Grants for No Calif. Artists for Computer, Media and Performing Arts and New National Grants for the Arts

Here are 3 new sets of grant opportunities. Although one is for Northern California we've included it because it stretches over a broad scope of arts -- covering computer, media and performing arts.  And the others are for some interesting projects.  Be sure to sign up for email alerts as we have more information on the 220 paid fellowships announced last week.

Remember these foundations have to give this money away.  It's part of the requirement for being a foundation.  So check these and the earlier posts out and apply often.  Also, hope you'll become a follower.

 

  Media and Performing Artists in Northern and Central California Invited to Apply for Project Grants

Deadline: November 8, 2011

The Creative Work Fund, a program of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund supported by grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the James Irvine Foundation, invites artists and nonprofit organizations to apply for grants for collaborative projects featuring media or performing artists. 

Launched in 1994, the Creative Work Fund is designed to help address the decline in support for artists and new works. Since its inception, CWF has contributed $8 million to advance art-making by California artists in a variety of disciplines. Grants are awarded to genuine, creative partnerships between artists and nonprofit organizations. Each year, CWF focuses on projects from different disciplines; the 2012 grants program will fund collaborative projects that feature media or performing artists.

The CWF grant program emphasizes the creation of new work — not distribution or productions of work already developed. Projects may culminate in any form, but they must feature a lead artist with a strong track record as a media artist or performing artist and collaboration between that artist and a nonprofit organization.

• Media artists create narrative, documentary, animated, or experimental time-based works using audio, digital, film, and/or video media. 
• Computer arts also are included in this category.  
• Performing artists create or execute work in dance, opera, performance art, theater, and vocal and instrumental music. 

Any kind of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may apply (but not a private foundation). A recognized religious organization, even if it does not have 501(c)(3) status, may apply, as may a public agency (such as a parks department, health department, or public school). A nonprofit organization that clearly fills a charitable or educational purpose but does not have nonprofit status may apply with an eligible nonprofit fiscal sponsor.

The principal collaborating artists and organizations must live or be located in the Northern or Central California counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, or Stanislaus; and have been there for at least two years.

A total of up to $810,000 will be available through grants ranging from $10,000 to $40,000. Artists and organizations should plan projects and prepare and sign their Letters of Inquiry together. 

Visit the CWF Web site for complete program guidelines, application materials, and examples of funded projects. 

 
 

New Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts Offered to Research Value and Impact of the Arts

Deadline: November 8, 2011

The Office of Research and Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts has announced the availability of grants for research on the value and impact of the U.S. arts sector, at either the individual or community level.

The NEA is interested in novel and significant research questions that will lead to greater public understanding of the contribution of the arts.

Grantees may use either existing or newly established datasets to conduct their research. The resulting projects will help determine the usefulness of various datasets to arts-related research — including those not previously used for that purpose. Through this grant opportunity, the NEA hopes to further expand the pool of researchers knowledgeable about arts and culture datasets.

Applicants must be U.S. nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations; units of state or local government; or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes. This may include but is not limited to colleges and universities. The NEA encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds, including those who have not specialized in arts-related research. Although applicants must be nonprofit organizations, they are encouraged to partner with for-profit entities and/or use commercial and/or administrative datasets.

The NEA anticipates awarding up to twenty-five grants in the range of $10,000 to $30,000. The grant period is not expected to exceed one year.

Complete program information, application and  guidelines are available at the NEA Web site

http://www.nea.gov/news/news11/research-art-works.html

                                                                                                                                                                         

New Exciting Opportunity for Public-Private Partnership to Connect Latin American Performing Artists With U.S.  Audiences

Deadline: February 10, 2012

The Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation have announced a public-private partnership in support of the Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America program, which is designed to bring exemplary contemporary and traditional performing arts from Latin America to audiences across the U.S. that have little access to this work.

The new initiative will support the presentation of dance, music, and theater artists and ensembles and will include community activities designed to provide audiences with a greater understanding of the artists, their work, and respective cultures.

The pilot program will support projects for the 2012-13 performing season that are developed collaboratively by presenter consortia based in the U.S. and its territories and ensure that engagements take place in at least three different cities or towns. In addition to public performances, all projects will include complementary community activities intended to build appreciation for the visiting artists' work and cultures. Consortia will work together to develop print and electronic support material for their respective projects.

