Grant-writing Advice

I posted the following on the Oregon Writers Network blog , but for convenience, I'm reposting it here.

There are many small grants (and some, not so small) available to fledgling writers (and some not so fledgling). One of my correspondents wrote the following question about a grant application:

The Question:

I'm asking advice. As some of you know, I'm a highly qualified, employed professional, so I have extensive educational experience and a few academic publications/presentations. My question is, would you downplay this on a grant app for writing because they might call you a rich professional and turn down your grant?

Jerry's Answer:

It is worth considering. Here's our experience:

When Dani applied for a grant to support her doctoral fieldwork in anthropology, she was awarded the grant--but it was a "dry grant."

What? You never heard of "dry grants"?

Dry grants give you the honor, but not the money.

Their "reasoning": "Her husband has a job, so she doesn't need the money."

That was many years ago, but there are still granters who think that way.

"Downplay" might be the way to go. You're a creative writer, so perhaps something like, "I can't afford to lose a week's pay unless I can get some financial support."

You might also point out that you have a child, so you have extra expenses and can't work extra hours or moonlight to earn more money. You are, after all, begging for money, so you have to have a tear-jerker story of some kind.

And good, good luck,

Another correspondent replied:

I've gotten a few grants for classes/workshop/etc and I pretty much just don't mention my day job (freelancer writer) unless I have to. I just explain that I'm an artist applying for an arts grant and then explain why the class/workshop/etc. is not only good for me, my craft and career aspirations but also that it's good for the community (simply because I'm willing to pass whatever I learn onto other writers) because that's what is important to this arts council. But this is Nevada, and arts grants like these are pretty easy to get. So long as you can show how and why it will help your artistic goals, the committee is not overly concerned with your finances. Most arts organizations have a mission of supporting artists, not saving them money, so that needs to be the focus of the application.

That said, I guess my advice would be

1) Don't put what you do in your day job unless they ask.

2) Give them exactly what they want on the grant application (perusing their web site to see their mission statement will help).

3) And one more tip: Most applications will ask for a budget for the workshop you are asking for help paying for. Always show all the costs of the trip, not just what they will cover. Here, they give up to $1,000 (I think it's still that), but I show all the costs of the trip anyway, so they can see I am willing to pay for quite a bit myself. Include air travel or mileage, meals, registration fees, paper, toner, books you need to read--anything you can. So if you show that the trip is going to cost $2000 and you're only asking for $1000, you are showing your commitment and not coming off as just another artist with her hand out.

And good luck!

A List of Granting Agencies

Later, she wrote:

Here's the list of grants organizations I mentioned, starting with my local sources:

*Subject:* Commission/Granting/Residency resources

I'm grateful to Michael Ogilvie, who compiled a list of Commission granting and residency resources – see below*

Michael Ogilvie

City of Las Vegas

Office of Cultural Affairs

401 South Fourth Street

Las Vegas, NV 89101

(702) 229-5256

http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/lvac

http://www.lvartscommission.com/


*Commission/Granting/Residency resources*

*INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, AND REGIONAL:*
http://www.nyfa.org/

http://www.nea.gov/

http://www.artsusa.org/

http://www.artistresource.org/

http://www.artcalendar.com/home.asp

http://www.getty.edu/grants/index.html

http://nasaa-arts.org/

http://www.zpub.com/public/

http://www.fundsnetservices.com/arts01.htm

http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-001818

http://www.collegeart.org/opportunities/type/1/

http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/arts/

http://xericfoundation.org/

http://www.artheals.org/artist_support/grants.php

http://www.antiquesatoz.com/artatoz/grant.htm

http://www.burningman.com/installations/art_guidelines.html

http://www.midatlanticarts.org

http://www.cranbrookart.edu/library/research/grants.htm

http://www.watershedceramics.org/residency.php

http://www.pkf.org/

http://www.warholfoundation.org/

http://www.joanmitchellfoundation.org/

http://www.carnegie.org/sub/pubs/grantlist.html

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ForGrantSeekers/

http://www.lannan.org/lf/about/funding-areas/

http://www.frenchculture.org/

http://www.bunka.go.jp/english/index.html

http://www.asianculturalcouncil.org/programs.html

http://www.jusfc.gov/index.asp

http://www.toyotafound.or.jp/english/

http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/csr/soc/activity.html

http://www.saison.or.jp/english/application/04.html

http://indianembassy.ru/cms/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=470

