How do you deal with feedback and rejection in grant writing for arts administration?

Dealing with feedback and rejection in grant writing for arts administration can be challenging but also an opportunity for growth. View feedback and rejection as opportunities for learning and improvement rather than personal failures. Embrace a growth mindset that acknowledges setbacks as part of the journey towards success. Recognize that each rejection provides valuable insights that can inform future grant applications and strengthen your writing skills. Actively solicit feedback from peers, mentors, or grant reviewers to gain different perspectives on your grant proposals. Request specific feedback on areas such as project clarity, alignment with grant criteria, budget justification, and overall impact.

Feedback is always an opportunity to look at a program and figure out what needs to be done to make it better. It can be frustrating when you get rejected from a grant - we've all been there. But you can turn it around into a positive! Contact the granting organization and speak with someone who was at the grant panel discussion. Ask them for feedback on what was said and how they recomend you could improve your next application. Not only do you get good information, you'll be developing a personal relationship with the grantor. They would rather give you the money than not, and are often thrilled when people ask them what they think. It makes their jobs easier if you submit an application that directly addresses their questions.

Dealing with feedback and rejection in grant writing for arts administration can be challenging, but it's important to approach it positively. Embrace feedback to improve your skills, don't take rejection personally, seek support from colleagues or mentors, stay persistent, and celebrate any successes to stay motivated in pursuing funding opportunities.

Handling feedback and rejection in arts grant writing is challenging but vital. View rejection as a learning opportunity, seeking feedback to refine proposals (while always centering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Collaborate with peers for support, enhance skills through continuous learning, and diversify funding sources to boost success. Maintain a long-term perspective, recognizing each application as growth, and celebrate small wins to stay motivated. Keep organized records to track progress, transforming setbacks into valuable experiences that strengthen your grant writing skills and future success.

As a board member of a nonprofit theatre company, we handle feedback and rejection in grant writing by staying proactive and open to learning. We seek specific feedback from grantors to refine our approach. In one instance, when faced with an unexpected shortfall, we reached out to the board of a grant we had received for several years, requesting emergency funding. It’s important not to take rejection personally and to recognize that grant-giving organizations have changing priorities and funding levels. This understanding helps us remain adaptable and persistent in our efforts.

Not all grant organizations will provide feedback. It could be a worthy investment to hire a grant writing consultant, to review submitted proposals for how they could have been improved. This is a way to attain feedback that could be applied to resubmission in the future, or even other grants as the feedback could be writing-specific, and/or content-specific.

Take time to reflect on the feedback received and identify areas for improvement in your grant proposals. Analyze the strengths & weaknesses of your applications, paying attention to recurring themes or issues raised by reviewers. Use this feedback to revise and refine your grant narratives, budget plans, project descriptions & evaluation strategies accordingly. Grant writing often involves facing multiple rejections before securing funding. Stay persistent and resilient in the face of setbacks, maintaining your motivation & enthusiasm for your projects. Keep in mind that rejection does not necessarily reflect the quality or value of your work but may be influenced by factors such as funding constraints, reviewer preferences, or competition

→ Entiende que la retroalimentación tiene como objetivo mejorar tu propuesta. No te lo tomes como algo personal. → Analiza la crítica cuidadosamente: Identifica las áreas en las que puedes mejorar tu propuesta. → Agradece a los revisores por su tiempo y comentarios: Demuestra tu profesionalismo y receptividad a la crítica.

Focus on building relationships with funders before applying. Ask questions and don't try to hide weaknesses in your application. If your application is unsuccessful, you can also use the funding to help improve future projects.

Writing a grant for an arts project can be tough because sometimes it comes down to volume: Too many applicants, not enough funding. Every artist will know this, but rejection comes with the territory and building tough skin is critical. When seeking feedback, review the funder's criteria and eligibility requirements over and over again - ask pointed questions to program officers that help you better prepare for the next application. Wash and repeat. Take solace in knowing that sometimes, no matter how much research and time you put into an application, there are simply too many projects the funder must sift through and your application didn't stand out. That's ok. Know where to spend your efforts and when to circle back next year.