Grants anyone?!?

[bobbler13]

<p>Hey all,<br>

So I love street/documentary photography but am I a little strapped on cash (seems to be the story of my life as a full time Business student) so it makes it hard for me to get everything I want. I am attracted to MF for street/documentary photographs but right now I am using a Nixon 7.1 megapixel digital camera. I was wondering if anyone knew of any grants available that could help me get funding for new equipment etc. I'm from Maine (not sure if that matters), but figured I would try and pick your brains to see if there are grants or something along the lines of a grant to help. Any responses/ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and happy shooting!!</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Grants are always available from public or private sources. But it's an extremely competitive field, especially in a tight economy. Most successful arts organizations hire grants administrators (my ex- did that for local theater groups). It always starts with emphasis on the goals and what the grant seeker can provide to the community (whether local or larger), not what the funding source can do for the artist. The best written grant proposals I've seen always emphasized the unique nature of what the seeking artist/organization could do for the community. The proposal specified how the artist or organization would put the funding to responsible, constructive use in pursuit of service to their target community or audience.</p>

<p>And that's where your question is misplaced from the beginning: Your first concern is about getting better equipment. In other words, you're asking a funding source "What can you do for me so that I can afford better equipment?" Wrong approach.</p>

<p>If you want to write a successful grant proposal you'll need to completely revise your thinking. What is your proposed project, specifically? What can it accomplish that would serve two very essential purposes?</p>

<ol>

<li>Serve the community in some constructive way.</li>

<li>Make the funding organization look good for having supported you.</li>

</ol>

<p>You're also going to need a stronger portfolio.</p>

[bobbler13]

<p>Lex thanks for the response. I realize that my post seems like I'm really asking for new equipment (well in a sense I guess I am) but I do realize that I need to appeal to the community and the town, city, or state I would be working with and then equipment etc comes later. My question really was just try to see if grants like this did exist and the best way to go about receiving one,which you helped me out with. Thank you very much for your input and will keep that in mind as I continue to shoot.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>You might start with a local project. Find something of local or regional interest that might contribute something to the community. For example, a documentary project of local interest that might make for an interesting display at the local library, chamber of commerce or other facility. From there, you will have something to show when applying locally for funding. Don't overlook private sources - they're sometimes more approachable with less red tape. I've seen very small local theaters that were able to add proper lighting equipment because one of the volunteers worked for a business that already had a community sponsorship program in place. These can range from major corporations with local offices to independent businesses like plumbing contractors who are already sponsoring kids sporting events.</p>

<p>But first you should build up your portfolio, and concentrate on a specific project that any non-photographer would recognize as a coherent statement. It could be something as simple as documenting abandoned businesses that once flourished. By the time a local independent business is well established the owners will be old enough to remember the "good old days" of their community, and might be agreeable to helping fund such a project.</p>

<p>Take a look at this website's collection of photos of such older businesses in my hometown, Fort Worth, Texas. Kinda wish I'd thought of this myself! <a href="http://www.fortworthyesterday.com/"><strong>Fort Worth Yesterday</strong> </a></p>

<p>Reminds me... back in the late 1970s, a fellow put together a photographic love letter to Fort Worth's past, titled "Panther City Blues". He used a large format camera to photograph the remnants of the city that once bore that moniker (Fort Worth was more commonly known as Panther City than "Cowtown" by older residents). He even took street photos, candids of ordinary people. Wonderful stuff. Even had a local display and fairly good sales of the book. Ironically, he wasn't even from Fort Worth. If I'm recalling correctly, he was French Canadian.</p>

<p>Identify a project for which you have a passion and work from there.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>I want to urge you to reread and reread Lex's responses.</p>

<p>Getting a grant is hard work. No one, unless there is nepotism or other by-play at work, is just going to give anyone some money for equipment because they want to support what <em>might</em> be "good" work.</p>

<p>You will have to show them that you are a good bet for actually accomplishing something. That means a corpus of established work that shows your promise.</p>

