Grants

March 2, 2008

Remember Grant Goodeve? He played the oldest son, David Bradford, on Eight Is Enough. (photo courtesy of becoming.net).

He also sang the title song.

Well, this post has nothing to do with Grant Goodeve, but it does have to do with Grants.

I spent just about the entire weekend working on a Writing Grant.

The website for the grant did say:

“Don’t wait until the last minute. The Inquiry Form requires considerable attention… don’t underestimate the amount of time you’ll need to complete it.”

And boy, were they right. Actually I started it a couple of weeks ago. I printed out the questions they ask, questions that require word count answers (100 words, 150 words, etc.). But this weekend, and specifically yesterday, is when I really sat down to get it all out on paper (or on my computer). It’s due on Tuesday.
And you know what? I think i’m getting pretty good at this Grant stuff. I enjoyed writing this. I got a bit of a thrill at looking at my “project” (as they call it), or my book, from the outside.

This is what I had to do for this leg of the grant:

Describe it–my project, my book– in ONE sentence (yes, ONE SENTENCE–that was one of the questions),

“place it in context” for them,

explain how my project takes an original approach to content and form,

describe what kind of impact–aesthetic, intellectual, communal, civic and/or social, that I hope my project will have,

discuss how my project might act as a catalyst for my artistic and professional growth (um, well, I hope it helps me to get a full-time teaching gig!–is that a petty thing to hope for? For health benefits?),

explain who might be the audience for my work and how do I hope to reach them,

talk about what are appropriate venues for my work,

and finally, express what non-monetary resources might they provide to help me realize my project.

Keep in mind that each one of these questions had a word count!

Wheww.

But they are all such good, thoughtful questions. Again, it really made me think about my work–the whole picture– the future of it, the audience, the scope of it, the impact. It made it seem more real and possible– even if I don’t get the grant (i’ve applied for many of them, and writing residencies this season).

I sent in the finished application today. This is only round 1. If I make it to the next round I send in actual samples of work. Then the round after that I believe is interviews.

It sounds kind of like American Idol! If so, I hope i’m the David Archuletta.

Anyway, no matter what happens, I sent in the application, and i’m really glad that the application questions got me fired up yet again about the book. Whoever wrote those questions is a genius (well, and a sadist– my back is killing me from sitting at the computer for so long!). But I thank thank you thank you.

and, for the record, I was always more of a Merle the Pearl fan…

who was your favorite Bradford?