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By now you’ve done your homework and imagined where you want to be in a year, or three, or ten. You have a list of what you need today to take you to that future. Your list may include a residency, a fellowship, a project grant, or a professional development grant. You’ve gathered a support team and have brainstormed and interviewed people to help you articulate your view of yourself as an artist.

You also may have downloaded some applications and may be confounded to notice that no two applications are exactly alike. ​For example, government grants usually provide an application form with questions and boxes in which you’ll fit your answers. Foundations often request a list of items that comprise a proposal: project description, résumé, budget, and so on. For example, the Ruth Chenven Foundation asks for a one-page artist statement, a one-page project description, and a one-page description of your work sample. There is no application form to fill out.

The Basic Elements of a Grant Proposal

Preparing a grant proposal is easier when you have an application form, because the instructions are detailed and you aren’t left to wonder what the budget should look like, for example.

When no application form is provided, you’ll likely be asked to prepare and provide some or all of the following materials.

LETTER OF INQUIRY · A funder may request a letter of inquiry as a prerequisite to a full-fledged proposal. Focus on summarizing key points of your project and why you believe it’s the right fit with the grant. If at all possible, make personal contact with the foundation before sending this letter, and float your project idea by a program officer to gauge whether it’s in line with the funder’s mission. This contact will also put a face on your proposal.

COVER LETTER · Although the funder reads the cover letter first, write it last. This letter—one page, maximum—is both an invitation to join you in your project and a summary of what you intend to create. It states your request (What do you want? What will you do with the money?), introduces the funder to both you and your project (What is your unique experience? Why is the project needed? Why are you and your project a good match for this funder?), and references every document or other enclosure in your application package. Address the cover letter to the appropriate person, and confirm the correct title and spelling. As always, conclude with thank you.

Not every proposal needs a cover letter, especially if the application includes a specific cover page to fill out. Provide a cover letter if requested or if you need to submit additional information that could not be listed elsewhere on your application. You might include a cover letter if you want to mention a specific program officer at the foundation who discussed your proposal with you or if you want to note that you’re a past recipient of funding from this foundation, for example.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT · This short document (from two paragraphs to one page long) summarizes your proposal. Choose the most striking aspects and important details. It’s the short answer to who, what, where, when, why, and how. Write it after you’ve written the entire proposal.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION · The project description is the story of your project. It’s the who, what, where, when, why, and how. Include details ​about your goals for the project, why your project is needed, and exactly what your project entails. Unless your audience is addressed in another part of the application, specify the audience your project serves. Format the document with headings, subheadings, and short paragraphs so the entire proposal is easy to read and navigate. See chapter 4 for details about developing your project idea and describing it so that others can embrace it.

BIO AND RÉSUMÉ · If you’re just beginning your career, a short bio may be all you need to describe your background, education, awards, publications, and so on. Tailor your bio and résumé to each grant you’re applying for, including only background and qualifications relevant to this project and this funder. Chapter 7 provides instructions on how to write them and an example of a bio.

ARTIST STATEMENT · The artist statement speaks for your art and explains why you make it; it’s your philosophy and your manifesto. Chapter 7 provides examples and detailed instructions for preparing your statement.

BUDGET · A budget lists the expenses (from labor to office supplies) and income of your project (money from grants, fundraising parties, and in-kind donations) in detail. Chapter 9 details how to create and flesh out a budget.

WORK SAMPLE AND WORK SAMPLE DESCRIPTION · Your work sample is exactly that—a sample of your work—and can be presented in text, images, multimedia DVDs, audio CDs, and so on. Choose work samples appropriate to your project and the funder, and ensure that they are of the highest quality, even if that means hiring a professional photographer or videographer to document your work. A description sheet details the work sample: type of project, title, published or completion date, and so on. If you submit several samples, number each one and cross-reference the sample numbers to numbers on ​your description sheet. See chapter 8 for details on how to assemble a kick-ass work sample.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS · Supplements can include newspaper, magazine, or journal articles; exhibition publications; postcards from a show; or any other documentation of your work. Include any good-quality documentation that supports your project unless the funder has specifically asked you not to include anything extra.

