Grant Writing Tips

I do not offer grant writing tips. Grant writing tips entrench the problematic idea that the artist must WORK for the money, that the artist has to beat out COMPETITION for the money, and that the artist must take RESPONSIBILITY for their desire to create something.

An artist focused on how to write better grants, on what is wrong with their current practice of grant writing, this artist has been redirected by a culture that does not value art, a culture that prefers war and profit over peace and common purpose. Art is for peace.

Writing grants, asking for donations, artists are at the front lines of the anti-capitalist, anti-racist fight to redistribute wealth. Reminder, private foundations exist to shield generational wealth from taxes. It is not a coincidence that grant writing might make you feel like you aren’t WORKING hard enough, that you are COMPETING against your peers in an environment of scarcity, that you are RESPONSIBLE for writing a good grant, having a good work sample, making good work. Remind yourself: the problem is not you. It is not you. It is not you!

When you do not get a grant, do not blame yourself. There are a few basic things you can do to make better proposals, sure. Start by following instructions. Start by just making time to get them in.

Reminder, even though artists make culture within and for this marketplace you can always choose to do what you want. Reminder, even though art is bought and sold culture belongs to everyone.

The subtly present feelings WORK, COMPETITION, RESPONSIBILITY, present in the grant seeking process no doubt have an effect on your artistry. I want to encourage you to enter into a grant writing process playing both sides. Fine, project WORK, COMPETITION, RESPONSIBILITY. Also, protect yourself, protect your practice, do what you want. You are an artist and you chose a life of doing what you want. Respect yourself. Do not be oppressed. Do not become an instrument of an oppressive ideology.