Great New Grants for Artists

Dear Artists,
We have just added a few more free grant funding sources which you may find useful. As we said in an earlier post, we realize not everyone can apply for all of these, but there should be some each artist will qualify for. We will continue to confirm and add to the post weekly. These are good organizations that provide money and other supports to artists.

Remember to follow the directions I provided in one of the earlier blogs. And I will try to add more information and sources as we go along. The most important thing is for you to be confident about  your art and tell a little about it to your funder in your request letter or application.

It has taken a long time to gather the information but we think this is worth it.

And don't forget to bookmark this page and become a follower.  We will be adding posts weekly, so check back often.  There are links on the page to earlier posts which may be useful to you -- including one which gives step by step directions to submitting a grant.

Good luck, I know your work is awesome!

Creative Capital Foundation
Supports work with the potential for significant artistic and cultural impact. They seek to act as a catalyst for the development of adventurous and imaginative ideas. Open to US citizens. Rotates different artist mediums annually.

65 Bleeker Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10012. Tel: 212-598-9900.

Creative Work Fund
Funds for artists and non-profit organizations to create new art works through collaborations. It celebrates artists as problem solvers and the making of art as a profound contribution to the strengthening of communities. Grants range from $10,000 to $35,000. Limited to artists living in and organizations based in San Francisco and Alameda, CA counties.

One Lombard Street, Suite 305, San Francisco, California 94111-1130 Tel: 415-398-4474.

Dunn Foundation
Awards for K-12 educational programs and adult visual environmental education. Emphasis on community and the environment.

Dunn Founation, 333 Strawberry Field Road, Warwick, RI 02886. Tel: 401-941-3009.

Cultural Resource Council's Community Arts Grants
Funding individual artists and not-for-profit organizations throughout Cortland, Onondaga and Oswego Counties, New York, USA. Funds are available for all not-for-profit organizations, including service organizations and units of government, and individual artists that wish to increase cultural awareness by presenting artistic and cultural events to benefit the public. All disciplines including, but not limited to, theater, dance, music, film, video, literature, visual arts, folk arts, historical and culturally specific events will be considered. All applicants, past and new, must attend an information session before applying. The information sessions are free and open to the public.

Cultural Resources Council, 
John H. Mulroy Civic Center, 
411 Montgomery Street, Syracuse, 
NY 13202
telephone: 315.435.2155, fax: 315.435.2160  mwright@cspot.org

Culture Shapes Community
 Culture Shapes Community recognizes and encourages neighborhood based arts and cultural organizations as unique stakeholders in poor neighborhoods experiencing economic and demographic shifts. This is accomplished through programs that search out and make use of neighborhood identity and public space, that promote social integration among mixed-income and mixed-race residents, that offer opportunities for upward economic mobility and that empower all to have a strong voice for fair and equitable neighborhood change.

1429 21st Street, NW, Washington DC, 20036, phone: (202) 276-6503, fax: (202) 466-4845

Dancer's Group's Parachute Fund
The Parachute Fund provides emergency financial support to members of the San Francisco Bay Area dance community facing the free fall of AIDS or other life-threatening illnesses.

1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103-2647
DG@dancersgroup.org


Documentary Photography Project Distribution Grants
This grant is offered to documentary photographers who have already completed a significant body of work on issues of social justice to collaborate with a partner organization and propose new ways of using photography as a tool for positive social change. Grants of $5,000 to $30,000 are awarded.

Open Society Institute, 400 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019
yyamagata@sorosny.org



Durfee Foundation - Artist Resource for Completion Grants

ARC grants provide rapid, short-term assistance of up to $2,500 to individual artists who live in Los Angeles County. Funds must be used to enhance work that is near completion and scheduled for presentation within six months of the grant application deadline. Artists in any discipline may apply. Applicants must have a secure invitation from an established organization to present their work. There are four grant cycles per year.

