Rules and Eligibility

All Entries Require
  • Book information and book cover image submitted through the online awards program.
  • Books must be shipped to the CMA Office:
    • Catholic Media Association, 10 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 875, Chicago, IL 60606
  • New for 2025: Digital books can be submitted if entering books in the International/In Translation division. Submission accepted can be in PDF format - no hard copies are required in this particular category. If you would like to submit a hard copy, please use the labeling instructions outline below. 
  • Each submission requires two copies of the book mailed to the CMA office. If you are submitting a series, you must send in two copies of each volume.
  • Books must have a label affixed to the cover to be considered. 
  • If you are shipping directly from a distribution center, we must know from where the entries are coming and the invoice number. Please label each hard copy submission for the judges. 
To Label Your Submissions 
  1. Download the book labels.
  2. Fill out all information and cut out labels.
  3. Affix label to the outside cover (front) of every book. Books without labels may be disqualified. 
General Information 
  • All entries must be published in the calendar year 2024 except categories labeled MULTI-YEAR.
  • Entries must be published within the U.S. or Canada except for the international division.
  • To receive member rates,  members must be in good standing as of March 31, 2025.
  • All books must be received by Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. 
  • Payment deadline is Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.
  • There is no limit to the number of categories into which a single book may be entered.
  • Two hard copies of each entry must be sent to the CMA office for judging. 
    • Please note that this applies to each category a submission is entered. 
    • Example: If submitting the same book into three different categories, send six copies (2 copies x 3 categories = 6 copies).
  • If you are submitting an Ebook (as accepted in the International/In Translation division), only one PDF upload is required. 
  • Books will not be returned as they are used for judging.
  • If you are entering a multi-year category, your entries must not have won in the previous year.
Rates

Member Rates:

  • Open Submission Period: $38 per entry 
  • Extension Period: $48 per entry 
  • If you are interested in learning more about membership and other member benefits, please use this link to learn more. 

Non-Member Rates: 

  • Open Submission Period: $79 per entry 
  • Extension Period: $89 per entry 
Dates

Program Opens: Nov. 1, 2024

Open Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. CST, Jan. 31, 2025 

Extension Submission Deadline: 11:59 a.m. CST, Feb. 7, 2025

Judging 

  • Book judges include editors, authors, academics, and professionals familiar with Catholic publishing. 

Eligibility Requirements 

The CMA Book Awards recognizes the achievement of publishers and authors of related Catholic works. The following are eligibility requirements for entries to the CMA Book Awards:

  1. You do not have to be a CMA member to enter into the CMA Book Awards. Members are able to enter at a discounted price. 
  2.  Entries may either be from a publishing organization, author or editor of a book. Publishers may submit any book that they have published that meets the requirements. Authors may submit their own original work or work that they co-authored that meets the requirements. Editors may submit their own compilations or reference materials that meet the requirements. Copy editors and translators are not eligible.
  3.  Neither the author nor the publishing company need to be Catholic to submit work. 
  4.  Work submitted must resonate with Catholic values. 
  5.  Entries must be the original work that is appropriately credited. Any entries that are plagiarized or incorrectly credited will be disqualified.
  6.  All entries must be published in the calendar year 2024 except categories labeled MULTI–YEAR.
  7.  Entries must be published within the U.S. or Canada except for the International division. 
  8.  CMA Book Awards rules regarding deadlines, submission instructions, and payment must be followed for entries to be considered.
  9.  CMA members receive the member rate of $36 per entry. Publishers must be General Publisher Members and individual authors or editors must be either Freelance or Affiliate Members of the CMA to qualify for the member rate. Non-member entry fee is $79.
Reasons for Disqualification
  • Too few submissions in a single category: Every category requires at least two submissions total in order to be evaluated. Any category that has only one submission will be pulled from the competition. In this case, a refund will be issued. You will be notified of this refund via email. 
  • Entry does not meet submission requirements: In order for judges to evaluate your submissions, entries must include all required components and they must be submitted properly. Please check the category descriptions to make sure your entries are correct.