The Donors Forum's primary focus is helping
recognized nonprofit organizations in their grantseeking process.
If you are an individual seeking funding, here are some hints on
how to research potential sources.
Most foundations
do not give grants to individuals; they fund programs that might
encourage artists or the arts on a larger scale. Tax laws make it
difficult for grantmakers
to justify grants to individuals.
In order to give a grant to an individual, a grantmaker must get
advance approval for the program from the Internal
Revenue Service. This process is especially time-consuming,
making grantmakers extremely reluctant to do it. Start early, and
do thorough research on grantmakers' eligibility requirements and
limitations. If you might not qualify, do not apply.
Two possible paths to getting funding for your project:
- Consider
incorporating as a nonprofit
- Ask an existing nonprofit (university, research institute,
welfare agency or arts organization, for example) to be a fiscal
sponsor for your project
If you go either of these routes, read this site's section on Understanding
the Funding Mix.
The Donors
Forum Library contains some resources for individuals seeking
grants, awards, prizes, scholarships, fellowships, etc. Many public
and academic libraries maintain directories and other information
on grants to inviduals, especially scholarships. There may also
be state arts agencies that help individuals seeking funding.
Money for individuals comes from public agencies (usually state
or federal) and private sources (associations, publishers, museums,
etc.). Foundations and corporations tend to give to nonprofit organizations
that, in turn, grant the money to individuals. Base your research
on the specific area you wish to pursue -- education, health, women's
programs, the arts, child development, etc.
Resources for artists and writers
Arts grants and fellowships are a special category of funding. They
tend to be based locally or focus on a specific topic, discipline
or medium.
General
sources
Education
Arts
and humanities
Art
Deadlines List
Brief descriptions of current grants, fellowships, internships and
contests for individuals in literature, visual and performing arts.
American
Music Center
This site includes information about contests, prizes, grants and
awards for composers and performers.
New
York Foundation for the Arts
Information on fiscal sponsorship opportunities, fellowships in
writing and the visual arts.
National
Endowment for the Arts
National
Endowment for the Humanities
Federal funding opportunities for individual artists, writers and
researchers, with guidelines and application forms.
Poets
& Writers
The online version of the respected literary journal offers searchable
listings of deadlines, grants, and awards (both national and by
state) for writers and poets.
Artist
Trust: Grants for Artist Projects
ArtNetwork:
Teaching fine artists how to make money
Money
for Art: A Grant Writing Service for Artists
Illinois
Arts Council
Illinois
Humanities Council
Chicago
Department of Cultural Affairs: Grants Programs
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