Week 4: Applying for Artist Grants Continued

Week 4:  Applying for Artist Grants Continued

An Anatomy of Grant Applications

If a grant agency is interested in your proposal, these are the materials they typically request:

  • Formal Letters of Recommendation.
  • Proof of Eligibility (for regional grants especially, the funding source may request proof of residence in a given city or state).
  • Budget and List of Anticipated Expenses.
  • Works sample.

When thinking about how to compile all of these materials, there are several similarities to the artist residency applications we discussed in weeks one and two.  First, make sure that the work sample relates to the project proposal, showing that you have technical expertise to execute the proposed project.  The process of assessing material from your references or letter writer will be fairly similar as well.  They are more often character references than anything else. Grant agencies frequently use references to make sure that you are trustworthy, accountable, and ethical (as these are important considerations when awarding substantial amounts of money). 

Application Dossiers:  More Tips (& a Horror Story)

References

  • Many writers make the mistake of choosing a reference who does not know them well at all, but is a very well known person in that field. They usually anticipate that a big name will impress the selection committee.  When juries  check references, though, one of the questions most frequently asked is “How long have you known the applicant?”  With that in mind, choose someone whose accomplishments you respect, but also someone who knows you well enough to do justice to your project, ability, and character.
  • A good percentage of applicants use former teachers as references.  If you are self taught, or graduated from your MFA awhile back, don’t panic that you don’t a have professors to list as references.  You may also list colleagues, friends who are arts professionals, your publisher, editors you’ve worked with in the small press, individuals with whom you’ve collaborated, etc.  Be sure to ask them first, however, and provide enough information about your project so that they can speak to its merits.  I typically supply my references with an up to date C.V., copy of the work sample, and a copy of the application. 
  • If you’re requesting a formal letter, give your letter writer at least one month lead time.  

Budget

  • Grant agencies are most likely to approve small reasonable requests for funds than larger amounts. The reason for this is that there are many artist applying for these grants, and funds are scarce.  So request only what you need and can justify in the application.

As promised, the horror story…

I have a close friend who is a very accomplished poet.  He has won numerous awards for his work, and completed not one, but two, M.F.A. degrees from top-flight programs.  His first book was reviewed widely, and was a finalist for a major award.  A few years ago, he applied for a grant, thinking that his credentials would set him apart.  He was so confident that his application would be approved that he requested $70,000.00 in his initial letter of inquiry. The grant agency returned his materials promptly with a form rejection enclosed.   

And a happy ending…

Artists do get grants, more often than people realize.  Don’t make unreasonable requests, though, as these could potentially take away from the opportunities available to artists much needier than yourself.   If you’re reasonable, professional, and do your research, you’ll be surprised and delighted to find people who believe in your project as much as you do.

 

Reading Assignment:  Ways to Stay in the Loop

What is the most common reason that people don’t get grants?  They missed the deadline.  Here are some links to open calls, newsletters, and websites that are continuously updated and describe various funding opportunities for arts professionals:

Fund for Writers:  http://fundsforwriters.com/

Poets and Writers:  http://www.pw.org/grants

Art Deadline:  http://artdeadline.com/

And few grants that are well kept secrets…

Word Riot Travel Grants:  Kicking The Small Press Into High Gear:  http://wordriot.us/travel-grants/

Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences:  http://www.awesomefoundation.org/

 

Kristina Marie DarlingKristina Marie Darling is the author of over twenty collections of poetry. Her awards include two Yaddo residencies, a Hawthornden Castle Fellowship, and a Visiting Artist Fellowship from the American Academy in Rome, as well as grants from the Whiting Foundation and Harvard University’s Kittredge Fund. She is currently working toward both a Ph.D. in English Literature at S.U.N.Y.-Buffalo and an M.F.A. in Poetry at New York University.

Week 3: Applying for Artist Grants

Week 3:  Applying for Artist Grants

Artist Grants:  An Introduction

Yes, there are the artist grants that everyone knows about:  NEA, Guggenheim, MacAurthur, etc.  But there are many grants that aren’t as highly sought after, which emerging artists have a much better chance of obtaining.  Why don’t people know about them, then?  They don’t do their research, and it’s as simple as that.  With that in mind, here are some resources which will help you research the grants that are best suited to your budget and proposed project:

The Database Database:  Grantspace.org has culled a selection of resources, which include the organization’s own list of opportunities for individual artists, searchable databases of foundation grants to individuals, webinars, and online training modules.  Click here:  http://grantspace.org/tools/knowledge-base/Individual-Grantseekers/Artists/funding-for-individual-artists

The Database of Databases:  Another list of resources, which includes descriptions and hyperlinks.  Click here:  http://artgrants.blogspot.com/

Michigan State University Libraries:  A fairly comphrehensive list of grants to individuals.  Click here:  http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3arts.htm

Specialized Grants:  You may qualify for special grants based on race, gender, ethnicity, geographic location, etc.  For a list of some more specialized grants, click here:  http://www.womenarts.org/funding-resources/sourcesforindividualartists/

Crafting the Perfect Cover Letter:  Some Tips

Many grants, such as the Kittredge Fund and the Elizabeth George Foundation, ask for an initial letter of inquiry, which describes the project, its scope, the budget, and your credentials for undertaking the project.  The purpose is for the foundation to get to know you a bit, and ascertain whether or not it’s a potential match, before they ask you to send additional materials.  The materials requested at this stage are often much more comprehensive, and may include as many as six letters of reference. 

