Stop by Crime and Punishment on Saturday, October 8 (that’s tomorrow!) and leave your comments or questions about grant writing in the thread below. Have you applied for and/or received a grant? What did you learn from the process? Have problems answering the application questions? We can help one another learn right here!
I’ll be there in real time with you between 2:00 — 4:00pm EST, but feel free to add your questions or comments about grant writing or about this newsletter at any time. I’ll be happy to provide answers to any of your specific questions.
P.S. If you’re glued to the college football games, stop by during halftime, or whenever you can make it!
I was the recipient of a major grant in 2020 to “pivot” from a physical business to an online one. The application process was daunting, but I persisted and it paid off. I’ve always wanted to apply for an artist grant, but have held back because they’ve always felt so competitive.
Congrats to you, Carol! Polite persistence does pay off. I would spend some time leisurely looking for artist grants that might be a good fit for you. Once you find one or two, read through the full application and directions, write down any questions you have and then call those organizations and ask whether you meet the eligibility requirements. Yes, they are competitive, but so is practically everything else! Let me know if you decide to apply.
This is actually something I've thought about for a while, but TBH I don't even know where to begin! Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated
Because the process can be overwhelming, there's no better place to start than the beginning. Do you subscribe to any writers magazines? If so, the mags usually list in every issue, new fellowships, residencies and grant opportunities. Note they are highly time sensitive! I would also start with local funding sources where you live. For example, in Columbus, there are three primary funding sources for artists (which almost always include writers): The Ohio Arts Council; the Greater Columbus Arts Council; and The Columbus Foundation. We are also lucky to have the Thurber House (where James Thurber lived and did a lot of his writing and drawing), which chooses a new writer in residence each year.
I was the recipient of a major grant in 2020 to “pivot” from a physical business to an online one. The application process was daunting, but I persisted and it paid off. I’ve always wanted to apply for an artist grant, but have held back because they’ve always felt so competitive.
Congrats to you, Carol! Polite persistence does pay off. I would spend some time leisurely looking for artist grants that might be a good fit for you. Once you find one or two, read through the full application and directions, write down any questions you have and then call those organizations and ask whether you meet the eligibility requirements. Yes, they are competitive, but so is practically everything else! Let me know if you decide to apply.
Thanks so much, Joan, for the encouragement 😊❤️
This is actually something I've thought about for a while, but TBH I don't even know where to begin! Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated
Hi Joe and thanks for your question! First, check out these rather substantive tips I put together in my last post to start you off:
https://crimeandpunishment.substack.com/p/grants-for-artists-and-others#details
Because the process can be overwhelming, there's no better place to start than the beginning. Do you subscribe to any writers magazines? If so, the mags usually list in every issue, new fellowships, residencies and grant opportunities. Note they are highly time sensitive! I would also start with local funding sources where you live. For example, in Columbus, there are three primary funding sources for artists (which almost always include writers): The Ohio Arts Council; the Greater Columbus Arts Council; and The Columbus Foundation. We are also lucky to have the Thurber House (where James Thurber lived and did a lot of his writing and drawing), which chooses a new writer in residence each year.
I hope this helps a bit!
Thanks! I'll check out your piece. And you're right, I think local writing is a great place to start!