Art Writers Grant Program

This looks very interesting:

The Creative Capital | Warhol Foundation Arts Writer Grant Program.
Deadline June 6, 2012

The program provides grants directly to individual writers whose work aims to support the broad spectrum of comtemporary visual art, from general-audience criticism to academic scholarship. Writers of articles, blogs, books, new and alternative media, and short-form writing are eligible.

To apply, you must be "an individual; an art historian, artist, critic, curator, journalist, or practitioner in an outside field who is strongly engaged with the contemporary visual arts; a United States citizen, permanent resident of the U.S., or holder of an O-1 visa; at least 25 years old; and a published author (specific publication requirements vary depending on project type category). Please note that work published in college newspapers and undergraduate student-run publications will not be considered toward the published author requirement."

Grants range from $3,000 to $50,000 depending on the needs and scope of the project. Get complete guidelines and info here at the program's Web site.

Worth a look!

Funding Opportunities from Arts Funding Watch

One of my favorite publications is from the Foundation Center. It's called "Arts Funding Watch," a newsletter devoted to arts-related topics. You should subscribe. Go here.

Here are some highlights from the September issue, their deadlines are soon, and check the Foundation Center website for more. If you're serious about pursuing some grant money, it's worth doing a month's membership online to collect info. Or, use one of their 450 free funding information centers in libraries and nonprofit organization across the U.S. and in seven other countries.

Queens Council on the Arts Invites Artists and Arts Organizations to Apply for Arts Fund Grants
$1000-$5000 for Queens-based artists and arts organizations  working on projects and capacity-building initiatives designed to benefit the citizens of Queens. Dealine 10/5/11

Tribeca Film Institute Invites Submissions for Narrative and Documentary Filmmaker Grant Programs
Grants of up to $40,000 as well as professional guidance and other resources will be provided through the TFI Documentary Fund, the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, the Tribeca All Access program, and the TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund. Deadline 10/10/11

Association of Performing Arts Presenters Accepting Applications for Cultural Exchange Fund Awards
Subsidies of up to $2,000 for individuals and $10,000 for groups will be awarded to Association of Performing Arts Presenters members traveling to build partnerships and collaborations with international artists. Deadline 11/4/11

Media and Performing Artists and Nonprofit Organizations in Northern and Central California Invited to Apply for Collaborative Project Grants
Grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded to nonprofits, religious institutions, and public agencies working on collaborative projects with media and performing artists in Northern and Central California. Deadline 11/8/11

If you need help, feel free to contact me. I've helped artists do the research, find appropriate grants, assemble required info, and complete grant apps.

All my best to you and yours!

Is it worth going after grants/fellowships?

I think it is, IF you do three things: 

1. First, be sure you're clear on who and what you are, and how having some additional funding or opportunites would help you build a career/business.
   
2. Pull together some basic info and have it at the ready.
3. Do your research, make sure you are a good match for the grant.

There is a LOT of grant money out there. There are fellowships, and other opportunities. They are NOT a fast fix for cash flow problems. Applying for them can be a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Sometimes years. But, hey, it's your dream, your passion, yes? Isn't it worth some investment of time and effort? 

You don't always win on the first try, but when you do it can mean a major cash infusion to pursue your dreams and/or splendid learning opportunities.

I've worked with many creative people in this area. Were they successful? Honestly, most of them were not. Some were. Like I said, it can be a long process. If you really are in this for the long term, it may be worth your while to pursue a grant, a fellowship, or other opportunity. Most people I've worked with give up after one try, and that's just a waste of all the time they spent doing research and putting together the info requested in the application. Once you have that info and a list of opportunities that you are well matched with, cookie cutter the process and go for it!

You can hire me to help you, or start here and explore:  http://foundationcenter.org. The Foundation Center can help you identify funding sources. You can search their r-e-a-l-l-y big database online, for a fee, or at one of many "Cooperating Collections" at local libraries, for free. If you're not a nonprofit organization, check the area for Individual Grantseekers.

