A NATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM FOR LATINO ARTISTS AND ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS

Supporting Latino artistic innovation, self determination and community empowerment

The NALAC Fund for the Arts is a field-advised, grant program designed to help Latinos develop their creative talents and make lasting contributions to our communities and society as a whole. Launched in 2005 by the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture with major support from the Ford Foundation, the NALAC Fund for the Arts provides financial resources to strengthen Latino arts organizations and to support Latino artists in the creation of their work.

NALAC gratefully acknowledges the continued support of the Ford Foundation, The JPMorgan Chase Foundation, The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Heineken USA, City of San Antonio Cultural Collaborative, Southwest Airlines and most recent funder, MetLife Foundation.

1. Artists and organizations who received funding from the NFA during the 2008-2009 cycle must wait one year before re-applying to the NFA. Grantees from 2008-2009 are eligible to re-apply to the NFA in 2010.

2. The NFA Master Artist Grant recognizes one established Latino artist each year with a grant of $20,000.  It is designed to support the Master Artist's work as well as enable him or her to mentor another artist in the community. A portion of the award is intended to be used by the Master Artist as a small grant to his or her chosen mentee.

In the four years since we launched the NALAC Fund for the Arts with the initial and generous support of the Ford Foundation and JP Morgan Chase, a total of 81 Latino artists and 61 arts organizations in 24 states and the District of Columbia have benefitted from NFA grants totaling $523,555.  It is gratifying to know that we have been able to help the Latino arts field cover some portion of what it costs to create new works and provide enriching cultural experiences for Latino communities around the country.

NFA grants have ranged from $1,000 to $8,000 in our initial pilot period (2005-06) to a range of $2,500-$20,000 in our last funding cycle (2008-09).  This year we anticipate being able to grant a similar amount.

Given the weakened U.S. economy, Latino organizations and cultural workers in all disciplines (including NALAC) must seek and engage in cost-saving innovations not just to survive but to lead the way with creative and effective responses to ever-changing conditions.  At NALAC, we're looking ahead to identify multi-faceted strategies for service delivery to our members and the Latino arts field in general.

In 2010, we will be adding valuable direct services to the types of awards and support available to NFA grantees.  Individual artists, for example, may request individualized assistance in developing a business or marketing plan for selling their work.  For member organizations, the range of services available through the NFA may include board training, participatory strategic planning, technical assistance in the development of earned income ventures, marketing and business planning.

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