Examples of eligible activities include:

 

• Studio Safeguards
  • Safety equipment
  • Upgrading studio and/or equipment to improve studio health and safety
  • Contractor consulting
  • Purchasing safer materials and supplies
• Emergency/Disaster Readiness
  • Emergency tools, supplies and equipment
  • Upgrading studio to reduce disaster risk
  • Contractor consulting
  • Theft protection measures
• Business Protection & Support
  
  • Documentation and archiving
  • Inventory software
  • Business planning for continuity and contingencies
  • Creating secure business record-keeping systems
  • Tutorials or training in e-commerce,
  • Professional photography of their craft portfolio
  • Employing the services of website designers
  • Short-term support for childcare to allow studio work time
• Career Protection
  • Legacy or estate planning
  • Financial planning services
  • Documentation or digitization of artwork and/or related records
  • Legal counsel
  • Enrolling in a professional development course or workshop to enhance career protection

Ineligible Activities

Art making projects are not eligible for Get Ready Grants. Only projects for safeguarding studios, protecting studios, implementing other safety measures, or business or career protection will be considered eligible.

To be eligible for a “Get Ready” Grant, applicants must:

• Be an artist working in a craft discipline
• Have been residing and working in the U.S. or U.S. Territories for the last two years
• Not have received a Get Ready Grant in 2021 or 2022

CERF+ broadly defines eligible artists to include those who create work using historically recognized craft materials such as clay, glass, textiles, wood, metal; as well as those whose work expands on these historical definitions through the incorporation of non-traditional materials, new technologies and experimental approaches.

CERF+ is equally committed to the preservation of folk and traditional arts, as rooted in, and reflective of, the cultural life of a community. We recognize and support the ways that information is often passed on from one generation to the next and celebrate practices rooted within a common ethnic heritage, geographic region, religious affiliation or occupation.

CERF+ serves artists at all stages of their careers and seeks to support people from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. Eligibility is not determined solely by the amount of money an artist generates from their work and we recognize that many individuals have careers that rely on multiple streams of income and financial support.

Craft objects may be functional or nonfunctional, but both types derive part of their meaning from their association with traditional functional forms such as chairs, vessels, garments or implements, and/or their association with cultural tradition. Qualities that contribute to the success of a craft object include the skill of the maker, the use of the material, the refinement of the design, the originality of expression, its cultural significance – or all of these.

We do not support art practices that include hate speech or hate symbols.

To apply for a “Get Ready” Grant, select the “Apply Now” button on this page and follow the directions to complete the online application and upload the required supporting documentation.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.  The CERF+ staff is available to answer questions. Please contact (802) 229-2306 or [email protected].

The required supporting documentation is to be submitted with the online grant application. 

1. A written narrative (Entered in the application form itself. 400 word maximum) or short video that includes:
   • A description of the proposed project
   • An explanation of how this project will support you in safeguarding your studio, preparing for emergencies, or protecting your business and career
   • An explanation of how the readiness activity will be continued after the grant funds have been expended, if applicable
   • Describe how you will actively share with others what you have learned about safeguarding your studio, protecting your career or preparing for emergencies by completing your project. Examples include social media and blog posts, photographs, videos, teaching guides or educational activities.
   • Videos can be included as a YouTube or Vimeo video link in the application form. Maximum of 3 minutes.
2. Information documenting your work as an artist producing a body of work in a craft discipline(s):
   • A resume or narrative detailing your accomplishments as an artist working in a craft discipline. If applicable, the resume should list exhibitions and shows; publications featuring your work; awards; education; teaching experiences; and/or any other accomplishments that will help us evaluate your career as a professional artist working in a craft discipline.
   • 5 high resolution images of your artwork created within the past three years (.gif, .jpeg, or .tiff format)
   • A photograph of yourself in your studio, at your booth at a show, teaching, or otherwise engaged in your artistic practice. If you are wearing a mask in your best portrait, please include a second image where we can see your face.
3. A list of estimated expenses (entered in the application form itself) to be incurred in order to complete the project, specifying which expenses the grant will fund and the sources of funds for any other expenses.

Grant selection will be made through a lottery.

Applications will be evaluated to determine whether the applicant:

• has proposed an eligible and feasile project
• has included a budget that accounts for any additional costs
• has included a plan for sharing their project

Priority will be given to eligible artists who have traditionally been underserved by the grantmaking community including people of color and folk and traditional artists.

Grant funds must be utilized to complete the proposed project within six months of the grant award. Grantees are required to document and share what they learned from accomplishing the readiness activity and its impact and report this information back to CERF+. CERF+ encourages grantees to be creative with how they share what they learned through videos, blog posts, and other media to inspire others to take emergency preparedness and career protection measures.