Reading Promotion

• Only cultural institutions, cultural organizations or legal entities that are active in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and that produce and/or implement literary-educational activities are eligible to apply for subsidies.

• Schools, universities and local government bodies cannot apply for a subsidy under this scheme.

• Organizations that are in receipt of a multi-year subsidy from the Dutch Foundation for Literature cannot apply for a subsidy in 2025 and 2026 under this scheme.

• An applicant can submit a maximum of one application per funding round, but can in some cases also be involved as a collaborating party in projects by others.

Second application? If you have previously received a subsidy under the reading promotion scheme, you must ensure that your earlier project has been completed by the time decisions are announced. This will take place around four to six months after the deadline for applications.

Is your core activity more focused on the stage? Then you should go to the regulations for Project subsidies for literary programmes.

We are witnessing a reduction in reading and reading skills are declining. This is a problem, because reading increases a person’s opportunities in society, aids their development and stimulates critical thinking. The Foundation therefore supports projects that promote reading, with the goal of contributing to reading promotion in a sustainable way, in consultation with others in the field. We are particularly looking for projects that supplement the existing provision, for example because they use an innovative concept, are digitally pioneering, enter into new collaborations, serve a new region or reach a neglected target group.

A project has a duration of a maximum of one year

Organizations can apply for a subsidy ranging from €25,000 to €50,000. A minimum of 25% of the total costs of the project must be paid for out of your own funds or financed by means other than a subsidy from the Foundation.

Exceptions are as follows:

• For organizations based in the Caribbean, or for organizations based in the European Netherlands that are applying for a project that will take place in the Caribbean with a local collaborating party, the minimum is 10%.

For applications submitted by libraries, by POIs (provincial support organizations for libraries) or by national support organizations for libraries, a minimum of 50% of the total costs must be financed out of your own funds or by other means. For libraries based in the Caribbean the minimum is 10%.

There are two funding rounds per year:

• 20 February 2026 (18.59 Caribbean time, 23.59 Dutch time) for projects due to start from July 2026 onwards

• 26 June 2026 (17.59 Caribbean time, 23.59 Dutch time) for projects due to start from December 2026 onwards

Always first read the regulations and clarifying notes carefully. There you will find, among other things, the conditions for applying for a subsidy, which documents you must include with your application, and how your application will be assessed. Be sure to check whether all the required documents are complete and comply with the guidelines. The mandatory documents are as follows:

• The project plan, in compliance with the Project plan format. \

• A balanced, itemized budget based on the Budgetary guidelines or in your own chosen format.

• Clarification of the budget. Here you explain the composition of each budgetary item.

• A recent extract from the register of the Chamber of Commerce.

• The most recent audited annual statement of accounts. Exempt from this requirement are organizations that have been established only very recently and applicants based in the Caribbean.

• If applicable, a declaration or declarations of intent or cooperation agreement(s) in which the cooperation is described in detail, signed by both parties. Please note: in the case of collaboration with schools, this is a mandatory requirement.

Have you gathered together all the required documents? Then it’s time to submit your application.

The application must be written in Dutch or in English. Applicants for projects relating to Dutch sign language may submit a video recording in place of a written project plan.

Only complete applications will be considered. Applications that are not complete when the deadline passes will not be processed.

Uncertain about specific issues? Then read the regulations.

After the deadline passes, all applications received will be checked. Those that meet the formal requirements will be assessed by an advisory committee, which will rank them based on four assessment criteria.

Applications are therefore not necessarily dealt with in the order in which they arrive.

On what basis is an application assessed?
The advisors evaluate the applications according to the following criteria:
• Vision of reading promotion
• Added value of the project with respect to existing provision
• Quality and realism of the project plan
• Quality and realism of the budget In the clarification attached to the regulations, these criteria are explained further.