Grantor, the Monster that Enslaved Your Mother

We met these interesting people at the Salon de Musique Independent a little while ago who had recently started up a business advising people - mostly musicians - on how to get at the grant money. Ahh the grant money - love it or hate it, it hangs like a beacon of promise in the brokeass night and many will strive, but only a few will clasp the golden hilt of (oooooh) free money.

I am very wary about grants. I know a lot of organizations have built themselves via the grant scramble and found it good - take POP Montreal, they do a great grant job and swing public money in at ‘em from all angles, (and still manage to get a good word in for us Indyish with the powers that be. Aw.) Hats off to them. Others however, get so caught up in the dance they forget who they are and what they wanted to be in the first place, pre-grant. When they don’t get the grant, they don’t do the plan, in part because the plan only really came into being in the face of the potential free money. This seems such a waste.

For myself, highly imaginative, pretty emotive, I tend to get so caught up in the process and the possibilities I’m a mess, usually, and it becomes a distraction from my real work, so much so that it’s usually just not worth it. In general, I’d take the joyful stress of doing the crazy thing sans money over the not-so-joyful money chasing stress any day, but I’m trying to find a healthy, less broke balance. I’m doing a grant application now for PhD money (if I get it, I’m taking Indyish to school with me, watchout =), and I’m trying out a new thing where I don’t stress much, don’t over analyze, don’t give in to the crazed wild-eyed thing that longs to take me over (beware Grantor! sort of like Gamblor, but with different hair.)

In practice I think this means I’m procrastinating more then usual, so we’ll see how that works out.

But with some help, hmm.. maybe it would be better. So musicians, heads up, you’ve got some options. Dave Cool is doing some cheap consulting these days, and he’s been on Factor juries, so he’s got the insider info. And those nice people we met at the salon, J’Imagine Consulting, well they usually charge a flat rate to help you chose which grants to go for and, based on their years of experience successfully getting grants, work the paper for you and take a cut when you win.

While you’re considering whether a grant consultant is where you’re at, you can check out this great list they’ve provided with a ton of grants available in town for anything music related. Ain’t she sweet?