Assistance Inquiry
Financial Assistance:
Fill Out the Form Below
Fill Out the Form Below
Please use this inquiry form to tell us about your situation. This is not an application. Someone from Binc will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
By providing your phone number to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, I hereby acknowledge and agree that we may send text messages to your wireless phone number for various purposes. Please note that message and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary, and you retain the right to Opt-out by simply replying “STOP.” For a detailed understanding of how we handle your data, please refer to our Privacy Policy below.
Do I Qualify?
Binc helps bookstore owners, booksellers, and comic store employees and owners with unforeseen emergency financial needs. The Foundation assesses each request to determine how best to provide relief. If approved, grants are typically paid to third-party vendors. Call 1-866-733-9064 or fill out our inquiry form. We will be in touch within two business days.
Example Qualifying Events
- Domestic violence
- Funeral
- Natural disaster (fire, flood, earthquake, etc.)
- Man-made disaster (blackout, brownout)
- Mental health
- Housing stability
- Loss of household income due to caregiving
- Loss of household income due to death in the family
- Loss of household income due to disability
- Loss of household income due to disruption of business
- Loss of household income due to partner/spouse/
household wage earner job loss - Serious medical expense
- Utility shut-off and utility shut-off prevention
- Other (not sure if your situation qualifies? Please get in touch.)
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a regular full- or part-time bookseller or
comic employee/owner at a brick-and-mortar, mobile, or pop-up, bookstore or comic shop in the United States, Puerto Rico, The U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam - Must have been employed for a minimum of 90 days
- OR an employee of a bookstore or comic store closed within the past 6 months (employee must have a minimum of 12 months tenure)
- OR were employed by Borders Group in the year 2011
- OR are the immediate family member of a
deceased bookseller - AND are experiencing an unforeseen financial
hardship resulting from a specific, qualifying life event.
Email us if you have any questions
The Binc Foundation strives to be fair, consistent, objective and professional when reviewing requests and making decisions. The employee is asked to complete a financial assistance application and to provide documentation related to their situation, including proof of their current monthly household income, expenses, and the specific qualifying event. This information is used to verify the financial emergency, and details are kept confidential.
Assistance is meant to help ameliorate a problem and move the individual back to financial equilibrium.
How Binc's Assistance Process Works
INQUIRE
Call, email, or fill out the inquiry form when an unexpected event causes you financial hardship.
APPLY
Binc will quickly be in touch and request documents needed to verify the event and your financial needs
Bookseller
APPROVE
An anonymous, confidential summary of your request is sent to the Program Committee. Approval typically takes 24 hours.
PAY
After approval, Binc pays vendors on your behalf. You will be given confirmation of bill payment.
Binc
FAQs
Read on if you have further questions about the application process.
Does my store need to be a member of the ABA or ComicsPRO to apply? NO. Your bookstore does not have to be a member of these trade organizations to apply for assistance.
Why does Binc provide these grants? Often an unforeseen setback can derail a life. Binc’s philosophy is to help booksellers, comic shop employees, and comic/bookstore owners so that they can keep doing the work they love.
Does my store have to be a member for me to get help? NO. Binc is here to help any qualified bookstore or comic shop owner or employee in the US.
What if I am not sure I qualify? Always call Binc at 866-733-9064 or submit an inquiry form as a first step. A program manager will be in touch to talk through your situation.
What if I have a colleague that needs help, but won’t call Binc? You can submit a referral inquiry on their behalf. You can even remain anonymous.
Who will know my information? All applications and inquiries are completely confidential, only the program manager working on your request will see your information.
Do I have to pay the money back? NO. Financial assistance and scholarships are grants, not loans. You do not have to pay them back.
Does Binc pay me directly for the bills I owe? In the majority of cases, Binc pays someone else like a landlord or utility company on your behalf.
Do I have to pay taxes on a grant from Binc? In most cases, where Binc pays a bill on your behalf, there is no taxable event.
Do I need to have past-due bills before I can apply? NO. Binc encourages you to apply before your bills are in arrears, a shut-off notice is issued, eviction has begun, or bills are sent to collections.
Do I need to spend down my retirement funds before I’m eligible? NO. Binc encourages you to contact us before you have spent your retirement and savings to $0.
The BOOKSMITH
The Binc Foundation provided critical information and potentially-life-saving monetary assistance. How does one thank someone for that? I will keep my bookstore running strong, put my renewed strength into growing its reach, bringing books, ideas, words of insight and imagination to more and more people. That’s how I will try to express my profound gratitude.
Terri
I had a great experience with Binc. The organization was able to cover my lost wages due to some extenuating circumstances at our small independent bookstore. The process was quick and the approval process happened in the blink of an eye. I’ll forever be grateful for the funds and assistance that Binc provided us.
Tcarr1995
So grateful to Binc for helping me with an emergency dental surgery on such short notice! They even were able to compensate me for work missed for recovery. I would not have been able to have this procedure done and keep my apartment if it weren’t for BINC. Thank you!!
