This page is for artists who want to secure 
Grant funding for their activities and/or projects OR ​a Scholarship
​
It covers
  • how to make a grant application - for artists
  • artists' opportunities in the UK - in development
  • artists opportunities in the USA (to follow)
  • information and advice - from other sources
For your information: I spent a number of years assessing grant applications and I know very many of the reasons which make it very easy to refuse an application. 

I also know what makes a grant application stand out and become an obvious candidate for funding.

​How to make a Grant Application - for Artists
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FIVE ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR APPLYING FOR A GRANT APPLICATION

This was originally written as  5 tips for artists trying to get a grant | Making A Mark

1. Make sure you are eligible for the grant

It's just like art competitions - check out whether you can make an application.
You wouldn't believe the number of people who fall at this very simple hurdle!

2. Identify the objectives and priorities for the funding

Grant applications which are very easy to recommend are those which have tailored their application precisely to the objectives and priorities of the funding. So just as advertisements spell out how a product satisfies a need or a wish, your grant application must summarise and detail how your proposal satisfies the defined objectives and current priorities for grant funding.

This is incredibly important. It really doesn't matter how good or worthwhile your project is, if it doesn't have a GOOD FIT with YOUR objectives and current priorities then it is generally not worth applying.

That said, it can be worth a phone call to sound people out - particularly if you have a novel proposal - but you might well get a clerk who just tells you to fill the form in irrespective of whether or not you are wasting your time. So do find out who you are talking to if asking for information and advice from the funding agency.
The presumption here is that you are already clear about your own objectives and priorities - and if you are not then sorting out what these are is a stage which precedes Stage 1 above!!
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3. Identify the assessment criteria

The assessment criteria are what the panel of assessors will use to judge applications. To be honest when swamped with applications for grants it very often becomes like a tick box exercise until you get down to shortlist. You can end up looking for reasons not to move an application forward as you already have far too many!

The crucial issue here is that you must avoid giving the assessors any reason to put a cross rather than a tick in any of the boxes.

Here are the common attributes of a proposal which assessment criteria are looking for:
  • Summary - Can you summarise your proposal succinctly? 
  • Deliverables - What happens at the end?  How do you define the net result of this investment in you?  Is this tangible and measurable or just wishful thinking at this stage?
  • Plan - Is there a Plan for how the proposal will work. Or is it just an idea?
  • Resources required: Are you clear about what you will need? Have you costed the resources required? Have you obtained quotes or is everything guesstimates? Would Lord Sugar give you a hard time?
  • Collaborators: Who else is involved and what is their role?  Are they signed up? Are other people also providing funding? What's your investment worth - in terms of time, effort, equipment and finances?
  • Timeline - Have you thought through what's involved and identified and analysed the proposal in terms of stages, dates and deliverables.
  • Budget - Is there a budget? Is it realistic?
    • Does it just assume that the grant will provide all funds or any there any proposals for ways to generate funding from other sources or during or at the end of the project. (I used to be a big fan of seed loans which gave enough money to get something off the ground on condition that the loan was repaid within a defined period - at which point it would be recycled to be used again to help another project or group)
    • People who demonstrate how they can maximise their benefit from the funds requested rather than those who ask for "brand new this, that and the other" are far more likely to get a grant. People more likely to get a grant are those who can demonstrate an awareness of the value of money and how they can maximise the benefits which can be achieved if they get the funding. 
  • Credibility - All funders look to see you as an individual or your group are reputable and will make good use of the money. 
    • For this they look at indicators of experience and success.  
    • Think about what your website / blog / Facebook Page / YouTube account say about you.
  • Feasibility - This is the CV part of the application. 
    • Funders are looking to make an assessment of whether the individual or group making an application demonstrates credibility and a track record of being able to deliver results. 
    • As an emerging artist it can be useful to identify other projects you have been involved in, what role you played, what activities you undertook and the results of that engagement.  
    • Make it snappy. Use numbers if you can.
4. Think about why or how your application can stand out

Assessors are humans too. They want to be interested in what you propose. Your job is to make your proposal interesting.

I cannot convey to you how really boring it is when you receive a lot of grant applications which all essentially say more or less the same thing. Really, really boring.

Particularly if they are also written using pompous artspeak or are incapable of writing in an inaccessible or inarticulate way.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting somebody to help you make you grant application outstanding by editing your text and suggesting ways to improve what you are saying. ​
CASE STUDY - CHANGING THE ORDER OF THE WORDS CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
One artist I helped - by editing the grant application she had written - got an award.

​She maintains this is really because I turned all her sentences around so they sounded much more positive and active - rather than passive and apologetic!
One of the ways of getting yourself on that shortlist is to 
  • convey what is unique and worthwhile about your project or proposal
  • i.e. tell them what makes you/it different -
  • BUT do this in a way which aligns YOUR intent with THEIR objectives and priorities and assessment criteria
​
5. Give yourself enough time to complete the application

