Alternate ROOTS is an organization that is artist-led and artist-centered. As such, we believe strongly that artists know what they need to make work, and to make their work better. We strive to cultivate our re-granting programs with the following in mind:
– Our applications are easy to access, simple, and, where possible, have multiple modes of expression in order to honor our multiple disciplines and intelligences.
– Our funding is distributed with ROOTS’ core values in mind. We take the diversity of our constituency into account when making funding decisions, including race, gender, sexuality, geography, ability, and age.
– In most cases, we have let go of dollar-for-dollar matching requirements so that our artists can focus on the money they receive from us and get down to work. We believe in empowering artists to keep moving forward without sacrificing their time to additional fundraising.
– We encourage all member artists to participate in our funding programs, including our board, executive committee, and, in some cases, even our staff. We see this work co-op model as something that sets us apart from other organizations. While there are many inherent rewards to being a part of Alternate ROOTS, the more you put into the organization, the more you get out of it.