When searching for grants, fellowships and other opportunities, make very sure you qualify for them. Read the info thoroughly, follow the directions when applying. If you second guess them and don't follow directions to the letter, you're wasting your time.

Pull together all the basic info you'll need, keep it on your computer, you'll be using it again (and again).

Sign up for one or more of the Foundation Center's newsletters to be notified of grant opportunities in your area, or in your area of expertise.

Also, if you're an artist get Benny Shaboy's Art Opportunities Book. Lots of resources there.

Here's an example. I found it in today's edition of Philantrophy New Digest:  The NYFA (New York Foundation for the Arts) has a program to help individual artists of all disciplines develop their career. Stipends from $200 to $1500 are avaiable. Not a fortune but the process to apply seems fairly simple. If you are an artist living in NY (or are a NY resident living outside NY), check it out here.

Good luck!  Contact me if you want help.  All my best to you and yours!

Grant money? Three Tips (and a few leads) to Help You Get Some

There is a lot of grant money out there for creative people, and yet most people never apply for any of it. Why? I don't know the answer for sure, but I suspect it's because of the grant application process. It can be very overwhelming and can seem like more work than it's worth. It could also be that they apply for one grant, are denied, and give up thinking it's useless.

Perhaps, but how much time/effort would you invest for $5,000? $10,000 or more to help you fund a project or build your career?

I can give you three tips to minimize the time you spend and maximize your results:

1. Gather/create your information. Grants require you provide information, usually lots of it, in the application process. Once you create that information you can use it over and over again. It's information you should have on hand anyway for your marketing and business, and once you have that info you will be much clearer on who you are and where you want to go.
   
   
2. Do your homework. Make sure that the grant you want to apply for is a good match for you. Read the information they provide. If, for example, they say that the grant is for visual artists working in oil paint who are over the age of 50 and live in the USA, do not apply for it if you work in pastels, are under 50 and live in Canada. They're the ones giving away the money, you'll have to play by their rules. Know what those rules are.
   
   
3. Be patient and persistent. Grants are a long-term process. It can take months, sometimes years to be successful at getting grants. If you apply for one that you are well-qualified for and are denied, try and find out why and re-apply next time. You may not be able to contact the grant-giver directly, but many will profile the receipients on their websites and you can glean info there.

I get a newsletter from the Foundation Center called Arts Funding Watch, you can too, it's free, go here to subscribe. There are grant opportunities listed for artists in all fields. They also have a paid online system to search for grants, and get educated on the grant process or even how to build a nonprofit organization. It's awesome.

Money saving tip: Sign up for a month, gather info for grants that you are a good match for, then spend the next few months applying. Sign up for another month, repeat. Only pay for months you use the service.

To get you started here are some grant opportunities listed in their February 3rd newsletter:

Creative Capital Announces Upcoming Grant Round for Film/Video and Visual Arts
Financial and advisory support will be provided to U.S. artists producing provocative, timely, and relevant film, video, and visual arts projects....
Deadline: 3/01/11 (Online Inquiry Form)

Rasmuson Foundation Invites Alaska Artists to Apply for Grant Awards
Awards of up to $25,000 will be given to artists in Alaska producing or performing work that reflects any of the state's diverse cultural and aesthetic communities; the program welcomes online applications and presentation/interpretation projects....
Deadline: 3/01/11

California Community Foundation Invites Applications for Los Angeles Visual Artists Fellowships
Professional development grants of up to $20,000 will be given to emerging and mid-career Los Angeles artists working in the visual arts....
Deadline: 3/04/11

Proposals Sought for Moving Walls Documentary Photography Exhibition Addressing Social Justice Issues
The Open Society Foundations invite emerging and veteran photographers to submit a body of work for consideration in the Moving Walls 19 group exhibition; a travel grant for the New York opening is available....
Deadline: 4/01/11

More Requests for Proposals Here.