What subject

IS A GOOD FIT FOR PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING?

Any subject that shares the aims and objectives of a philanthropic organisation may be suitable for financial support. A good knowledge of particular foundations that are working in the same area as your interest is essential. The relationship between your work and the work of the foundation should be apparent. This may be as simple as the fact that you are both working with the same interests (such as environment, indigenous issues or the arts) and similar aims in terms of making a difference to communities and individuals.

Documentaries enhance the work of foundations by adding value, increasing leverage and building a broader audience and sustainability to many of the projects that are already supported by private giving. This is of mutual benefit as the documentary’s life is also extended by its ongoing use and connection with the foundation.

Not all documentaries will be appropriate for private funding. Look for your work's community relevance then build a strategy that will take your story out to your target audience. It is important to find the right match in terms of interests and it is equally important to have an outreach plan that defines your audience and details how you are going to reach them.

There are many aspects of outreach that can and should be stressed beyond free to air television. Filmmakers are used to pitching their ideas according to broadcaster’s slots and funding agency guidelines. Whilst television still offers a large audience, and festivals and awards bring a public profile to a documentary, it will be necessary to add value to a documentary well beyond the broadcast. Many documentaries that make a real difference may not have any broadcast at all. Increasingly documentaries need to have complex strategic outreach and marketing campaigns, which exploit media streaming and the social networking possibilities of the internet and new digital platforms. The main way to convince a foundation or funding agency that your work will reach an audience is to know who that audience is and to have a well developed plan of how to reach them. (See Case Studies of Marketing & Outreach plans)

Foundations generally list their summary of purpose, their fields of interest and their target groups. This information gives a clear indication of what kinds of projects they are looking to support.

Foundations typically give to the following areas:

• Aged and Aged Care
• Arts (including visual arts, sculpture and arts education)
• Community
• Disabilities
• Disadvantaged Individuals and Communities
• Education and Literacy
• Environment
• Health and Wellbeing
• Human Rights
• Indigenous People
• Refugee and Asylum Seekers
• Indigenous People
• Rural and remote communities
• Social Justice
• Sport/Adventure
• Welfare
• Youth Issues

Foundations also support very specific projects as well as projects intended for the general benefit of the community.

Each foundation’s website details individual categories with more accuracy. For example, some foundations are more proactive in the arts, while others focus on social issues or environmental concerns.

For those that support the arts, aims and objectives are articulated in terms of community advancement. A number of foundations provide examples to illustrate this point. Always check their websites for details.

Philanthropy Australia publishes a directory of foundations, listing their purposes, fields of interest and target audiences.

The following three examples are taken from just a few of the hundreds of foundations in Australia. These examples, taken from the Philanthropy Australia directory, show the range of purposes that foundations support and highlight the crossovers in areas of interest between foundations and filmmakers.

EXAMPLE 1 - FOUNDATION A

Summary of Purpose: Supports projects associated with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art; community arts; conservation; cultural heritage; crafts; design; literature; music; performing arts; radio, film, television and video; visual arts.

Some grants are intended for early career practitioners, not those undertaking academic research in the arts and related areas.

Of course most foundations receive many more applications than they are able to support which is why your application must meet the foundation’s guidelines, which will outline the need and priority areas.

EXAMPLE 2 - FOUNDATION B

Summary of Purpose: To support initiatives which promote positive change in Australia, and in relation to its regional setting.

Fields of Interest: Arts, culture, disaster relief, education, employment, environment, conservation and heritage, health and wellbeing, law and legal issues, literacy, mental health, peace and security, religion and spirituality, social justice, social welfare, youth health.

Projects are sought that can create strong connections between art, humanity and healthy communities:

• Ensure indigenous and non-indigenous artists gain access to professional training, development and mentoring.
• Develop new works by individual Australian artists and small and medium-sized organisations in the following priority areas:
  • Indigenous arts
  • Regional areas
  • Experimental and emerging art forms
• Projects supporting the humanities, especially those that contribute to defining a distinct Australian identity.

EXAMPLE 3 - FOUNDATION C

Summary of Purpose: Focuses on social change with long-term aims: projects affecting structural change to redress the disadvantage experienced by particular communities. We believe that progressive philanthropy is characterised by its insistence on addressing the structural causes of problems rather than the alleviation of their symptoms.

The above examples are taken from just a few of the most well-known foundations. There are many more to explore and discover for yourself according to the specifics of your own areas of interest.