Grantwriting for Creatives

Fundraising for Independent Producers

Course Title: Grantwriting for Creatives: Fundraising for Independent Producers

Sector: Professional and Business Studies in Fine Arts and Design, Film and Video Production, Digital Media Production, Graphic Design, more

Prerequisites: None, computer and internet access, word processing skills

Course Instructor: Dr. E. Anthony Collins (Tony)
Filmmaker and Teacher
W: iefilm.com
E: [email protected]

Course Description
This is an introductory course to facilitate your professional development and skills as a producer/practitioner in Filmmaking, and other work in creative Arts and Design. This online course intends to provide helpful context and proven strategies for requesting various forms of support including grant writing.

A review of literature on grant writing in the humanities and social sciences points to innovative grant writing as a productive approach or method of doing public scholarship, and we hope to apply some of those principles in our grant writing.

Applying for a grant or other form of support is, for creatives, a chance to share your work with others—and it’s also a great exercise to put into words what you’re seeking to create. Remember, creativity is an important aspect of grant writing. Grant writing entails creative problem solving and creative challenges across multidisciplinary fields.

This 8-week module/course is divided into several thematic parts

  • Envisioning and planning your idea/application/proposal
  • Preparing your resume and artist statement
  • Writing a letter of request with descriptive statement about your project purpose
  • Organize/Produce/Present your research/proposal/plan of work to others
  • Writing your project proposal (description, plan, budget)
  • Re-writing and editing, integrating feedback from others
  • Building a project budget, seeking in-kind support
  • Presentation skills

LEARNING OUTCOMES 

  • Students will demonstrate proficiency in foundation skills as they relate to the elements and principles of grant writing for creative work 
  • Students will exhibit a high level of proficiency in the use of materials, techniques and media in their written work and digital media presentations 
  • Students will demonstrate basic understanding of the practical and critical processes of grant writing for professional creatives through a synthesis of work
  • Students will demonstrate proficiency in the technical skills related to professional grant writing for creative projects
  • Students will demonstrate he ability to articulate key concepts and terminology related to professional practices

ASSIGNMENTS
NOTE: It is expected that students will need to spend up to six hours outside of class each week working on their assignments.
The assignments for this class include:

Tips: Be direct Be relevant Be considerate

WRITING. Who are you? What is your purpose in life? Students will write a brief biographical statement
WRITING. What is your project and request? What are you “selling”? What do you want to do in your proposal? Students will develop a written plan of work, with practical and specific plans for implementation.
DIGITAL MEDIA. Create YouTube/Vimeo channel AND social media profile/web presence (Professional email account, Linkedin, IMDB, FaceBook, Instagram, etc.)

PRINT, WRITING, DIGITAL MEDIA. Business cards and 1-page resume

DIGITAL MEDIA. Produce website with demo reel and/or digital portfolio of your creative work.

READING and ZOOM DISCUSSION: Each student will learn about taxes as an independent contractor. Guests.

READING and ZOOM DISCUSSION: Stages of life and Mindfulness practices, nonprofit work for creatives

DIGITAL MEDIA: Online presentation of proposal
DIGITAL MEDIA: Online presentation with “pitch” to the class

GRADING

  • An assignment receiving a grade of “A” represents the best possible example of that assignment. The work is excellent. There are no technical problems. The parameters of the assignment, such as they are, have been met with exactness. Content is both creative and ambitious and goes well beyond simple imitation of the demonstration. The work exhibits a sound understanding on the part of the student. 
  • An assignment receiving a grade of “B” represents work that is good but could be better. The work has some technical errors, but overall is satisfactory and above average. Possibly not all of the parameters of the assignment have been fulfilled, but most have. The content is thought out to a certain point, but it is slightly evident that further inquiry could have been used on the part of the student. 
  • An assignment receiving a grade of “C” represents work that is average. The work has several errors, both technical and conceptual. The work betrays a general lack of understanding on the part of the student. Not all parameters have been met. The assignment lacks creativity beyond the demonstration of the assignment. 
  • An assignment receiving a grade of “D” represents work that is below average and that is in need of reconsideration. There are many glaring errors in both technique and conceptual rigor. The work doesn’t satisfy the parameters of the assignment but should be given some credit based on a low level of effort. The work displays that the student does not grasp the assigned content very well at all. 
  • An assignment receiving a grade of “F” represents the type of work that can in no way be accepted for credit, possibly because it doesn’t exist? The parameters of the assignment are not met. The technical errors are gratuitous. The portrayed attitude is one of “blowing off.” The work should be redone.

OPTIONAL WORK

  • One page essay.  Where will I be in One Year Three years and five years?
  • Meeting with Mentor. Each student will meet with a mentor in your chosen field, interview them on video and shoot them working. Then edit the material on a video less than 5 minutes.  
  • Work as crew/team member on a creative project
  • Write three suggestions on how to improve the course and its web presence, sent by email to the instructor.

RESOURCES that may come in handy during the grant-writing process:

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