1453 Third Street, Suite 312, Santa Monica, CA 90401
admin@durfee.org


East Bay Community Foundation Fund for Artists

This consortium of Bay Area, Northern California (USA) community foundations is dedicated to increasing support to Bay Area individual artists. This regional initiative supports the artistic revitalization of outstanding arts teachers in Bay Area middle and high schools. Through this grant, fellows will design individualized courses of study that foster their own creative work and the opportunity to interact with other professional artists in their fields. This annual award to four Bay Area fellows, includes a complementary grant to each fellow's respective school.

(510) 836-3223
fund4artists@eastbaycf.org
 

Artography

This national, competitive grantmaking program provides grants of $80,000 to $100,000 over two years for general operating expenses to 8 exemplary arts organizations. Recipients must be focused on demographic change, aesthetic innovation, and critical social engagement. Applicants have to be an American based, non-profit organization classified as a 501(c)(3) public charity and have a minimum five-year history of programming in any single or combination of arts disciplines.

Artists' Fellowship

The Artists' Fellowship, Inc. is a private, charitable foundation that assists professional fine artists (painters, graphic artists, sculptors) and their families in times of emergency, disability, or bereavement.

47 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003. (646) 230-9833

CA$H Grants: Theater Bay Area

CA$H is a grants program designed by artists for artists to support professionally oriented theatre and dance artists and small companies with budgets under $100,000. Its purpose is to spark a creative surge throughout Northern California's theatre and dance community by providing grants to artists ($1,500) and small-sized organizations ($2,500). Approximately $20,000 are awarded each round. Funding decisions are made by a rotating five-member panel.

870 Market Street, Suite 375, San Francisco, CA 94102, phone: (415) 430-1140, Ext. 14

$1 million Knight Foundation grant to Benefit 18 artists

For those of you who have been following this blog, and for others who may be new -- here is another example of a grant that you should check out. This is one of the best grants in the country -- and will be given to 18 artists selected this next spring. In writing the application, read the blog from earlier this fall that describes in detail what an application may require and how to prepare it.

But it is always better to try for more than one grant, and that is why you may want to review the blog posted a couple of weeks ago on many more grants that are available for you to explore. We are preparing a list of 12 more grants that we will post in the next few days. We are continuously scouring all the foundations and programs to see what may be available to you. A listing of the earlier blogs is listed on this page. If you have questions,feel free to post the question. I will do my best to answer the ones I get.

Don't forget to try to go for this grant if you think you can apply.

The article posted in the Miami Herald stated that through a $1 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 18 artists will get $50,000 gifts over the next five years.

Eighteen artists from Miami and across the country will receive gifts of $50,000, thanks to a $1 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to United States Artists, a national grant-making and advocacy organization.

The USA Knight Fellowships will be awarded over the next five years to artists working in communities in which the Knight brothers once owned newspapers. The fellows will receive an additional $5,000 ``to engage local residents by conducting workshops, talks or other events.'' The fellowships, part of the Knight Foundation's multimillion-dollar agenda to support the arts, will have no strings attached. No one may actively apply.

``It's a confidential selection process similar to the MacArthur Genius Awards,'' says Knight Foundation spokesman Marc Fest.

The first two USA Knight Fellows will be announced in Los Angeles on Dec. 14.

``The USA Knight Fellowships will highlight the importance of the arts in our society and the great financial needs of the artists who enrich our communities while earning a living from their artistic practices,'' says Dennis Scholl, the Knight Foundation's Miami program director.

The grants will support artists who live and work in Aberdeen, S.D.; Akron, Ohio; Biloxi, Miss.; Boulder, Colo.; Charlotte, N.C.; Columbia and Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Columbus, Ga.; Detroit; Duluth and St. Paul, Minn.; Fort Wayne and Gary, Ind.; Grand Forks, N.D.; Lexington, Ky.; Long Beach, Calif.; Macon and Milledgeville, Ga.; Philadelphia and State College, Pa.; San Jose, Calif.; Wichita, Kan., and Bradenton, Tallahassee, Palm Beach and Miami.