TIMELINE OR SCHEDULE · Your timeline or schedule lists the dates that activities will occur if funding is granted. List the activities by date, in chronological order, from beginning to end. Every activity listed here also should be mentioned in other parts of the proposal. A complete timeline or schedule demonstrates your thorough and thoughtful planning.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION · If recommendation letters are requested, choose people who know your work and your successes and, ideally, people who will impress the panel. Give your letter writers ample notice when requesting a recommendation; a month before your deadline is best. Ask them whether they feel they know you well enough to write a strong letter, and if they don’t, look elsewhere—you want recommendations from people who feel enthusiastic about you and your work. Offer to help your letter writers by sending each one a fact sheet with pertinent dates and information to include in the recommendation letter: when you met, when and where you worked together, and what you produced. Include a draft summary of your proposal, a copy of your résumé, and your website URL for reference.

Typical Application Questions

Applications for grants are as diverse as the organizations that offer them. The number of questions you’ll need to answer and amount of writing you’ll need to do will vary with the type of grant and type of ​organization. As you grow as a grant writer, you’ll realize that most applications ask the same questions, even though they may look different at first glance.

An application for a project grant requires the most work on your part because you’re proposing a project that doesn’t yet exist. Not only do you have to describe it but you also have to prove that you can successfully create what you haven’t yet made. A project grant application usually asks questions that address:

When you apply for a professional development grant, which is designed to advance your career, you have free rein to be completely selfish about your professional goals. Explain how this workshop, research trip, or work with a mentor is the best way to take your career to the next level. A professional development grant application usually requires that you describe and include several basic elements:

​Applications for fellowships and residencies tend to be the shortest because they usually are awarded on the basis of your work sample. The writing is no less important, but the applications do ask fewer questions. At a minimum, be prepared to provide the following materials:

Make Sense of the Questions

The first time I glanced at the number one question on a grant application and read, “Describe the main concerns of your work. You may discuss your intent, your artistic development, or your …” I broke into a sweat. I heard my heart pound in my ears. I didn’t understand the word intent, I wondered what artistic development meant, I worried that I’d never felt “concern” for my work.

The only difference between that first experience and now is that now, I expect the questions to confound me the first time I read them. So, I start by picking the questions apart, piece by piece, and rewrite them in my own words so that I understand what’s being asked. I read them to friends and colleagues and ask, “What does this question mean to you?”

If a question asks about my development as an artist, I look to my artist statement. If I didn’t include much about my development in my current statement, I’ll brainstorm all the different ways to discuss development. For example, I can outline my education, both in school and in the world, or talk about how I was drawn to this art form and how my childhood passions led to my current path. When I get stuck with every hard question, I brainstorm on my own and with colleagues.

If you don’t understand a question, either what they’re asking or how to answer it, you can ask a colleague for help, interview an artist who has won this grant before, or call the granting organization for guidance. ​As you proceed through the application, keep a list of questions. Some may be answered as you go through the writing process.

Answer the Questions They Don’t Always Ask

Some applications ask detailed questions; some don’t. The more specific the questions, the easier it is for you to describe yourself, your project, and your plans. No matter what the application asks, consider incorporating answers to the following questions into your proposal.

HOW IS YOUR PROJECT UNIQUE? · Most funders like projects that solve a problem in a new way. How is your solution different from what’s been done already? What have you thought of that nobody else has? How does this project break new ground? What makes your project special?

HOW IS YOUR PROJECT TRIED AND TRUE? · Aha! But if it’s so new and so unique will it work? What aspects of your project already have been successful? How will you ensure success? Who on your team has the experience and knowledge to guarantee it?

HOW IS YOUR PROJECT NEEDED? · What will it do for your audience? How will it meet the need you’ve identified? How will it meet that need in a way that differs from previous attempts? What will your project do that others haven’t done?

WHY DOES THE WORLD NEED YOUR PROJECT RIGHT NOW? · Why can’t it wait? How is this project perfectly timed for where you are in your career? (This question is especially important to answer when you’re seeking a professional development grant.) An urgent, well-timed project is most likely to receive funding.

​WHY ARE YOU THE PERFECT PERSON TO UNDERTAKE THIS PROJECT? · Granting agencies want to fund the right person. How have your life and career led up to this moment? What do you bring to this project that is unique and vital? What makes you perfectly suited to carry it through? Your answers to this question add interest, excitement, and the right kind of urgency to your proposal. Tell the funder how and why you are the right person to create this unique, necessary project, right now.

HOW DOES YOUR TEAM SUPPORT YOUR BIG VISION FOR THE PROJECT AND ENSURE ITS SUCCESS? · Why are they the perfect collaborators? How do their talents dovetail with your strengths? How did you pick your team? How is the team working together on this project? How will you ensure that your big vision for the project is maintained?

Describe Your Project

Grant writing challenges you to write about a project that doesn’t yet exist. But how do you describe a project that is still only a glimmer? You have a hunch you need a travel grant, an inkling you need a mentor, a desire for a fellowship, an idea about a performance piece.

