Funding Your Bliss

I’ve trained many producers and writers through workshops, residencies and conferences.

For the last seven years, I’ve been training and consulting with radio producers through the mentorship program at AIR (Association of independents in Radio). Through four hours of consultation taken through email and phone calls, I have trained producers in scriptwriting, pitching, protools editing/mixing, selling national stories, self-marketing  and grantwriting.

If you are an AIR member, you can request me as a mentor.  If you aren’t a member and don’t want to join, then I am available at the same rate of $75 per hour for a four-hour block totaling $300. Generally that time includes any research or editing required for your proposal. I am not available for actual grantwriting. This is a consultation opportunity to train people to write their own proposals.

Dmae with Dixie Hutchinson, KNBA training residency

I helped Nancy Greenleese with her first grant proposal through phone conversations and email revisions of her proposal.

“Dmae is the consummate trainer.  She helped steer me down the road of grant writing but never took over the wheel.  She taught me the basics of budgeting, made suggestions on the proposal, and encouraged me to think creatively.  My questions were answered promptly and with detail and she raised questions about the application that I didn’t even realize needed addressing.  Dmae guided me but I had to do the work, which is the only way to learn.  Now that I’ve traveled down this road once, I have the skills to apply for other grants and believe I will succeed in securing funding.”         

                 Nancy Greenleese, freelance reporter based in Rome

Maria Esteves landed a grant from California Humanities for her film idea.  

“I was trying to get a grant for a film documentary I was producing with a friend. We really didn’t have a clue of what to do, how to start a grant proposal. It was the first time for both of us. We were so discouraged; the guidelines were so complicated. But with Dmae advice and guidance, we wrote it and finished it in time against all odds, and we got it! Without her help I don’t think we would have done it. And that first grant brought another one, and thanks to that we were able to finish the film.                                                     

              Maria Esteves, independent filmmaker, Los Angeles, CA   

Through my consultation, Julie Sabatier changed the name of her radio program/podcast, developed a website to promote it and got her first funding.

“Through the AIR mentorship program, she worked closely with me as I completed my first successful grant application. Thanks to her good pointers and thoughtful insights, I received funding for two special episodes of my radio show/podcast Destination DIY from the Regional Arts and Culture Council in 2008. Dmae also gave me some excellent, practical advice before the interview for my current job as associate producer of “Think Out Loud” at Oregon Public Broadcasting. She has also consulted with me on script editing and on some features of the Destination DIY web site. Dmae Roberts has been an indispensable mentor to me as I continue to develop my professional radio career.”                                                  

                             Julie Sabatier, radio producer, Portland, OR  

Check out mentorship through the AIR program.  

Or leave me a private message here with contact info, and I’ll respond via email. It will not be public.