Ditch the Artspeak (and Other Tips for Writing Grant Proposals)
Gina Martin, the Founder and Executive Director of The Bob and Diane Fund, an annual grant for photographers, can tell immediately when someone hasn’t read the application guidelines. Brian St. Denis, the Festival Manager at CONTACT Photography Festival, has seen photographers try so hard to “stand out” and “break the mold” that they miss the mark entirely. And Whitney Wernick, the Programs Manager at CENTER in Santa Fe, says one of the most common tips given to photographers applying for grants is actually just plain old bad advice.
Grant writing can (and should) be a creative process, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t “right” and “wrong” approaches to building a proposal. While some mistakes–like typos, less-than-stellar photos, or half-baked ideas–are glaringly obvious, others might surprise you. We reached out to the people responsible for awarding grants (and a few photographers who’ve received them) to learn about some of the faux pas they see on a regular basis–and how they can be avoided.