ownership with (an)other small press imprint(s) or in common ownership with an affiliated, independent bookstore. In either case the small press must meet all criteria listed here, including being at or under the average annual net revenue ceiling of US$750,000.) The prize was set-up to support presses taking financial risks by supporting creatively challenging work and cannot reward businesses that receive financial benefit or favor from other commercial interests. For the sake of clarity support from arts grants do not fall under this restriction.

To be eligible the small press’s submission must meet each of the following:

The submitted book must be first published in the calendar-year of the prize in physical form.
No digital-only work.
Only one new novel or short stories collection by a single author, per publisher for the 2025 calendar-year.
No self-published work.
The book must be in English or translated into English.

Opening date for receipt of submissions forms is July 1, 2025.
Closing date for receipt of submissions forms is August 30, 2025.
Once notified that your submission has been accepted, five physical copies of the work must be mailed to the prize judges no later than November 1, 2025.