Completing a grant application is not a simple exercise - and it takes some time to get right.
  • Here's a benchmark for you. Think about how long it takes you to complete a painting (including all the ones that are not sellers) before you produce one which can sell for the same value as the grant.  If you are prepared to put that amount of effort into a painting, have a think about how much time you need to put into preparing a grant application!
  • Completing an application well needs some practice. Few get it right first time. It's often a good idea to
    • get some advice from those who have gone before.
    • Be sure to make a distinction when listening to answers between those who have succeeded and those who applied but got no funding. The latter may well be able to tell you what they wish they'd known before applying!
  • Get ahead of yourself. Here's some of the things you can do to help yourself.
    • It's worth making a note of those grants which you are eligible for and find out what's involved well ahead of time. Do some research and identify the grants which look like a good fit with you. 
    • Look at the requirements of different grants. You'll begin to note that quite a few are asking for very similar documentation about you and your artistic practice.  So make sure you've got all of this down on paper well ahead of any grant application - and then all you have to do is tweak it to fit that application. 
    • Practice writing out everything which sells you and your artistic practice ahead of time. Make it accessible and eliminate all the "high falutin" artspeak. 
    • Get somebody who knows your art well to read through what you say about yourself before you submit anything! You may be overselling or underselling - either way you need to know how it comes across to other people.
    • ALWAYS edit and tailor your standard statements to the grant. A very fast way of eliminating people is to behave like people who send the same CV to everybody when trying to get a job.
  • Just like art competitions, grant applications are now online. What this means:
    • you need excellent photographic images of your artwork - well lit and minus frames - and in the required format. If you can't handle computers now is the time to find somebody who can and is willing to help
    • videos are also good and may well be requested - so make sure they are well presented
    • you need to have all your documentation and files sorted into the appropriate formats and ready to go before you start your application form. 
    • and finally.....Don't get caught out at the last minute by not allowing enough time to upload your files and completing the online forms.
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Art Scholarships
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Art Scholarships provide funding that does not have to be repaid - unlike student loans.

Art Scholarships cover a wide range of activities.
You need to pay particular attention to the precise disciplines covered by each scholarship - particularly when the word used is "ARTS"

Scholarships may be restricted to specific groups of people - for example:
  • artists from particular geographical areas - so look for information on this
  • students or graduates on particular degree courses.

The development of resources and information in relation to scholarships for artists is under development.
REFERENCE:
  • Art Scholarships Around the World (2018) listings of art scholarships and awarding organisations in Australia, North America and Europe
  • The Best Art Scholarships for 2019

ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES
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​Caution: some references to information may have been written some years ago and hence may now  appear to be rather out of date e.g. references to slide submissions and posting off applications when almost certainly applications are more likely to be digital uploads with online forms and assessors will be expecting to look at digital files and videos on YouTube!

ARTISTS' OPPORTUNITIES IN THE UK
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In the UK grant funding for artists and art activities tend to come from one of two sources:
  • philanthropy i.e. charities, trusts etc 
  • grants via various organisations whose funding, in general, goes back to the Arts Council

It's often a very good idea to talk to other artists or read about their experiences in relation to grants and residencies before you apply for one. You'll undoubtedly identify some tips relevant to your situation and aspirations

You need to be very aware of how different types of grants and bursaries are treated for tax purposes or else you could be in trouble with the tax man. (see my page about Tax on art awards and prize money)
REFERENCE
REFERENCE: Official Sources of Information about Grant Funding in the UK

​ARTS COUNCIL:
  • Funding Finder | Arts Council - they regularly add new funds and remove closed programmes
  • Developing Your Creative Practice | Arts Council - a new development fund designed to support independent creative practitioners and develop new pathways to ensure excellence is thriving in the arts and culture sector.
  • Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants | Arts Council - a new open access programme for arts, museums and libraries projects. The fund will support thousands of individual artists, community and cultural organisations. BELOW are some if the purposes (and Info PDFs) that they fund. 
    • Access support and Project Grants - to help people with access needs (e.g. those who are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition) to apply to Project Grants. DOWNLOAD INFO PDF
    • Asset purchase and Project Grants - for buying technical or artistic equipment, which will have both a cash value and use after your project ends. DOWNLOAD INFO PDF
    • Audience development and marketing and Project Grants - We ask for an ‘audience development and marketing plan’ to support all applications for more than £100,000. DOWNLOAD INFO PDF
    • Creative media and digital activity and Project Grants - for applications that help artists and arts organisations, museums and libraries to explore creative media and digital opportunities across the artforms and disciplines that we support. DOWNLOAD INFO PDF
  • Subject Specialist Network Fund - to develop knowledge and expertise associated with specialist collections and to enable more museums to contribute to public engagement, education and enjoyment of collections.
  • Creative People and Places 2020-24: Round 2 - allocating funds to places identified as the 'least engaged' in arts and culture across England, according to the Active Lives survey November 2015 to May 2017.


​OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
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These are Trusts and other independent Funding Sources which provide funds for the Arts.

Most will be more focused on groups and organisations rather than individuals although there is some support for emerging artists
  • Esmée Fairbairn Foundation - one of the largest independent foundations that provide grants in the UK. Approximately 75 per cent of its Arts & Heritage grants budget go to the arts and 25 per cent to heritage projects.
  • The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust - Grants awarded to organisations that provide opportunities to take part in the arts in educational and community settings, especially for people or groups with limited access to the arts.
  • The Baring Foundation - Set up in 1969 to give money to charities and voluntary organisations set up for charitable purposes. Specific grants programmes relate to strengthening the voluntary sector, the arts and international development.
  • The Clore Duffield Foundation - concentrates its support on education, the arts, museum and gallery education, health, social care and disability, placing a particular emphasis on supporting children, young people and more vulnerable people such as people with learning disabilities.
  • The Foyle Foundation - an independent trust that gives grants to UK charities whose main work is in the areas of learning, art and health. Its priorities are to help make the arts more accessible and supporting young and emerging artists.
  • The Paul Hamlyn Foundation - encourages new ways for people in the UK to enjoy, experience and be involved in the arts. Funding benefits organisations and groups through the grants scheme and special projects.
  • The Belgae Trust - a small family run charitable trust founded in 2016 and supporting a range of different causes relating to the personal interest of the board members. These areas include: IT, Health, Education, Arts and the Environment or small scale innovative combinations of all these.
These sources of funding are focused on enabling individuals to succeed.

Artists' Opportunities in the USA
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Work in progress to be developed further
REFERENCE: Advice from USA Sources

The following are all written by people based in the USA and familiar with the American way of grant giving.