1. Spacetaker ARC Workshop

2. Funding Strategies for the
Individual Artist
Grants
Contributions
Fiscal Sponsorship
Thinking outside the box
With Jenni Rebecca Stephenson, Fresh Arts

3. Money is ALWAYS the issue.
So, where do you find it?

4. This presentation will focus on:
Grants
Fiscal Sponsorship
Contributions
Crowd funding

5. Know your strengths
…and weaknesses

6. Your answers will help shape
your strategy
If you answered yes to the first few questions
(i.e. you feel comfortable “working it”),
your tactics need to be different than
someone who would prefer writing a
dissertation!

7. A comprehensive strategy is ideal.
But given the demands on your time
(time better spent in a studio or practice
room), you need to prioritize based on your skill
set and instincts.

8. Let’s start with the good written
communicators…
Types of support:
•Public
•Private
•Direct
•Indirect

9. Grants usually come from private foundations
or from governmental agencies. (Direct)
OR from contracted organizations who function
as a gateway for other (often governmental)
funding- i.e. Houston Arts Alliance. (Indirect)
*There is usually more indirect support available for
individual artists than direct.

10. •Award artistic achievements
• Foster emerging artists as they develop their skills
• To support specific projects
•Who’s going to benefit?
•How much money will you need?
•What types of support do you need?
•And are you comfortable with the conditions?

11. Consider:
• Discipline or medium
• Does your work cater to a specific audience?
• Background and affiliation (career stage?)
• Location
• Ethnicity/gender
What is your best angle?
Examples: Doris Duke & Lydia Hance / Amegy Bank & Winter Holiday
Art Market

12. One word:
GOOGLE.
 Be specific in your queries. Start narrow, then
open up your criteria.
 “individual artist grants Houston Texas” will
obtain better results than “arts grants”
 Specificity will help narrow down the results
to those for which you’re ELIGIBLE.

13. There are MANY clearing houses for grant
information (local arts agencies, service
organizations like Fresh Arts (Spacetaker),
professional associations, etc.).
 Pro? They weed out the less
desirable opportunities.
 Con? A lot of their information
can be incorrect and/or
outdated.*
*We do the best we can!

15.  Best resources will be specific to each artist.
 Remember: there are no one-stop shops!
 Dedicate a few hours to research at least every 2
months or so.
 Sign up for every artist resource newsletter you can
find. (Create a junk email address for this &
discipline yourself to check it once every 2 weeks.)
 Create a binder of potential grant opportunities with
tabs for each (organize by submission deadline
&proposal format)

16.  Creative Capital http://creative-capital.org/
 United States Artists
http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/Public2/Home/index.cfm
 National Performance Network http://www.npnweb.org/
 The Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/specialissues/content.jhtml?id=8300121
 The Foundation Center subscription service ($20/month)
http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/fundingsources/gtio.html
(May be available at local libraries: http://grantspace.org/Find-Us )
 Sign up for alerts: http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/
 NYFA Source:
http://www.nyfa.org/source/content/search/search.aspx?SA=1
 Art Deadlines List: http://artdeadlineslist.com/ (old school)
 Chicago Artist Resource:
http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/callforartists

17. Remember: Time is money!
* Again, some of these
resources are available in
your local library!

18. Consider timelines.
…And how they relate to your motivation.
 Are you searching for a grant to fund a
specific project you already have in
mind? (And is it time-sensitive?)
 Are you open to the project parameters
dictated by the funder?
Grant cycles can be as long as 1-2
years ahead.

19. Example… Individual artist grants from
Houston Arts Alliance
GRANT TERM: March 1, 2012–December 31, 2012
 Dec 2011: Application & Materials Due
 Feb 2012: Project/Fellowship Panel Review
 March 2012: Award Notification
 March 2012: Contract, Artist W-9 & Venue Confirmation Due
 March 2012: 1st Payment
 June 2012: 2nd Progress Report (2nd Payment)
 Sept 2012: 3rd Quarter Progress Report Due (3rd Payment)
 Feb 2013: Final Report Due (Final Payment)

20. Timing of project & grant
payment (budgeting) is key.
Keep in mind that frequently funding is received
AFTER the project is completed, which means the
up-front investment (materials, etc.) is YOUR
responsibility.
 Is this a deal-breaker?
 Do you have a means to cover these initial
expenses?
 Do you have a well-defined budget including
all project costs? (Include marketing!)

