🏆 Grant Success Story: How Avie M. Fields Won a $500 Grant To Pursue Archival Storytelling
"Competition, as we know it, is a myth."
Hello, creators!
My favorite part of my job leading Grants For Creators (GFC) is hearing your success stories.
Whenever an “I won a grant” email flashes on my phone, you would think I won a grant, too. I do a happy dance and run over to tell my husband the good news.
Seeing YOU win funding is a big motivator for our small team.
Real money is earmarked for us if we take the initiative and apply.
Today, I’m joined by Avie M. Fields, MSCJ, a dynamic advocate in the horror sphere. Avie is a masterful researcher and a skilled cryptanalyst. She doesn't just embrace horror; she champions it as a transformative power, a necessary confrontation, and a defense against inequity.
Avie stands out as a trailblazer, reshaping how we perceive the shadows that lurk in our stories. Dive into her award-winning project, 'The Horror Advocate,' a portal that unveils an archive of digital resources that bridges the gap between pop culture, horror cinema, and invisible histories.
Without further ado, take it away, Avie!
1. What grant did you win and how will it impact your work?
Avie M. Fields: I was selected to join the first cohort for the Alliance Multimedia Archival Storytelling Lab.
The program consisted of three 90-minute workshop sessions providing comprehensive support, including presentations from industry experts, such as digital archivists, creative technologists, and documentary filmmakers.
We discussed the latest and most effective archival production and curation practices. We collaborated, experimented with new platforms, strategized transforming archival material into multimedia projects, and generated groundbreaking ideas to revitalize stories, create new revenue streams, and strengthen community connections.
As part of the program, all participants received a $500 stipend for their involvement and a feature of each participant's work on AMASL's website.
2. How does it feel to win a grant?
Avie M. Fields: It feels like purpose coming to fruition.
3. What limiting beliefs or challenges did you overcome when applying for funding opportunities?
Avie M. Fields: Our obsession with power and profit has created a ruthless culture where human value is often measured in dollars. I understand the challenges this presents for people on both ends of the spectrum.
Power dynamics are nearly inevitable in financial transactions, but it's possible to recognize these constraints without missing out on opportunities.
When people invest in you, your work, or your life, they become part of a bigger picture. Once I realized that fear doesn't need to be conquered but can be repurposed for the greater good, seeking funding became a valuable experience rather than a daunting one.
I learned to appreciate the limitations, rejections, and challenges of seeking funding, demonstrating our blind spots can be an advantage.
4. How has Grants For Creators helped you with finding funding opportunities?
Avie M. Fields: Grants For Creators has been an invaluable resource. Not only have I found great options for grants, cohorts, and collaboratives, but the newsletter features funding options for various focus areas.
For example, I've applied to and won grants for my work as an archivist, researcher, content creator, community leader, and cryptanalyst.
Additionally, it's helped me grow my connections locally and across the country.
All independent artists, creators, and entrepreneurs should subscribe to the GFC newsletter. It's more than worth it.
5. What advice would you give creators who are hesitant about pursuing grant funding?
Avie M. Fields: Competition, as we know it, is a myth. You have no competitors because no one is you. No one can duplicate what you've created because it comes from a piece of you that no one else can access. Be confident and strong in the embodiment of your work - it will translate.
Feeling inspired?
Continue reading about how community members secured grant funding from our monthly newsletter.
How Jesse Mercury Won a $3,000 Grant For a Podcast About Living With Chronic Illness
How Mike Brown Won $1,500 for a Self-Improvement Podcast
How Dr. Janina Jeff Won $25,000 To Produce Season 3 of In Those Genes Podcast
P.S. If you won a grant you found from this newsletter, please let us know! We'd love to feature you in this ongoing series and highlight your work. Email Danielle Desir Corbett at grantsforcreators@gmail.com with the subject line: “I won a grant.”