Katharine DeShaw, executive director of Los Angeles-based USA, says her organization is ``thrilled to partner with the Knight Foundation to invest in working artists and encourage their creative contributions in Knight communities for years to come. In this difficult economic climate, USA is especially grateful . . . for its vision and generosity in supporting the arts.''

Artist Grants and Other Funding Sources for Artists

Dear Artists,
Here are a few additional free grant funding sources which I promised in the last blog. These are good organizations that provide money and other supports to artists. Remember to follow the directions in the earlier article. We are in the process of publishing a grant directory for artists, but it will not be out until late Spring 2010. In the meantime I will try to add information and sources as we go along. I did not have time to get all the links, but they are readily available on the web. I'm working off my iPhone and it is hard to get everything I want. But I'm excited that we found these free grant listings and have another dozen possibilities we are checking out before we list. Hopefully you will find some grant awards for artists that apply to you. Be confident about what you do.

It has taken a long time to gather the information but I think this is worth it.

I'll post more shortly.


4Cs Foundation
The mandate of the 4Cs Foundation is to build connections between children and their communities through arts projects in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. They provide grants for community arts projects and provide support, training and networking for people interested in community arts. Deadlines for applications are October 15th, January 15th and May 15th of each year.

Suite 204, 5663 Cornwallis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia CANADA B3K 1B6, tel: (902) 422-4805, fax: (902) 425-9560

Process IMPACT
National juried exhibition that provides opportunity for student artists whose art is about activism on civil rights, environment, health care or consumerism to apply for an award and scholarship support. Artists must be 18 years or older and currently enrolled in either an undergraduate or graduate program. Work must be completed in past 3 years. No entry fee or limit on number of submissions. Deadline is January 11

Artists are invited to send images of the work as either digital files on a DVD or CD or 2"x2" plastic or paper mounted slides (no glass). Please do not send original work unless requested. Along with the images, please include a brief statement about the work and its relevance to the theme of the exhibition and a text document with the following information:
Name, Mailing Address, Phone, Email and (for each entry) Title, media, date, size, insurance value.

Mail all materials to:
Process Impact
Eagle Art Gallery
Murray State University
604 Doyle Fine Arts
Murray, KY 42071

National Association of Women Artists
NAWA provides financial support and prizes including cash and solo show in NYC. Entry deadline is December 30, 2009. The call is for small works by women artists. Application pdf is downloaded at:
http://www.nawanet.org/users/nawa2253/docs/National%20Small%20Works%281%29.pdf

The Gunk Foundation Grants for Public Art
The Gunk Foundation is interested in supporting projects that make it out of the museum, gallery and alternative spaces, and into the spaces of daily life. For example, work that is shown in the spaces of public transportation, city streets, or work places and is seen by people "outside" of the art and academic worlds. The Foundation is looking for non-traditional, thought-provoking public work that is site specific.

The Aaron Siskind Individual Photographers Fellowship Grants
The Aaron Siskind Foundation is offering a limited number of fellowship grants of up to $5,000 each for individuals working in still photography and photography-based media. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

The Alexia Foundation for World Peace
The Alexia Foundation for World Peace Annual Photography Contest offers grants to students and professionals for the production of a proposed project. The Alexia Foundation seeks to provide the financial ability for a photographer to produce a substantial picture story that furthers the foundation's goals of promoting world peace and cultural understanding.

The Gordon Parks International Photo Competition
Fort Scott Community College began the Gordon Parks Photography Competition to honor Fort Scott's most famous photographer, Gordon Parks. Each year the Committee awards prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 to photographers whose images reflect important themes in the life and the work of Gordon Parks, such as social injustice, the suffering of others, and family values.

College Art Association
The CAA's Professional Development Fellowship for Master of Fine Arts Candidates was initiated to help M.F.A. students to bridge the gap between graduate study and professional careers. Fellows are honored with a one-time grant of $15,000 to help them with various aspects of their work.

