Artists, songwriters, poets, photographers are able to apply for various grants available for creative entrepreneurs. These grants, of $1,000, $5,000, even $10,000, are usually available through non-profit foundations. The artist utilizes the grant funds to further their career. If you have faith in your talent and your business sense, youve probably considered applying for a grant to get you started, or to expand your stock photography career.

DO IT YOURSELF

"Why spend all that time meekly filling out papers, when the law of probability says you no doubt wont win the grant? There are too many applicants," said my friend, when I asked him how he got his start in stock photography.

Ill refer to him as Keith.

"I knew I had talent," said Keith. "I compared my own work with the images that are being published. Thats the real test. So, I gave myself my own grant."

"How so?"

Keith smiled, "I said to my wife, Look honey, -it says on this envelope that theyll advance me $5,000. And itll take 5 minutes to fill out. It was one of those offers you get from a financial institution every five minutes if you have good credit.

"My wife grimaced," Keith said. "This was one of those situations where it really was too good to be true. I put the elements together: I had good credit; my credit reports said I was in the 650s, which is high. Im business-minded. I know how to budget. I have the courage of my convictions. Im talented. the same.

"It took more than five minutes, maybe ten, to contact the company representative. In one week I had a credit line of $5,000 and a credit card with low interest that I could use to make all my purchases for my burgeoning stock photography business."

NOT FOR THE LAZY

"This was the boost I needed to get over the financial hump. When I look back now, applying for a grant, any grant, is simply living on the wrong side of the monetary revolution going on today. My good credit rating was lying dormant. I had a proven track record in photography. I was involved in something I loved doing. I quit saying, Someday Im going to get a grant. Instead I gave myself a grant!

"When you give yourself a grant like this, you commit yourself to getting the job done. Youve got to pay back that loan. When you get a grant, thats not always the case. You can be lazy and continue to procrastinate or indulge in your idle ways.

"Why other emerging stock photographers who have a good credit rating and a talent for the stock photo industry dont look into going this route, 'giving themselves a grant,' I dont understand." Keith: Now they may be more likely to check it out, thanks to your sharing this with us.

What could you do with . . .Note: these estimates include costs such as postage, envelopes, telephone, mail list rental, temp workers, fulfillment expense, etc. $500

$1,500 Postcard campaign. A postcard with a "best" photo on it serves as a reminder to photobuyers. Postcards are effective because there is no envelope to open.

- 500 magnetic calendars. A handy (small) calendar, including you 800#, remains within a photobuyer's reach of a telephone 365 days a year. - sign up for inclusion of your photos in a desktop illustrated directory of images.- take out an ad(s) in a major photography magazine.

$5,000 500 CDs to a select group of targeted buyers. Packaging, burning, labeling, fullfillment all done by a professional organization.

1,000 posters to be distributed to photobuyers

Hire a consultant who will demonstrate where youre going wrong, where you could be going right. Once you are turned in the right direction, hire a rep who can make your accountant happy.

-produce an on-line vanity book featuring your photos - Produce a vanity photo book. If you have what it takes, others should see your images. Design, production, delivery, will be your main focus.

$15,000 Build a website. "You never get a second chance at a first impression." Make the design and selection of images A+.

Note: The above are a sampling of ideas. If you have others that have been successful, please ket us know and well share them with our readers.