Independent press
IBPA Book Award
Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
In short
The IBPA Book Award is run by the Independent Book Publishers Association and was known for years as the Benjamin Franklin Award, a name still seen on seals. Independent publishers, bookstores that work with small presses, and the trade press covering independent publishing know the medals, and judges return written feedback on entries. Self-published and small-press authors enter directly, with four copies for the first category and three for each additional one. Entry requires current association membership, though the non-member first-entry fee includes a year of dues.
Deadline December 15, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Every label is a fact from the official rules, never a judgment about whether the award is worth entering. How we describe awards.
The IBPA Book Award is the independent-publishing awards program run by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). It was known for many years as the Benjamin Franklin Award, and the older name still appears on seals, in search results, and on the previous domain, which now redirects.
The current competition covers books with a 2026 copyright date, in print or audiobook form, across 51 categories including seven community-specific categories (AANHPI, Black/African American, Disabled, First Nations/Indigenous, Latina/o/e, LGBTQIA2+, and Neurodivergent). Current IBPA membership is required to enter; non-members pay a first-entry fee that includes a year of membership.
Entries are accepted in two periods, January 1 to September 30, 2026 and October 1 to December 15, 2026, and the December 15 final deadline cannot be extended. Print entries require four copies for the first category and three for each additional category; audiobooks are entered with gift codes.
Why it may matter
IBPA has run this program since 1985, and the gold and silver medals are recognized by IBPA's member community, by independent bookstores that work with small presses, and by the trade press that covers independent publishing. Judges return written feedback on entries, which some entrants value as much as the result. The membership requirement means the real first-entry cost for a non-member is the fee plus dues.
2027 cycle: Books with a 2026 copyright (2027 award)
- Eligible publication dates
- January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026
- Entries open
- January 1, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Early deadline
- September 30, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Final deadline
- December 15, 2026Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Deadline note
- Period 1 runs January 1 to September 30, 2026; Period 2 runs October 1 to December 15, 2026. Books published any time in 2026 may enter in either period. The December 15 deadline cannot be extended. Fees are the same in both periods.
- Entry fee
- Members pay $99 for the initial entry and $99 for each additional entry; non-members pay $234 for the initial entry, which includes a $135 annual IBPA membership, then $99 per additional entryChecked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Results
- Not stated on the entry page; winners are typically announced in the spring after the deadline, so confirm with IBPA
- Notes
- The entry page does not name the award year; cycleYear is this record's own estimate
| Tier | Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| IBPA member, initial entry | December 15, 2026 | $99 |
| Non-member, initial entry (includes $135 annual IBPA membership) | December 15, 2026 | $234 |
| Each additional entry | December 15, 2026 | $99 |
Worth knowing
Our reading, not a rule the organization published. We judge an award on the rubric in how we describe awards.
This is the program formerly called the Benjamin Franklin Award (and IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award). Treat older references to a Benjamin Franklin Award as this record; there is no separate current competition. An earlier link to ibpabenjaminfranklinaward.com (opens in a new tab) now redirects to ibpabookaward.org (opens in a new tab). The entry page does not name the award year; this record treats it as the 2027 award, and the deadlines are December 2026 for books with a 2026 copyright.
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 13, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.
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