From: Wayong-AT-aol.com
Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2002 15:48:55 -0400
Subject: PUPT: grants & cost of workshops, etc.


What are other people's experiences with grants?
Over here, I was told that local companies give a ratio.
That means facilitator's cost cannot exceed 25%. The rest, 75% must go to cost of space, materials & other expenses.
The organisation which provides 'the space' (servicing their clients/students) gets to keep the 'rent' money. They can 'donate' some of the materials (usually old, dried up & not very good)and keep that money. Then you have to purchase the rest of the materials, get re-imbursed for money, but not time. You don't get paid for developing the workshop, writing the grant, set up time or clean up time. With this calculations, that's how these various local agencies derive that workshop facilitators should get paid $10 to $20 an hour per client contact time, averaging $15.  When you factor in all the extra time you put in plus taxes, it's very little.

One place suggested that I should purchase as few art supplies as possible to 'save money'. I'm thinking (and wish I could say), didn't the grant provider give you the money so I can purchase the materials for the participants, not so someone can pocket the money? Outrageous. I know I've been 'had'. I'll be very leary of writing grants for agencies in the future. Considering all these factors, writing grants doesn't seem worth it, at least in Colorado. (My company isn't nonprofit status)

Is this 1:4 ratio standard across the country? If so, how do you get a higher facilitator cost? I overestimated the materials cost as it is & had little control over rent cost, etc.

Over here, it's not like you can weed out the bad from the good. Unfortunately, you either have to accept these conditions or you don't work at all. The arts, education and therapies are considered low priority & people expect you to volunteer & give out of the kindness of your heart to the community & are suprised at any professionality. It's a part of the culture. It was quite a shocker coming from NYC. But then again, my friends & colleagues who previously lived in Texas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Nashville, LA, San Francisco, Detroit, etc. who came to live here have notice the very same thing.

So I'm wondering, do the rest of you find that the culture of your town/state effects your costs & respectability?  Would you do things differently if you had known what you know now?
At least, I feel I've had a hand of saving other colleagues & friends the frustration I've gone through due to my experiences - one person decided against moving to Denver & another friend is looking towards DC/Baltimore area rather than the south...

Also, how did you find about your grants? Are they mostly state funded? (if that's the case, artists in Colorado are doomed) Or private businesses (that's what I did).  
For some reason, cigarette & beer companies love to give to the arts. <lol>

Wayong


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