Hi there, all you artists looking for money and a variety of other opportunities. I just felt like I needed to remind some of you new people of the following:
I do NOT give out grants or help people write them.
I do NOT help people get published or help support their publishing projects.
I do NOT (unfortunately) know that much about how you can fund your graduate school education, especially if you aren't a US citizen. I am trying to learn more about this topic but there are only so many hours in the day.
I am writing this little message today because jeez, I probably have gotten about a hundred emails in the last week asking me for the above things. I really wish everyone would read the FAQs that I spent time writing. Please see my right hand side bar for FAQ links and then scroll down and peruse the labels and links for what you are looking for.
I do this for free on my own time. As much as I'd love to dump a pile of money in everyone's lap (including my own) I just can't. I'm just one little person here, out in the country, trying to limp along with little money myself. So sorry to those of you who asked me this week to give you TONS of money so you can publish your book or whatever. It ain't gonna come from this gal!
Okay. I'm done with my tough love statement for the day. Good luck to you ...and please read the posts and FAQs that I spent a lot of time writing. It would make me happy if you did that. And I know you want me to be happy. Right?
Cheers,
Mirabee
Showing posts with label WILL MIRA HELP ME WITH MY APPLICATION?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WILL MIRA HELP ME WITH MY APPLICATION?. Show all posts
Grantwriting Resources, Professional Development Tips et al...
Well, after my post a few weeks back about people sending me grant proposals, I began thinking about what resources are out there to help artists write grants and learn more professional skills to further develop their careers. A couple grant writers also sent me the links to their sites and I will post those soon. I can't attest to how good these people are so if you hire them down the line and have either a great or a not-so-great experience, please let me know. Anyway, I thought that today I'd just take a minute to talk about hiring grant writers and also let you know about a couple resources that you might find helpful.
People have asked me how much consultants charge to help an artist write or edit her/his individual grant (not for non-profit organizations). Readers have also asked if I would do that for them in the future. I'm on the fence about doing that fee-for-service right now but it is possible in the future I will. I certainly will let you know if I do. In the meantime, here are just a couple things you should know:
* You should be paying the consultant per hour, NOT paying a percentage of the 'possible' grant award. That is considered unethical in the biz. What I mean is: if you are applying for a $20,000 grant and the consultant says his fee will be 10% of that award up front (which you may or may not get!), you are being scammed.
* People who do this for a living tell me they charge around $50 an hour on average, although some grant consultants do a sliding scale price and go as low as $20. Some people charge by the page to just edit your grant. It really varies.
I can't tell you if it's worth the money or not. All I can say is that having someone look over your proposal and application IS a good thing, if they know what they are doing. One way to get help, if you don't have any brilliant and experienced grant writing friends around or extra cash to pay a consultant is to check out your local arts council (and not just in the US but I know England and other countries have some great regional arts councils too) and see if they offer free or low-cost professional development workshops for artists. A great example of this is the Artists' Toolbox Program in Boston, sponsered by the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Massachusetts, Inc. Other cities have such programs too. In Seattle, Washington, Artist Trust offers lots of great professional development programs.
There are also individuals who teach workshops and classes on grant writing, etc. Gigi Rosenberg gives regional (in Oregon) and National workshops for artists and writers. You can find her at: http://www.gigirosenberg.com. I met Gigi recently when she interviewed me for her book on grantwriting, due out from Random House in 2011 and although I have never taken a workshop from her, I have a feeling she is the real deal and that you would learn a lot.
Also, visual artists should really check out GYST (Get Your S**T Together), an artist-run site for artists. They offer software, professional development workshops and other services. They also have a blog so check them out.
Oh, I've also seen free grant-writing workshops at local libraries so check those out too. Many of them offer these kinds of classes or one-day intensives so drag yourself down to the library, check out a book or two and ask if they offer any professional development programs for artists. If they don't, suggest it. If you build it, they will come.
That's all the ranting and raving for today. I'm going to also post something right after this---an event coming up in Boston for artists. And coming soon....interviews! I'm lining them up---the response has been fantastic. A nice variety of peeps coming your way.
Your Faithful Servant,
Mirabee
People have asked me how much consultants charge to help an artist write or edit her/his individual grant (not for non-profit organizations). Readers have also asked if I would do that for them in the future. I'm on the fence about doing that fee-for-service right now but it is possible in the future I will. I certainly will let you know if I do. In the meantime, here are just a couple things you should know:
* You should be paying the consultant per hour, NOT paying a percentage of the 'possible' grant award. That is considered unethical in the biz. What I mean is: if you are applying for a $20,000 grant and the consultant says his fee will be 10% of that award up front (which you may or may not get!), you are being scammed.
* People who do this for a living tell me they charge around $50 an hour on average, although some grant consultants do a sliding scale price and go as low as $20. Some people charge by the page to just edit your grant. It really varies.
