What is a Grant?

In the arts, what we call a "grant" is usually a gift—a sum of funds or another resource that is given to an individual without the expectation of repayment. Under this general heading, there are more specific types of funding:

• Professional Development - payment to take a class or workshop, hire help, or anything else that might advance your career or professional goals such as marketing materials
• Project Grants - funding for the development or creation of all or part of a specific work
• Awards/Fellowships - usually "unrestricted" —meaning no strings attached!
• Residencies - space and times for artists to work

Who Funds Grants?

Government - Federal & State

Pay your taxes knowing that money goes to help other artists achieve their dreams. Keep in mind that your audience for a public grant might be broad...

Foundations and Nonprofits

These groups typically have very specific agendas or missions. You should be able to deduce the mission of a foundation or nonprofit on their website.

Other

Donations, Individuals, Crowd Sourcing — whatever goes!

Make Time to Create Your Best Application Possible.

Fundraising Basics

1. Determine your goals.
2. Find the money.
3. Write, edit, refine, compile your complete proposal.
4. Solicit feedback, revise, and send.
5. Repeat.

Goals: Begin at the Beginning

A grant is a good way to get more money and/or time to enhance your professional career. Most artists could use more money, but it's important to understand that there are very few opportunities that will give indefinite or complete financial security for an artist. Stay realistic! Do not assume you will receive the first grant you apply for. Do not assume you'll quit your day job.

Before you start researching and looking for opportunities, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I hope to get out of this grant/opportunity? Do I desire more money, time, resources, recognition, and/or skills?
• What would help me take my work as an artist to the next step? What am I making right now? And what do I need to do to make this work stronger?

EXERCISE:

Take a few minutes to jot down your goals. What motivated you to come to this workshop today? Hint: it's not only about the money.

Research: Find the Money!

Plan to Plan

Schedule times to research new opportunities. It takes time to find and apply for opportunities.

• Set aside time in your schedule to look for grants. You can make it more of a social event by working with a partner or team of people.
• Set aside ample time to apply to opportunities.

Stay organized!

Track deadlines, keep a research log, refine frequently used documents (such as an artist's statement and narrative bio) so applying is less of a hassle. Keep records of past applications and proposals so you can build off your work as you continue to apply for professional opportunities. I create folders in Google Drive for each new opportunity so I can easily access these materials.