A Grant Writing Guide for Artists Who’d Rather Be Making

Artists have cool ideas all the time, but not all ideas are grant-worthy. So what makes an artist’s project fundable?

The project must be something you are passionate about and something that advances your art practice.

But most importantly, your project has to connect to and impact a specific community, be relevant and compelling, and be achievable. 

Find the Right Grant to Support Your Vision

Start by looking online with a geographic search. Many cities, counties, and states have artist project grants available through arts councils or arts nonprofits. These organizations want to support local and regional artist projects because a successful project will directly impact the communities they serve. 

Next, search by discipline (i.e., fiber arts), project focus (i.e., mental health), or career status (i.e., emerging), and you’ll find a number of private foundations and nonprofits that offer funding. 

Here are a few places to find grant listings:

• Artwork Archive
• This Is Colossal
• Cranbrook’s List of Funding Sources
• Center for Craft
• your local arts council or state arts agency

Determining the Right Fit

Get honest with yourself—which grant best fits your project idea? Narrow down some options and read through their published guidelines and eligibility rules. Don’t just read the summary; dig into the details. If you don’t qualify, don’t waste your time. 

Finding the right grant can be a lot like dating. Be picky where you put your time and energy, and make sure it’s a good fit. Make sure your goals are aligned, because it could turn into a long-term commitment. 

Understand a potential funder. What is their mission? What are their goals? Who do they serve? Who do they report to and need to make happy?

Funders want to be successful, too, so they will likely avoid risks and fund projects that make them look good. Your job is to convince them that your project will happen and be impactful, and that their support will mean you both will have good stories to share. 

Understanding the Review Process

A funder launches a grant program with specific rules on what they will fund. They include everything you need to know in their grant guidelines. This is your best resource for understanding what information they need to make their decision. 

Grant applications are reviewed by panels of arts professionals and enthusiasts. They usually use a rubric to evaluate and score different sections of your application.

Write with a reviewer in mind. Assume they know little or nothing about your work and experience, and the only evidence they have is your submitted application. Most reviewers will be directed to avoid looking at your website or social media. They review many grants at a time, and this is to help keep things manageable and fair.

What makes a successful application?

Following the directions! 80% of writing a great grant application is following the directions and keeping things concise and clear. 20% is the quality of your work, enthusiasm for the project, and its proposed community impact.

Brainstorming the Basics

A grant application is a story that illustrates the who, what, when, where, how, and why of your proposed project. Brainstorm the following questions:

What is the project?

Use concrete language that helps the reviewer imagine it. 

Who will be involved?

A successful project relies on other people coming together to make it happen. You can’t do this alone, so make sure you seek partners who can help you pull it off. 

Where will it take place and when?

Making a body of work and having no place for it to go are red flags. Funders want your work to be shared with the public, and those relationships take time to build. Reach out to potential locations or sponsors and work to secure a commitment to showcase or support your project.  

Who’s your audience, and who will it specifically impact or benefit?

This is another make-or-break answer. If your answer is everyone, that’s not going to get you any points. Dig in and truly understand who engages with your work. Who shows up? Who comments on it? Who does it matter to and why? Once you understand the demographics of who your work serves and impacts, you can better connect with your supporters and market your work. 

Why is your project important? How will people engage with the project, and what are the gains of having it happen?

Keep in mind, this will impact your career and the lives of others. Why are those important and must-dos? Are you solving a need? Is it addressing a gap? Is it sharing a different perspective? Be clear on what makes your project stand out. 

How will the project come into being? What do you need for it to be successful?

Depending on the project, you will have basic costs such as materials, time, and presentation needs like framing. But there are other costs too: venue rental, marketing, public reception, installation help, signage, shipping, office supplies, publications, postage, related travel costs, etc.

Building a Grant Budget

Dig into how the project will come into being. Brainstorm everything you might need. Account for supplies, space, people, and incidentals, and be sure to include your time.

Budgets should communicate realistic expenses. Estimated amounts are red flags for reviewers (i.e. $1000 for time to create work).

• Break things down in hours: $40/hr x 80 hours to design, create, and edit = $3,200
• Do online research and find out the actual cost of things. A frame doesn’t cost $100.
  • Note the supplier, taxes, and shipping costs, and include assembly time.
• Reach out to those who may want to help support the project. Are they willing to donate time, space, food, services (like legal or graphic design), or supplies? If so, ask them to value those.
  • Donated time is estimated to be $34.79 per hour, according to Independent Sector and the Do Good Institute.
  • Donated goods and services can count as in-kind expenses. This means you don’t need cash to pay for these, and they can reduce the overall cash needed to fund your project. 

Choosing Your Work Samples

This final step is usually one that people don’t take seriously. Spend time strategically choosing samples, images, audio/video that showcase your best work.

• Are your samples high-quality and professional?
• Do your images illustrate that you can pull off what you’ve proposed? 
• Are they titled and formatted as required and within upload capacity limits?

You may want to consider investing in professional documentation services to make your work stand out. 

Reviewing Your Entire Application

• Is anything missing? Is it possible? Are there any loose ends? Refine as needed. 
• Share your application with someone who you trust and ask for constructive feedback. If they flag something, chances are a reviewer will have similar questions or concerns. This gives you time to address it. 

Submitting Your Grant

Grant applications are submitted through an online portal. There are many grant software systems, and not all are user-friendly. Use Google or YouTube to find “how-to” videos to help you get over any software issues. 

Once your application is submitted, it’s out of your hands. Most grants are competitive, and only a few will get funded. The funder will notify you whether your application was selected for funding. If possible, ask for feedback regardless of the decision. 

If you get funded, you will have to sign a contract stating you will use the funds appropriately and by specific dates. If you don’t get funded, ask yourself what you learned from the process. Keep in mind that just because it was a “no” this time, that does not mean it will be a “no” from others in the future. 

Lastly,  it’s okay to feel rejected. As artists, we face rejection all the time, and it’s still not easy. Take a day to be bummed and reflect. The next day, set aside some time to regroup and make some art.

Grant Benefits (Beyond Funding)

Writing grants takes time. But the process gives you the rare opportunity to fully understand what it takes to make your project happen. When people ask you what you are working on or are excited to create, you now have real answers to those questions. That allows you to tell others what you need to make your project happen. It’s a way of manifesting your project faster. 

Writing grants will frustrate you, but you do hard things all the time. As an artist, you are used to asking “what if,” experimenting, learning, and adjusting. Grant writing is similar. Do the work, and you will learn a lot about what you do, why you do it, and who you do it for. You’ve got this! 

Bonus Tips