Rita Robillard, a mixed-media artist who’s won more than $75,000 in grants over the course of her thirty-year career, does this “by pretending I know what I’m going to do before I’ve created the work.” This isn’t as hard for her as it sounds because, like many artists, her next project is never totally new—it’s always an extension of what she’s been making.

You already have within you a kernel of your new direction. Your task now is to unearth it, unwrap it, and express it in writing that is concise and passionate. The first step of this assignment isn’t necessarily writing. It’s strategizing, brainstorming, having conversations, listening to your audience, and talking to trusted colleagues.

Visual artists sometimes have trouble imagining how a painting can be a “project.” It’s easier for a theater artist or a musician to see ​his or her performance event as a project. If you can’t envision your art as a project, remember that even a “series of paintings” can be a project, especially if it culminates in a public showing. Don’t assume that because you’re a painter or photographer, you’d never have a project. On the websites of most funding organizations, you’ll find a list of who’s been funded with a short description of the project. Investigate the projects that other artists have created—you may be inspired by what you find.

If you’re having trouble writing about your project, visual artist Mark R. Smith advises newbie grant writers to first construct a model especially if you’re proposing anything three-dimensional, like an installation. Building a model will help you visualize it so that you can write about it more convincingly.

Nail the First Sentence

In the first sentence of your project description, describe exactly what your project is. Your readers need this anchor early on. Kemi Ilesanmi, director of grants and services at Creative Capital, told me that the panelists reviewing grant applications often don’t have a clear idea what the project is. “You kind of understand that it’s dealing with environmental issues, for example, but you don’t know if it’s a dance piece or a photograph,” she said.

In this important sentence, include the medium, the title, and a short description of your project. The following four examples are first sentences from successful grant proposals:

Example project descriptions for two of the above statements (both of which were excerpted from successfully funded grant applications) follow.

Know Your Target Audience

Who are the people desperate to experience the art you make? Who lives for this type of experience? How will you reach them? Where do they hang out and find out about events like yours? Many newbie grant writers make the mistake of proclaiming that the work is “for everybody, from babies to seniors.” This is rarely true. And that’s not a problem. The narrower your audience, the easier it is to define and reach it.

Some organizations care very much about the audience your project will touch. Others don’t. If you’re applying for a fellowship to support future work, you may not need to address your audience at all. However, if you’re applying for a project grant from a funder who cares about who will experience your work, how you’ll reach them, and possibly even how you’ll expand your audience, then you will need to know your target audience well.

If your funder cares about reaching beyond the usual suspects who show up for artsy events, offer a creative marketing strategy to expand your audience in innovative ways. First, identify your audience, then be specific about how you’ll reach them. For example, if your solo ​show is about surviving cancer, you could create a plan to reach out to people affected by the disease who otherwise might not attend theater performances or visit galleries. Next, show the funder that you’ve done your homework by citing numbers to support your proposal. Which groups are you collaborating with? How exactly will you reach this audience? It’s not enough to say you’ll send some e-mails and tack up some posters; how many e-mails? How many posters? The specifics help you make your case.

Highlight your past successes. How many people have attended your events? What marketing methods have you already used successfully? What relationships have you already forged with collaborators?

Track Deadlines

Give yourself six to eight weeks to prepare your grant application. You won’t be working full time for that long, but you’ll need ample time to research, consult with colleagues, prepare your work samples, and write and edit your answers on the grant application.

Make a note as to whether the grant deadline is the date you need to mail the application or the date it needs to arrive at the funder’s office. Grantors usually specify how they want to receive their applications. Some want them submitted online, while others want them mailed. Some want several copies. Some specify paper clips versus staples or three-hole punches. Take note of these details up front so you don’t have any unpleasant surprises at the eleventh hour.

Murphy’s Law applies to all grant writers who are scrambling the last day. If the grant application must be submitted online, the funder’s Web server will be so overwhelmed that you might not be able to get through. If you go to photocopy the application, the machines will be out of order. To avoid a last-minute panic, aim to submit your application a week early—then if you fall behind by even a couple of days, you’ll still make—if not beat—the deadline, without the drama.

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Describe your project in one sentence: what it is, what art form, what medium, when and where it is scheduled to be seen. Practice using this sentence when describing your project to a friend or colleague who doesn’t know what you do. When you’re done, ask your friend to tell you, in her own words, what your project is. If she can’t do it, go back to the drawing board and try again; if she can, congrats, you’ve done it.