Throughout the entire year, DCCAH staff are available to help you develop the most effective grant application possible. DCCAH offers live group and individual assistance as you are preparing your applications and after they have been evaluated by the advisory panel.

DCCAH staff conduct general workshops where you learn everything you need to know about DCCAH and the steps to take to submit a grant application. At these workshops, staff and applicants discuss each opportunity that DCCAH offers to assist DC artists and arts organizations in sharing their creativity. To assist grant recipients, workshops will also include detailed instruction on how to properly complete final reports due at the end of each fiscal year.

FY13 DCCAH Workshop Schedule:

Grant Writing Tips

Do's

• Follow exact order of materials requested in application form. Include different material in each packet or omit materials.
• Be concise and to the point in your proposal. Lose clarity with a rambling or wordy proposal.
• Highlight areas of interest in support materials (such as reviews, newspaper articles). Send multiple copies of work samples or one-of-a-kind material.
• Send representative materials that highlight your work. Send so much support material that the panel is overwhelmed.
• Use a reader-friendly font for your proposal, using bullet points and boldface type for emphasis. Use small type (10 point or less) or run margins to the edge of paper.
• Use statistics and research that are relevant to your proposal. Use generalities, clichés, or facts and figures that are irrelevant to your proposal.
• Proofread your proposal for spelling and grammatical errors. Make corrections by hand on application or cross out information.
• Make sure you have submitted all the required materials. Attempt to submit any materials after application deadline.

Remember .... Your application is a reflection of your proposal.