21. Consider all scenarios.
You’ve applied for the grant, but…
 If you are awarded the grant, are you 100%
committed to fulfilling the project?
 If awarded a portion of the funds requested, are
you still committed?
 Are your collaborators 100% confirmed?
 Is the venue confirmed?
If project involves others, consider drafting a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

22.  Obtain a contact person for the grants which catch
your eye
 Develop a relationship with funder & contact
them in ways they prefer: Don’t know? Ask!
 Review previously funded projects
 Get an idea of what they’re looking for
 Have they already funded a project EXACTLY
like yours?
 Some funders post previously funded proposals!

23. Resources on grant-writing:
 Grant Space (service of the Foundation Center)
http://grantspace.org/Skills/Developing-Proposals
 Fresh Arts (Spacetaker) Artist Resource Library
http://www.spacetaker.org/artist_resource_center
 ARC Workshop: Crafting Artist Statements & Project Descriptions
for Artists (May 30th @ 6pm)

24. This is HUGE for individual artists!
Pay careful attention to requirements:
 Some won’t fund degree-seeking artists.
 Some won’t fund “interpretive” artists.
 Some fund only specific aspects of projects.
 Some require 501(c)3 status…

25. What to do about that 501(c)3
status?
…is one option.
Definition (from our friends at Wikipedia):
“…the practice of non-profit organizations offering their
legal and tax-exempt status to groups engaged in
activities related to the organization's missions;
typically involving a fee-based contractual arrangement
between a project and an established non-profit.”

26.  Comprehensive Fiscal Sponsorship: Fiscally
sponsored project becomes a “program area” of
sponsor org.
 Pre-approved Grant Relationship Fiscal
Sponsorship: Fiscally sponsored project has its
own tax and liability issues; sponsor oversees only
to assure grant/donated funds are used for specified
project.
(most popular variety)

27.  Fractured Atlas www.fracturedatlas.org/
 The Field www.thefield.org/
 NYFA www.nyfa.org
(New York Foundation for the Arts)
*Be careful here! Some (not all) funders want fiscal sponsor in
same state as the granting institution.

28.  All contributions need to be filtered through
your fiscal sponsor (Usually 7-10 day
turnaround.)
 To apply for grants, you either apply
individually (with a letter of affiliation) or
through a special grant system set up by the
fiscal sponsor
(…Like the Multi-Art Project Fund from the Rockefeller Foundation)

29. Grantspace.org
http://grantspace.org/Skills/Fiscal-Sponsorship
(skill area for fiscal sponsorship)
Examples of policies & guidelines, ways to
approach fiscal sponsors…
http://grantspace.org/Skills/Fiscal-Sponsorship

30. Annual % of
Fees Donations
(Membership) Taken Ease of Use Taxation Grants Benefits
Pro
Easy: develop-
Detailed P&L, ment&
The Field 5-8% after but no 1099 to No initial services in
$250 $10,000 receipts artist investment NYC
Pro dev
online;
Access to
Fractured More group
Detailed; Must raise health &
Atlas receipts 1099 to $1,000 to liability
$95 6% required artist begin insurance

31.  Access to grants/services designed for
the individual artist (particularly The
Field)
 A degree of legitimacy (depending on
the fiscal sponsor)
 Ability to apply for more grants
 A TAX DEDUCTION for your contributors

32. The door has now been kicked open to approach
individual funders: philanthropists, family
foundations, etc.
The goes back to the original question:
where do your strengths lie?
If confident in yourself and your work (as well as
have strong interpersonal skills and network),
seeking individual donations is a good option.

33. Patronage is NOT dead…
patronage simply tends to go to
individual/personality-driven
nonprofits, rather than to unaffiliated
individuals.
ArsLyrica

34. Fundraising, whether for a nonprofit or for
yourself, is about RELATIONSHIPS.
Start with your friends.
Your friends, family, and colleagues are the
foundation for a support network. Their
support can also be used to leverage
OTHER funds.

35. Two examples:
 Photographer David Brown raised $8,000 to
fund his trip to France for Lens Culture
FotoFest Paris to meet with curators & photo
editors
 Local band Two Star Symphony raised over
$7,000 to fund studio time to record the
score for their collaboration with Dominic
Walsh Dance Theatre
Both almost entirely from individual
contributions!