<p>It's sort of like the banks used to be, it was only easy to get a loan if you didn't need the money.</p>

[bakubo]

<p>Getting new gear is fun, but why not just use what you have until you can afford something else? It sounds like you have a digicam. You can shoot with that. The biggest problem is the shutter lag, but it is still very usable. I often use a US$100 Canon A590 IS and before that a Canon A540. Yeah, I have a DSLR too and generally the kinds of shots I take with it are different. Work within the limitations of your digicam. You will learn a lot. Here are a few of mine with the cheapo digicam.<br>

<img src="http://www.bakubo.com/galleries/Hawaii/Hawaii%207/slides/IMG_0764.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="558" /><br>

<img src="http://www.bakubo.com/galleries/Hawaii/Hawaii%205/slides/IMG_0420.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="579" /><br>

<img src="http://www.bakubo.com/galleries/Hawaii/Hawaii%205/slides/IMG_0159.jpg" alt="" width="570" height="768" /><br>

[jpo3136b]

<p>It's about $638 in film.</p>

<p>I am a grant recipient; my patrons have paid other grant recipients for equipment improvements that did provide those people with lasting benefits. However, those equipment purchases were indeed related to the successful support and completion of projects that did have immediate community benefit.</p>

<p>The number one piece of advice I have for any prospective grant applicant, anywhere, for any grant is: tell them you want $638 in film. By this, I mean, build a tight, sound spending plan (budget) with a reasonable timeline. Include measurable goals; there should be points throughout the grant project execution that you should be able to show someone, anyone, measurable, observable progress.</p>

<p>But, for me, it goes back to $638 in film. When I applied for my grant, I made sure I scoured past projects; I looked at some market research I had done in the past for costs of combinations of items; I reviewed packets of older invoices and receipts; I studied how much what cost when, and what benefits those costs yielded.</p>

<p>I didn't ask for about a thousand. I didn't ask for about five hundred. For one subsection of my grant application, I asked for $638 in film. Within that six hundred thirty eight dollars, I could specify what it was I wanted, and why. I was specific about how materials requested would contribute to the project. I could have concrete discussions about what and how much and why.</p>

<p>When I proposed my timeline and budget, I broke it down, section by section, in measurable phases of completion, so that someone reviewing my application could understand just what it was I was asking funding for. They should be able to know, before any decisions are made, just what they are going to get when for their money.</p>

<p>This breakdown is also helpful in the event that a patron decides to provide partial funding. If they do not wish to purchase or fund all of your proposal, from such a breakdown it should be possible for there to be a discussion of just what it is that they do want and why.</p>

<p>It is imperative that your grant application makes it possible for you to have a concrete discussion with someone else about what's being bought, when, how, and why.</p>

<p>I would also encourage artists to look at two key areas, that I think other applicants sometimes ignore: 1. Service fees, shipping costs in, shipping costs out and an allowance for taxation. Also, 2. Don't be afraid to set up a separate bank account specifically for the managing, accounting, and tracking of how the grant funding would be administered. This promotes transparency; auditing accountants understand it; and, it can help you to maintain some discipline with your budget.</p>

<p>I have only applied for one grant. I received full funding for a modest project. I am convinced that my budget and timeline proposals were one of my stronger areas in the application process. When it comes to the artwork itself, by the time you get into grant applications; you'll see: most of the artists asking for grants are "good enough" art-wise to get funding. Once you get past a certain level where the peer applicants have some mastery over their materials and process, it will be about the merits of the project itself.</p>

<p>Doing the homework on that boring budget and calendar timeline can show that you are serious about setting realistic goals. Some artists are long on artistic theory, and shorter on the budget and timeline homework.</p>

<p>Do the homework, and carry out what you say, to the benefit of the community. This will make your grant application experience stronger, more likely to be successful. So it was for me.</p>

[sd_woods]

<p>Judging by all this stuff you must do to get a grant, you might be better off getting a job and getting some cash that way!</p>