Each consortium must consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of five presenting organizations. Priority will be given to consortia that include at least one organization with little to no experience in presenting artists from outside the U.S. Consortium partners must be based either in different states and/or federal jurisdictions or, at a minimum, outside of a fifty-mile radius from one another. Each presenter in a consortium must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or a unit of state or local government and have a minimum of three continuous years of experience offering multiple presentations by professional touring performing artists in a given season.

Grants will not exceed $25,000. Eligible expenses include artist fees, travel-related expenses, shipping, expenses related to support material creation and distribution, translation services, expenses related to community engagement activities, communications, marketing and promotion, some administration costs, and visa application services.

Complete program information and application guidelines are available at the MAAF Web site.

The electronic application as well as online grant workshop details will be available on the site in September.      

http://www.midatlanticarts.org/funding/pat_presentation/Southern_Exposure/index.html

Guggenheim offers 220 Fellowships for Artists &Tribeca Film Institute to Give Filmmaker Grant Program ($10,000 + Grant Awards)

New Grant and Fellowship deadlines coming up soon from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the Tribeca Film Institute. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Offers Fellowships  for Artists and Scholars Deadline: For U.S. and Canada competition, the deadline is September 15, 2011  For Latin America and Caribbean competition, deadline is December 1, 2011 The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation provides fellowships for advanced professionals in all fields (creative arts, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, visual arts). The fellowships are intended to further the development of artists and scholars  by assisting them to engage in research in any field of knowledge and creation in any of the arts, under the freest possible conditions.  Fellowships are awarded through two annual competitions: one open to citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. and Canada, and the other open to citizens and permanent residents of Latin America and the Caribbean.  Fellowships are grants to selected individuals made for a minimum of six months and a maximum of twelve months. Since the purpose of the program is to help provide fellows with blocks of time in which they can work with as much creative freedom as possible, grants are made freely. No special conditions attach to them, and fellows may spend their grant funds in any manner they deem necessary to their work. The amounts of grants vary, and the foundation does not guarantee it will fully fund any project. Working with a fixed annual budget, the foundation strives to allocate its funds as equitably as possible, taking into consideration the fellows' other resources and the purpose and scope of their plans. Members of the teaching profession receiving sabbatical leave on full or part salary are eligible for appointment, as are those holding other fellowships and appointments at research centers. Approximately two hundred and twenty fellowships are awarded each year. The foundation only supports individuals. http://www.gf.org/applicants Tribeca Film Institute Invites Submissions for Narrative and Documentary Filmmaker Grant Programs Deadline: October 10, 2011 The Tribeca Film Institute has opened the application period of four of its grant programs for narrative, non-fiction, and new media filmmakers. The TFI Documentary Fund, the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, Tribeca All Access, and the TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund are all open for applications. The TFI Documentary Fund provides grants of at least $10,000 and guidance to support exceptional character-driven, nonfiction works-in-progress that sit outside of the social issue landscape and aim to take audiences into someone else's environment and spotlight the journey of the individual. Support is available for documentary films that are in the advanced stages of development or either in production or post-production. The program is open to filmmakers based anywhere in the world. The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, provides grants of $10,000 to $40,000 as well as professional guidance in support of innovative and compelling narrative features that offer a fresh take on scientific, mathematic, and technological themes. Funding is available for narrative films at any stage of development. The program is open to filmmakers based anywhere in the world.  The Tribeca All Access program supports working filmmakers who come from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry, including female filmmakers and filmmakers of color, by providing grants of $10,000 (with participants eligible for one of two additional $10,000 awards), access to industry contacts, workshops, panels, and year-round support. Funding is available for documentary or narrative films that are in development or in production. The program is open to filmmakers based in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund provides grants of at least $10,000 to innovative film and video artists living and working in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America whose works reflect their diverse cultures in documentary or mixed media format. Funding is available for documentary or nonfiction new media projects that are in production or post-production. Beyond providing grants for filmmakers, these programs also include year-round support, filmmaker resources, and industry connections for grantees. Grant recipients also will be invited to attend events during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival in New York.                                    http://www.tribecafilminstitute.org/filmmakers/taa/news/126866293.html

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
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