Free Grants for Artists and Art Programs

8 Tips for Getting a Grant as an Artist or Art Program
So you are an artist or work with an art group and want to apply for a grant for some free grant funding, but you’ve heard it’s difficult or impossible to apply for a grant that gives free money. But by following the set of main "rules" around obtaining a grant, it is much quicker, easier, and far more effective to get it done – and get the grant for free funding you need to do what you do best as an artist or as someone working in the arts. After all, you and your program will need free funding opportunities or free matching funds to do the work you do best as an artist. And that is why the grant funding sources are there for you, because the arts are important and is something the community wants to keep alive and creative. It is much easier and more rewarding to be creative because your time and efforts are not spent worrying about your future, or even your next few months living expenses. As an artist or arts administrator you are being encouraged to reach out for free grant funding to help you be nourished enough to create.

So let's look at what you want and how to really get some free grant money for you and/or your organization.
Getting Started
The first step in getting maximum grant funding is to get organized! Begin your search or establish a team of volunteers to look at a few potential funders – like the Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. There are also funds available through your state or county arts associations, but in this time of troubling financial issues – this may be more difficult to obtain. Private and National organizations have continued their commitment to assure artists get the support they need. They know that free funding, beneficial grants provide the support an artist needs.

Writing the Proposal
Before examining each section of the proposal, here is some general advice:
● Write clearly, concisely, and honestly;
● Use direct and easy to understand style;
● Be specific! Provide the reader with examples and details without extending the content unnecessarily;
● Remember to show and not just tell;
● Avoid unsupported assumptions. Prove the problem exists with the targeted population, and that the proposed project can have an impact;
● Emphasize, at all times, the connection between the project’s objectives and the foundation’s priorities;
● BE POSITIVE! Maintain the attitude that the foundation is receiving a great opportunity to participate in a useful and needed project.
Title Page
When naming a project, use imagination and creativity. The title should describe the project with words that are easily remembered. Be serious, not facetious! The title should convey the desired image to the prospective funder, as well as to the community at large. Be original.
Introduction
Depending on the foundation’s guidelines, the contents of this section may be included into other parts of the proposal. The introduction gives the background information on the applicant or organization as well as the project. Most importantly, the introduction demonstrates the credibility of the organization and the validity of the project. With this in mind, do not overwhelm the reader with too much history and structure. In addition, although ideas and philosophy are an important foundation to a project, the introduction should show that the applicant organization takes action and follows through on its ideas.
Possible things to include are:
● When, why and how the organization was started
● Statement of purpose, goals, and philosophy
● Mention of significant events
● Brief description of prior and current activities
● Description of the targeted population of the project
● Evaluations from other funding sources
● Excerpts from letter of support.
Statement of Need & Purpose
This section identifies and provides background on the problem that the project intends to address. Establish the project’s relevance to their priorities and the specific goals they hope to achieve.
The purpose forms the heart of the proposal as it states the goals, objectives, and expected results of the project.
GOAL — a conceptual statement of the ultimate purpose of the entire project. It usually describes a long-term result, although one that is attainable within the duration of the project.
OBJECTIVE — a specific, concrete declaration of a short-term or intermediate accomplishment, which can be measured later to determine the level of success.
As a guideline, a project usually has only one or two goals and several objectives. If the proposal contains a long list of goals, either some of the goals are actually objectives, or the project needs to be more clearly defined as to its ultimate purpose.
The Procedures and Methodology
The statement of need defines the problem; the purpose outlines the proposal’s intentions to solve the problem; and the procedure section describes the methods that will be used. When detailing the activities and their rationale, try to convince the prospective funder that the you are eager to perform the tasks and are an action taker. And that you can achieve the expected outcomes.
Evaluation
The evaluation section describes how the project will be examined for the achievement of its objectives and goals. Foundations want to ensure that their money is well spent on successful program. The content of this section enables the applicant organization to give progress reports back to their funder. Therefore, the evaluation techniques must give accurate and valuable information.
You’re Done. Congratulations! Here's to your great success. Here is hoping you get free funding to create the best project ever. Remember to be confident about all of this. Free grant funding isn't a handout. It is not a way to get free money you do not deserve. It is all about getting the support you need to do what only you do best. So do everything you need to fill out the application and request free grant funds with enough free money to get the job done. And please be sure to get your grant in prior to the deadline.
Here are a few foundations that provide free grants and free grant funds. We will be adding more as we check them out.
Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Princess Grace Foundation, International Child Art Foundation
Ford Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
(c) All Rights Reserved