I can't tell you if it's worth the money or not. All I can say is that having someone look over your proposal and application IS a good thing, if they know what they are doing. One way to get help, if you don't have any brilliant and experienced grant writing friends around or extra cash to pay a consultant is to check out your local arts council (and not just in the US but I know England and other countries have some great regional arts councils too) and see if they offer free or low-cost professional development workshops for artists. A great example of this is the Artists' Toolbox Program in Boston, sponsered by the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Massachusetts, Inc. Other cities have such programs too. In Seattle, Washington, Artist Trust offers lots of great professional development programs.
There are also individuals who teach workshops and classes on grant writing, etc. Gigi Rosenberg gives regional (in Oregon) and National workshops for artists and writers. You can find her at: http://www.gigirosenberg.com. I met Gigi recently when she interviewed me for her book on grantwriting, due out from Random House in 2011 and although I have never taken a workshop from her, I have a feeling she is the real deal and that you would learn a lot.
Also, visual artists should really check out GYST (Get Your S**T Together), an artist-run site for artists. They offer software, professional development workshops and other services. They also have a blog so check them out.
Oh, I've also seen free grant-writing workshops at local libraries so check those out too. Many of them offer these kinds of classes or one-day intensives so drag yourself down to the library, check out a book or two and ask if they offer any professional development programs for artists. If they don't, suggest it. If you build it, they will come.
That's all the ranting and raving for today. I'm going to also post something right after this---an event coming up in Boston for artists. And coming soon....interviews! I'm lining them up---the response has been fantastic. A nice variety of peeps coming your way.
Your Faithful Servant,
Mirabee
A NOTE ON FAQs, GRANT PROPOSALS AND MY BOOK!
Hi Everyone. I'm working on some new residency deadlines for you....hopefully those will be up later today. In the meantime, thanks for all your great comments, letters, donations (!) and support. You might notice that now in the upper right hand corner or the side bar is a notice about FAQs and links to them. I know it is a pain to scroll down that long list of labels to find them. This way they are easier to find.
In some of your comments and emails you suggested that maybe I should consider reviewing grant applications/proposals for a fee. Believe me, I have thought about this and I have done it in the past. And there is a very good chance I will do it again. I've just had to save my brain juice for working on this big book as well as doing this particular blog. But it is highly possible that, during the next break between my book and its subsequent publication and promotional tour, I will consider doing grant proposal reviews (for a sliding scale fee) again. I'll definitely let you know if and when I do that.
And speaking of my book, several of you have been asking me for a while where and when and if they can see or read something of mine. Calm down y'all! I'm not trying to hide anything. It's not a top secret project, it's just that I really want to keep this blog centered on YOU and not ME. That said, I am starting up a blog soon about my book that will eventually lead to the development of a website a year from now, if not sooner. I'll also sell my other books on that site and you will be able to see snippets of things and images. (I also have a short radio interview that I'll post). The book is an illustrated memoir called The Memory Palace. Anyway, when I launch my Memory Palace blog I'll let you know and I'll keep you all posted about the website etc. My book should come out sometime in late fall 2010 or early 2011. Books take a loooooong time to produce. Who knew?
Okay, get back to work. Cheers to all you brilliant artists out there...Mira
In some of your comments and emails you suggested that maybe I should consider reviewing grant applications/proposals for a fee. Believe me, I have thought about this and I have done it in the past. And there is a very good chance I will do it again. I've just had to save my brain juice for working on this big book as well as doing this particular blog. But it is highly possible that, during the next break between my book and its subsequent publication and promotional tour, I will consider doing grant proposal reviews (for a sliding scale fee) again. I'll definitely let you know if and when I do that.
And speaking of my book, several of you have been asking me for a while where and when and if they can see or read something of mine. Calm down y'all! I'm not trying to hide anything. It's not a top secret project, it's just that I really want to keep this blog centered on YOU and not ME. That said, I am starting up a blog soon about my book that will eventually lead to the development of a website a year from now, if not sooner. I'll also sell my other books on that site and you will be able to see snippets of things and images. (I also have a short radio interview that I'll post). The book is an illustrated memoir called The Memory Palace. Anyway, when I launch my Memory Palace blog I'll let you know and I'll keep you all posted about the website etc. My book should come out sometime in late fall 2010 or early 2011. Books take a loooooong time to produce. Who knew?
Okay, get back to work. Cheers to all you brilliant artists out there...Mira
A NOTE ABOUT MIRA HELPING WITH APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS
Dear Gentle Readers,
So lately, for whatever reason (increased popularity of my blog, temporary insanity of a few people, astrological weirdness, or general confusion), I've been getting many, many proposals in my in-box and requests from people to read them through and give feedback. Usually a day or two before the applications are due. (By the way, it is bad form to do this on such short notice to people you know, let alone people you don't know personally.) These are proposals for various grants and fellowships or applications to residencies. (Oh, I also have gotten some rather strange and long-winded requests for money too. Lots of money. Odd, that.)
