Grant-writing tips and information

Lists and links for funding and grant-writing help are numerous. There is no magic answer, or single way to approach writing a grant application. You need to start by knowing yourself (or your organization) and by understanding a particular funder's priorities. But the following sites (including some University sites set up to help their own staff and students), offer links to hundreds of tools, including guides to funders, grants lists, how-to resources, writing tips, training, advice, many, many links and much more. While many of the materials are not arts-based, they provide useful basic tips.

Resist (Funder with resources for activists, including info on finding funding for social change, a basic guide for grant-writing, info on other technical assistance, and on media funding resources) http://www.resistinc.org/resources.html

Fund for Women Artists (funding links) http://www.womenarts.org/index.html

National Network of Grantmakers http://www.nng.org/

University of Minnesota (includes a link to grant-writing resources, with 8 on-line guides, how-to pages, and helpful suggestions) gen.umn.edu/grants/tools

University of Wisconsin Grants Information Center (with links to resources for non-profit organizations, help in starting a 501 c 3 and more) library.wisc.edu/libraries/Memorial/grants/proposal

University of Pittsburgh (proposal writing tips and links) pitt.edu/~offres/proposal/propwriting/websitesl

Creative Capital offers a "toolbox" for artists (not oriented to folk and traditional artists, but with links to funders of artists of color, various genres, and issue areas) http://toolbox.creative-capital.org/

How-to guides: Numerous sites offer step-by-step “lessons” in grant writing. Here are some:

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting offers a helpful basic step-by-step guide to proposal writing: cpb.org/grants/grantwriting

The Foundation Center offers links to funders as well as a hands-on on-line tutorial for grant-writing at fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1 and many other resources, including a “Reference Guide for Artists,” and “Reference Guide for Musicians.”

Non Profit Guides offers examples of proposals, budgets, and an overview of a typical grant application process. Though oriented to larger organizations (and not oriented to arts), it is helpful: npguides.org/index.

The Queens Council on the Arts has an on-line guide (pdf format) on grant-writing basics.

More helpful hints and samples are at Grant Proposal.com: grantproposal.com