Professional Development Grants

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA’s Professional Development Grants provide funding to hone your craft and learn new skills related to managing your career. Whether you intend this professional development opportunity to add a new artistic skill set to your repertoire or update an existing one, promote yourself and your work, or increase your management capacity, we invite you to seek out opportunities that will help you strengthen your sustainability in the arts marketplace.

• The requested funds must be used for activities that fall within the grant period. We are unable to fund an opportunity prior to the start of the grant period.
• Should you be awarded a Professional Development grant, the funds must be spent for the requested activity and within the requested grant period. Funds may not be carried forward to the next grant period nor may you request funds be used for alternative activities.

Repeat Applicants: While there is no limitation on the amount of Professional Development grants, you can receive, if you receive funding, you must wait at least a quarter before reapplying to the Professional Development Grants. Should you be applying for the same type of support, it is recommended that you carefully explain why continued support from PGF-USA is necessary.

The PGF-USA’s Professional Development Grants provide funding for seminars/classes/conferences to develop capacity and knowledge in both artistic development and arts management. Topics may include (but are not limited to):

• Management training (e.g., how to work with an agent)
• Marketing/PR strategies (e.g., how to fill the house)
• Grant writing tools (e.g., writing grants and who to go to)
• Financial and bookkeeping basics (e.g., budget development)
• Resource Development (e.g., networking)
• Classes/workshops to further develop your craft (e.g. stage combat, directing for camera, digital editing)

• The maximum request is $1,000
• You may request funds for travel costs associated with the activity (i.e. transportation/hotel)

PGF-USA is not interested in funding:

• Project based requests: PDG requests should be for general career advancement rather than costs associated with a specific project/new work/etc. While it may be the case that you request funds to a acquire a needed skill in order to take advantage of a particular opportunity, competitive applications request assistance to build skills that may help not just for one particular project, but for your career as well.
• Courses that are part of a degree program (i.e., MFA)

Applications are accepted via email sent to Program Director, Diana Kemppainen. Send using the following format:

Name:

Discipline:

Year of Princess Grace Award:

Institution/Entity Offering Name of Professional Development activity:

URL or link to info on entity:

Date(s) of activity:

Location:

Cost in $US:

Please provide a line item breakdown of cost for the request (i.e., books, flight, etc.) 

Case Statement – in which you make the case for the importance of this activity/opportuntiy (class, seminar, mentorship, conference, convening, etc.) to your career/professional develoment at this particular juncture. 

Funding is extremely competitive and applicants are encouraged to take time and care to clearly make your case for PGF-USA support. Priority consideration will be given to applicants whose statement includes an explanation of the activity, the importance of the activity at this juncture of your career, and the impact of PGF-USA support. It is recommended that your statement be a minimum of one (1) page, but not more than two (2).