As you draft this initial letter of intent, here are the questions you’ll need to address: 

  • How much money are you requesting?
  • What is the nature of project for which funds are being sought? You’ll want to include a brief (100-200 word) description, similar to the one you drafted for your residency application. 
  • How does the project support the grant agency’s mission? To address this question, you’ll need to see if the funding source to which you’re applying has a mission statement.  Sometimes they can be quite specialized, such as the Kittredge Fund, which is aimed at artists in the early stages of a promising career, or the Elizabeth George Foundation, which makes grants to novelists who are unpublished.  You’ll want to situate your proposed project in relation to the grant agency’s existing mission. 
  • Why are you the one who is best suited to carry out this project? You’ll want to give details about your credentials, which may include formal training that relates to the project, publications in the genre you’re proposing to work in, awards, honors, recognitions, etc.
  • How will funds be used? Many applicants use this part of the letter to mention artist residencies, writing conferences, and workshops they wish to attend, and explain how they will assist with the completion of the project.     

Reading Assignment:  The Do’s and Don’ts

How to Write a Grant Proposal:  http://www.artistsnetwork.com/articles/business-of-art/how-to-write-a-grant-proposal

How Not to Write a Grant Proposal:  http://chronicle.com/article/How-to-Fail-in-Grant-Writing/125620/

 

Writing Assignment:  Show Me the Money

From the funding options you listed in your Discussion Assignment, choose two. Then write two cover letters, each for a different grant opportunity.  If you’re unsure how to structure the letter, take a look at the sample cover letter (below) or simply use the bullet point list above, devoting one paragraph to each bullet point question. 

Sample Cover Letter:  http://media.kaboom.org/docs/documents/pdf/Fundraising_sample_cover_letter.pdf

 

Kristina Marie DarlingKristina Marie Darling is the author of over twenty collections of poetry. Her awards include two Yaddo residencies, a Hawthornden Castle Fellowship, and a Visiting Artist Fellowship from the American Academy in Rome, as well as grants from the Whiting Foundation and Harvard University’s Kittredge Fund. She is currently working toward both a Ph.D. in English Literature at S.U.N.Y.-Buffalo and an M.F.A. in Poetry at New York University.

Week 2: Applying for Artist Residencies Continued

Week 2:  Applying for Artist Residencies Continued

Crafting Persuasive Applications:  Tips & Advice

When applying for an artist residency, the process is pretty much the same no matter where you decide to apply.  The following materials are usually required, and can be used and used again for future opportunities:

  • Writing Sample (10 pages for poetry, 20-25 pages for prose)
  • Project Proposal (usually 1 page)
  • Resume/CV or biographical statement
  • References (usually two or three)

When crafting an application, here are some tips:

  • In general, the work sample should support the project proposal. One of the most common mistakes that individuals make when filling our residency application is presenting a work sample that seems disconnected from the proposed project.  It’s helpful to remember that the purpose of the work sample is to show that you have the technical capability to carry out the proposed project.  So if you’re proposing a sonnet sequence in the project proposal, show them a sonnet sequence in the work sample, etc. 
  • Present a concise, unified application. This is especially key with the work sample. Many writers make the mistake of trying to demonstrate their formal range in the work sample.  It’s much better to present a unified set of poems, stories, paintings, etc.  A concise body of work is easy for admissions committees to recall, which will certainly benefit you during the selection process. 
  • Show that you’ve researched the program. You can accomplish this by mentioning specific resources the program offers, as well as the location, size, or structure of the residency program.  There’s nothing residency programs dread more than seeing an artist arrive, a look of horror cross her face, and the words, ” What?!  I had no idea this program was located in rural Wyoming!” 
  • Don’t choose “traditional” work or “experimental” work based on what you think the admissions committee will like. Many individuals assume that if they’re applying to Yaddo or MacDowell, they should submit traditional work, since these are more established colonies.  With that said, admissions committees at most residencies rotate so as to assure that a diverse range of aesthetics are represented.  Simply send your best work, and the work that is most closely connected to your proposed project. 

Reading Assignment

For this week, we’ll be looking at an “expert breakdown” of the application requirements, originally published in Poets & Writers Magazine.  Hopefully this article will offer some insight as to how your general project proposal from last week might be customized for specific opportunities. 

Applying to a Writers Residency:  An Expert Breakdown of the Requirements

Also, you should know about Rate My Artist Residency, which contains lists of no application fee residencies, residency funding resources, and the programs rated highest based on artists’ experiences while in residence. 

Rate My Artist Residency

 

Optional Assignment:  Submission Bombing

The following arts organizations have invited submissions from our class and very much look forward to hearing from you.  There is no formal deadline, so feel free to revise your materials first based on peer and instructor feedback. 

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow

The Centrum Foundation

Sundress Academy for the Arts

 

Kristina Marie DarlingKristina Marie Darling is the author of over twenty collections of poetry. Her awards include two Yaddo residencies, a Hawthornden Castle Fellowship, and a Visiting Artist Fellowship from the American Academy in Rome, as well as grants from the Whiting Foundation and Harvard University’s Kittredge Fund. She is currently working toward both a Ph.D. in English Literature at S.U.N.Y.-Buffalo and an M.F.A. in Poetry at New York University.