Free Grants for Children &Youth Programs

8 Tips for Getting an Effective Grant

So you want to apply for a grant for a child, youth, family or senior project you have thought of for you or for your organization, but you’ve heard it’s difficult or impossible to apply. By following the set of simple steps -- the main "rules" around obtaining a grant, it is much quicker, easier, and far more effective to get it done – and get the grant you need to do what you do best or for your program.

So let's look at what you want and how to really get some free grant money for you and your organization. But the benefits of applying for a grant are worth it in many ways.

Step 1: Getting Started
The first step in getting funded is to get organized! Begin your search or establish a team of voluteers to look at a few potential funders -- like the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation and others. There are also funds available through your state or county programs, but in this time of troubling financial issues – this may be more difficult to obtain and could be a much smaller grant.

Step 2: Writing the Proposal
Before examining each section of the proposal, here is some general advice:
● Write clearly, concisely, and honestly;
● Use direct and easy to understand style;
● Avoid jargon. If necessary, be sure to define terms;
● Be specific! Provide the reader with examples and details without extending the content unnecessarily;

Cover Letter
Sometimes the grant application process will allow you to write a cover letter. It's better to have the chairperson, or someone with high authority within the organization, to sign the cover letter. Besides giving a brief description of the project and the proposal contacts, it should convey the organizations commitment to the project. Don't try to “beg” or be “pretentiousness”. Most often it does not work!


Statement of Need
This section identifies and provides background on the problem that the project intends to address. Defining the problems requires extensive research about the community and the targeted population. A critical analysis of the literature about the project should be provided and referenced. Kiritz warns against characterizing the problem as lack of what the project offers. For Example, if a project includes tutoring elementary school students, the problem should not be labeled as “failing school performance due to the lack of after school tutoring.” Narrow down the problem to one that has realistic solutions. For example, “world hunger” is too large a scope; so instead focus on “providing breakfast for preschoolers in an economically depressed town.” Once defined, the problem should be described by focusing on the particular situation the project deals with, while relating it to other associated conditions. Not only does this approach give a more complete understanding of the problem, but also widens the door for different kinds of funding. Explain why the project should be funded now. What conditions make now the best time to achieve success? And don't be afraid to show the originality of the project.

The Purpose
The purpose forms the heart of the proposal as it states the goals, objectives, and expected results of the project. Share your Goals and your objectives.

As a guideline, a project usually has only one or two goals and several objectives. If the proposal contains a long list of goals, either some of the goals are actually objectives, or the project needs to be more clearly defined as to its ultimate purpose. The following is an example of the goals and objectives for a tutoring program:

When writing the proposal for a foundation, the results the project plans to achieve should be emphasized. Remember that the proposal must prove that supporting the proposed project is an effective use of the foundation’s money. So be sure to clearly define the outcomes.

The Procedure
How to you hope to achieve the goals and objectives. Explain the process and why you think it is important. You must convince the prospective funder that the applicant organization takes action and can achieve the expected outcomes.

Evaluation
The evaluation section describes how you will evaluate the project to be sure it has achieved its goals and objectives. Foundations and other funding organizations want to ensure that their money is well spent on successful program. .

The Budget
The budget is the last section of the proposal. Even though some foundations may only ask for the total budget amount in their guidelines, all foundations expect the applicant organization to be well versed on every aspect of the budget. The prospective funder wants to see that the applicant organization knows how to manage its money well, and this concern is conveyed through the budget.

So you've done it. That's what it takes. We will be posting new funding organizations on this blog as we go along, so check back often to see what may be available.
Don't be afraid to apply for much needed grants. Especially when it comes to children's programs. Everyone agrees they are well deserved.