http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts.htm

http://www.e-flux.com/shows/view/5139

http://www.oakfnd.org/

http://www.danisharts.info/20c000c

http://www.iro.hr/hr/info-servis/akademski-infoservis/obrazovni-programi/view-info-1354/

http://www.danishvisualarts.info/515000c

http://www.cultureireland.gov.ie/grants/applying.html

http://www.blakemorefoundation.org/art.htm

http://www.writersofthefuture.com/

http://www.nfaa.org/

http://www.judithrothschildfdn.org/index.html

http://web.mac.com/marciareidmarsted/Capelli_dAngeli_Foundation_Site/____2008-2009_Grant_Application.html

http://www.hluce.org/aagrants.aspx

http://www.lannan.org/lf/art/grants/view-all/

http://www.terraamericanart.org/exhibitions/index.asp?key=32&year=2008



Alabama

http://www.arts.state.al.us/council/index-council.html

http://www.cranbrookart.edu/library/research/grants.htm


Alaska

http://www.eed.state.ak.us/aksca/

http://alaska.cgweb.org/

http://www.jahc.org/grant.php

http://www.atwoodfoundation.org/grants.html


Arizona

http://www.azarts.gov/

http://www.tucsonpimaartscouncil.org/

http://www.westvalleyarts.org/about/contact.html

http://www.sccarts.org/


Arkansas

http://www.arkansasarts.com/opportunities/


California

http://www.cac.ca.gov/?id=100

http://www.cac.ca.gov/othergrants/

http://www.culturecalifornia.com/culturecalifornia/about.asp

http://eldoradoartscouncil.org/

http://www.artscouncil.org/grants/

http://www.marinarts.org/html/apply_for_a_grant.htm

http://www.kernarts.org/stories/storyReader$470

http://www.artspca.org/grants.htm

http://www.getty.edu/grants/index.html

http://artleagueofnortherncalifornia.org/index.html

http://www.stocktongov.com/arts/SAC/index.cfm

http://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/artsculture/arts&culture.asp

http://lacountyarts.co.la.ca.us/

http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.asp?nid=104

http://www.sbartscommission.org/about.html

http://www.sfartscommission.org/

http://www.plumasarts.com/

http://www.ci.brentwood.ca.us/boards/artcomm/art.cfm

http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/pr/ac/ac.html

http://pvarts.org/

http://www.chico.ca.us/Arts_Commission/Home_Page.asp

http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/arts/commission/ordinance2.23.htm

http://www.acgov.org/arts/html/home.html

http://www.artshare.org/

http://www.eureka-art-culture.com/

http://www.sandiego.gov/arts-culture/index.shtml


Colorado

http://www.coloarts.state.co.us/

http://www.coloradolinks.net/Colorado_Arts_Organizations.htm

http://www.colofolkarts.org/

http://www.adolphcoors.org/index.html


Connecticut

http://www.cultureandtourism.org/cct/site/default.asp

http://www.tremainefoundation.org/Default.asp

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=320834

http://www.artsnwct.org/newsletter_detail.php?ID=13&mo=7&yr=2007


Delaware

http://www.artsdel.org/

http://artsci.case.edu/hba/doku.php?id=public:fellowships


Florida

http://www.florida-arts.org/grants/

http://www.flheritage.com/grants/

http://www.pinellasarts.org/

http://www.keysarts.com/new_site/pages/grants.html

http://www.sarasota-arts.org/grant_programs.cfm

http://www.artcentersf.org/

http://www.filminflorida.com/ifi/g.asp

http://www.moneymatters101.com/grants/florida.asp

http://www.knightfoundation.org/grants/



Georgia

http://www.gaarts.org/

http://www.maconarts.org/grantsFunding.htm

http://www.romearts.org/artsresources/georgiaartsresources.html

http://www.uga.edu/gamuseum/collections/seagrant.html

http://www.georgiahumanities.org/grantmaking/info.html



Hawaii

http://hawaii.gov/sfca/



Idaho

http://www.arts.idaho.gov/grants/indoverview.aspx



Illinois

http://www.state.il.us/agency/iac/

http://artscouncil.uchicago.edu/



Indiana

http://www.publicartindianapolis.org/

http://www.artswin.evansville.net/grants.htm



Iowa

http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/funding/artist-project-grant/index.shtml


