I am almost cross-eyed after many hours in front of the computer today writing applications for approval of something called “fiscal sponsorship” from the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).
For individual artists, fiscal sponsorship means an arrangement whereby a non-profit “sponsor” organisation (in this case, NYFA) agrees to be the conduit for your project – a project which would otherwise be attractive to only a handful of grant-making entities. Funders might be non-profit entities, but they like their tax deductions, you see, and stipulate that their grants be made only to non-profit organisations. Individual artists tend on the whole not to be non-profit organisations. It’s an oil-and-water kind of thing. Therefore people like my client (clients plural, I can now confidently state, since securing an exciting new visual arts client this week, who also needs a dang application written) can benefit from fiscal sponsorship by its ability to open funding doors previously locked shut.
With two small grants successfully under our mutual belt, and the endorsement of some senior figures in the theatre and film spheres, I am confident that Simi’s applications (one for each of the theatre and documentary projects) will be approved.
And all of that means that I have many more grant applications to go before I sleep.