Anyway, most of you are very respectful and take it to heart when I say that I do this blog for free (translated: I spend many hours researching, managing, writing people back, etc.) and that if you have a burning question, you check my FAQs on the side bar first before asking me privately. However, for those of you who don't check my FAQs: dudes, scroll down and read them! I need you to. You need to be resourceful and figure this out and that is why I do this blog. To help people help themselves. As for reading people's proposals--as much as I would love to help, I simply can't. It is just way too time consuming. And if you read my article "Finding Money for Your Dreams," you know that I suffer from a brain injury. I don't mean to whine, so please don't take this the wrong way, but you need to know that the way it works is this: if I read something several pages one day, that means that I will then be way too exhausted to do my own writing later that day and maybe the next. So you see, it is too taxing on my wee brain. It's enough just to do this blog.
I'm about to go back into my book and re-edit it once again, as well as finish all the artwork. That means less time for Mira's List. I will do my very best to keep you all informed but please--do check those FAQs, use the comment forum at the bottom of the right hand sidebar so others can put their two cents in, and do not send me attached documents of your proposals, your Fulbright grant applications, your MacDowell applications, etc. I just can't do it. I get very, very tired just reading your emails asking me to help you. It doesn't mean I don't like you. It means I am not the person for the job.
I don't mean to complain. But things are getting out of hand so I had to say something. Please pass it on to others that I don't look at grant proposals. And if you feel like Mira's List has helped you in anyway whatsoever, consider making a small donation on the donation link on the right hand sidebar. Even if it's five dollars. Every little bit helps. I am trying to maintain this as a free site so any contribution would be appreciated, especially if you feel like you learned something from an article or you found out about an amazing opportunity here. Help keep this blog going or it will fizzle out in the future, as much as I'd like it to grow.
Thanks for listening. I guess I really got bombarded this month with letters and proposals, etc. Probably because the fall is a big application time and everyone out there needs money. Anyway, good luck with your endeavors, keep making art, keep applying for things and be courageous and go forth! I'm here to be your faithful resource and so I shall continue to....
Cheers,
Mira
So lately, for whatever reason (increased popularity of my blog, temporary insanity of a few people, astrological weirdness, or general confusion), I've been getting many, many proposals in my in-box and requests from people to read them through and give feedback. Usually a day or two before the applications are due. (By the way, it is bad form to do this on such short notice to people you know, let alone people you don't know personally.) These are proposals for various grants and fellowships or applications to residencies. (Oh, I also have gotten some rather strange and long-winded requests for money too. Lots of money. Odd, that.)
Anyway, most of you are very respectful and take it to heart when I say that I do this blog for free (translated: I spend many hours researching, managing, writing people back, etc.) and that if you have a burning question, you check my FAQs on the side bar first before asking me privately. However, for those of you who don't check my FAQs: dudes, scroll down and read them! I need you to. You need to be resourceful and figure this out and that is why I do this blog. To help people help themselves. As for reading people's proposals--as much as I would love to help, I simply can't. It is just way too time consuming. And if you read my article "Finding Money for Your Dreams," you know that I suffer from a brain injury. I don't mean to whine, so please don't take this the wrong way, but you need to know that the way it works is this: if I read something several pages one day, that means that I will then be way too exhausted to do my own writing later that day and maybe the next. So you see, it is too taxing on my wee brain. It's enough just to do this blog.
I'm about to go back into my book and re-edit it once again, as well as finish all the artwork. That means less time for Mira's List. I will do my very best to keep you all informed but please--do check those FAQs, use the comment forum at the bottom of the right hand sidebar so others can put their two cents in, and do not send me attached documents of your proposals, your Fulbright grant applications, your MacDowell applications, etc. I just can't do it. I get very, very tired just reading your emails asking me to help you. It doesn't mean I don't like you. It means I am not the person for the job.
I don't mean to complain. But things are getting out of hand so I had to say something. Please pass it on to others that I don't look at grant proposals. And if you feel like Mira's List has helped you in anyway whatsoever, consider making a small donation on the donation link on the right hand sidebar. Even if it's five dollars. Every little bit helps. I am trying to maintain this as a free site so any contribution would be appreciated, especially if you feel like you learned something from an article or you found out about an amazing opportunity here. Help keep this blog going or it will fizzle out in the future, as much as I'd like it to grow.
Thanks for listening. I guess I really got bombarded this month with letters and proposals, etc. Probably because the fall is a big application time and everyone out there needs money. Anyway, good luck with your endeavors, keep making art, keep applying for things and be courageous and go forth! I'm here to be your faithful resource and so I shall continue to....
Cheers,
Mira