Kansas


Kentucky

http://artscouncil.ky.gov/guide/prog4/fa_gdl.html


Louisiana

http://www.crt.state.la.us/arts/

http://www.artscouncilofneworleans.org/index.php?topic=grants.generalinfo


Maine

http://mainearts.maine.gov/artists/fellowships/index.shtml


Maryland

http://www.msac.org

http://www.mdhc.org/

http://www.wdchumanities.org

http://dcarts.dc.gov


Massachusetts

http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/

http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/programs/lotgrant/index.html


Michigan

http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-18833_18834-57660--,00.html


Missouri

http://missouriartscouncil.org/


Mississippi

http://www.arts.state.ms.us/grants/for-individuals.php

http://www.jacksonartscouncil.org/home.html


Minnesota

http://www.arts.state.mn.us/grants/artist_initiative.htm

http://www.plrac.org/grants.html

http://www.nwrdc.org/artsgrants.htm

Montana

http://art.mt.gov/artists/artists.asp

Nebraska

http://www.arts.nebraska.gov/index_html?page=content/GRANTS
/Categories/CatGrants.htm
www.nebraskahumanities.org

http://www.bemiscenter.org/about_us/index.html

Nevada

www.lvartscommission.com

http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/arts/


New Hampshire

http://www.nh.gov/nharts/grants/index.htm


New Jersey

http://www.njartscouncil.org/


New Mexico

http://www.nmarts.org/

http://www.rair.org/


New York

http://www.artsrochester.org/artscouncil/cag.htm

http://www.artscouncilofrockland.org/


North Carolina

http://www.ncarts.org/

http://www.intothearts.org/grants/available.asp

http://www.theartscouncil.com/index.shtml

http://www.darearts.org/grants.cfm

http://www.uacgreensboro.org/grants/index.html


North Dakota

http://www.nd.gov/arts/grants/grants.htm


Ohio

http://www.oac.state.oh.us/grantsprogs/

http://www.orbi.org/

http://www.oberlin.edu/newserv/stories/ohio_arts_council_grants.html


Oklahoma

http://www.arts.ok.gov/grants.html


Oregon

http://www.oregonartscommission.org/grants/commission_grant_programs.php

http://www.racc.org/


Pennsylvania

http://www.pacouncilonthearts.org/

http://www.philaculture.org/about/pressarchive/09.21.07_5CAF.htm


Rhode Island

http://www.arts.ri.gov/grants/index.php


South Carolina


South Dakota

http://www.artscouncil.sd.gov/grants.htm


Tennessee

http://www.arts.state.tn.us/grant_categories.htm

http://www.jacksonartscouncil.tn.org/


Texas

http://www.arts.state.tx.us/

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/redevelopment/cad.htm


Utah

http://arts.utah.gov/funding/artists_grant/index.html


Vermont

http://www.vermontartscouncil.org/Default.aspx?tabid=212


Virginia

http://www.arts.state.va.us

http://www.virginia.edu/vfh


Washington

http://www.arts.wa.gov/

http://www.artisttrust.org/grants


West Virginia

http://www.wvculture.org/arts


Wisconsin

http://www.newartscouncil.org/index.htm

http://arts.state.wi.us/static/programs.htm


Wyoming

http://wyoarts.state.wy.us/WACGrants2006.htm


*GUIDES TO GRANT WRITING:*
http://writingfiction.suite101.com/article.cfm/applying_for_state_art_grants
http://www.npguides.org/

http://www.svsu.edu/sponsoredprograms/grant-writing-services-guides.html
http://www.mcdaniel.edu/3891.htm

A Final Word

There are so many possible grants that grant-writing itself becomes a danger. As another correspondent writes:

"Also, put a fence around the time you spend on grants, market research, submissions, and the rest of the office work. You're probably a lot like me. The office busywork will be easy -- it WILL want to expand. Don't let it. Set your timer and walk away when your daily allocation for that stuff is over. Remember, you're doing a full-time writer week, not a "catch up" week for office work that may have been piling up. That means a lot of your time needs to be spent at your writing table putting together NEW WORDS that you can sell."