36. What do these 2 projects have in
common?
 Money was raised for a very specific
purpose
 Both are generally regarded as creating
new, innovative work
 Both have received significant press
coverage
 Both parties went above and beyond a
simple email appeal

37. Cultivating advocates to support
you and your work:
 Stay in regular contact with those who buy
your work or attend your shows
 Communicate with patrons in a way that’s
not esoteric, sophomoric, or needy
 Keep it casual and low pressure
 When someone does you a favor, thank
them (consider small art gifts)
 Explore commissions; they’re a great way
to develop relationships

38. Think of the long haul
 Recognize your champions; treat them as such
 Work on developing relationships BEFORE you
need something
 Consider that even someone who might not be
able to afford your work might be willing to
support you
Developing a supporter base doesn’t happen
overnight. Ask yourself:
What can I do TODAY to move the ball forward?

39. Think it’s tacky? Welcome to fundraising!
Most cultural institutions survive on donations. The
average performing arts org only covers 60-70% of
its expenses with sales revenue.
If working independently, it is likely your situation is
no different!
Embrace the reality… And consider that many will
happily support your projects if only asked.

40. Crowdsourcing allows you to present a project to
a cultivated audience to seek funding. It’s an
online platform to aggregate any fundraising
efforts.
Popular Options:
 Kickstarter www.kickstarter.com
 IndieGoGo www.indiegogo.com
 Crowdrisewww.crowdrise.com/online-fundraising
Crowdsourcing is less direct & can make the
artist/donor relationship more comfortable.

41. From Glasstire:
Prompt: A New Hope-- Kickstarter!
•It's great. Artist as entrepreneur. (65%, 13 Votes)
•It's digital panhandling. (25%, 5 Votes)
•Voxpopuli, voxdei. (5%, 1 Votes)
•To boldly fund where nobody has funded
before!(5%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 20

42.  Showcases the campaign in a
public forum
 Expresses the fundraising
campaign’s need
 Presents the fundraising goal
 Aggregates & showcases
fundraising activity
 Incorporates social
media, allowing donors to
engage with & share your
fundraising message

43.  All campaign info lives on crowdsourcing site
 Campaign owner (you) designs giving levels &
corresponding “perks” for donations
 All donations filtered through site
 Receipts & campaign updates go through site
 Crowdsourcing site retains a portion of the
proceeds (% to site, % to any 3rd party
processors, etc.)
 Funds disbursed after campaign is completed
to your Paypal or bank account

44. % of donation Benefit for giving If you fail…
Kickstarter 5% (plus CC fees) Agreement b/w All $ returned to
artist & funder funders
IndieGoGo 4% if goal met; Tax deduction + % of funds
9% if goal NOT met Artist/funder retained
agreement

45. How to launch a successful
IndieGoGo campaign
(Tips care of Two Star’s Jerry Ochoa)

46. 1. Make a video: low tech is OK! Introduce
yourself, demo the project, explain
(briefly/succinctly) why it matters, &
personalize the ask
2. Scale giving categories & incentives to fit
fundraising goal (Don’t aim too low)
3. Assemble a team: Identify advocates for the
project & campaign and give them ownership
4. Maintain momentum: coordinate giving
strategically to maintain appearance of
momentum

47. 5. Do the legwork: IndieGoGo is only a tool; blast
through emails, make phone calls, fundraising
receptions, etc.
6. Make donating as convenient as possible: if
they say they’ll donate, make it possible for
them to do it NOW
7. Take advantage of Fractured Atlas: the tax
donation is a great incentive
8. Follow through: campaign allows you to test
the scope of your support; stay on schedule
and deliver both the project & the promised
benefits ASAP
Thank them several times & stay in touch!

48. Be specific.
 Patrons want to know
the scope &specifics of
the project.
 Visuals and examples
speak volumes.
 A defined project and
goal is both actionable
and attainable.

49. Leverage a successful campaign into a
consistent strategy to cultivate an ongoing
network of supporters and advocates.
And remember, whether it be grants or
donations, consistency & persistence are KEY.
Keep trying!

50. In your inbox
 This PowerPoint
 Tips for a successful IndieGoGo campaign (care
of Two Star Symphony’s Jerry Ochoa)
 List of grant resources (Links to articles with Best
Practices; Clearing houses to find opportunities)
 Info about upcoming workshop on Writing artist
statements & project descriptions
withTaceyRosolowski
 Survey

51. Spacetaker ARC Workshop