Binc News

The Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation announced today the Survive to Thrive, the special, one-time store grant initiative, will make awards to 115 independent bookstores and comic shops totaling $1.1 million. Ninety-nine stores will receive grants of $10,000 and 16 will receive $7,500. The grant recipients were determined by a juried application process with the goal of assisting stores that were poised to make a strong recovery from the pandemic.

Binc has engaged social impact consulting firm Strategic Growth Group (SGG) to research a possible framework for supporting bookstores in underserved markets. The research, which is being funded by $60,000 in donations from book industry partners Abrams, the American Booksellers Association, HarperCollins Publishers, Litographs and Macmillan will seek to determine if Binc’s mission might be expanded to include a program that helps owners purchase, expand, open or revitalize bookstores in communities without ready access to books and the community services independent bookstores often provide.

On the first anniversary of her death, Simon & Schuster announced a gift to the Survive to Thrive grant program in honor of long-time President & CEO Carolyn Reidy. Reidy was an early supporter of Binc as the Foundation grew beyond its origins serving Borders employees exclusively. This generous gift in Reidy’s name will help Survive to Thrive reach its $2 million fundraising goal.

A dozen authors and illustrators have joined together to create a matching pool of $40,000 to drive the next stage of fundraising for Binc’s Survive to Thrive grant program, which will provide substantial grants to as many as 200 independent bookstores and comic shops contending with the effects of the pandemic.

In 2020, together, we brought hope and reassurance to 2,248 bookstore and comic shops owners, their employees and families, with more than $3M in emergency financial assistance. Every call for help was answered and everyone with a need that qualified was helped to get their household out of crisis or help their store pivot.