FURNITURE SOCIETY EDUCATIONAL GRANTS PROGRAM
The Furniture Society's Educational Grants program promotes excellence in the furniture field by offering essential financial assistance to Society members for professional development or special projects of an educational nature. The Educational Grants program was established as an extension of the Society's Awards of Distinction, honoring individuals who have made a significant contribution to the studio furniture field.
GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR 2013
The Furniture Society Educational Grants Program promotes excellence in the furniture field through financial assistance for professional development or for special projects of an educational nature. The program is open to all members of the Furniture Society.
Professional development grants support travel, registration/tuition or other fees for workshops, seminars, conferences, apprenticeships and residencies that relate to the applicant’s career directions.
Special project grants support exhibitions, seminars, visiting-artist programs and research related to the furniture field. (Thesis exhibitions are excluded.)
The intent of the program is to use the available funds—which are not unlimited—to offer financial assistance where it will be of most benefit. The program is meant to supplement the member’s own financial commitment. It is understood that some educational pursuits will require an applicant to seek additional funds beyond the request submitted to the Society.
Grants may be used only for the express purpose stated in the application. If the award recipient for any reason cannot use the funds as he/she stipulated, the grant must be declined and any funds issued by the Society returned.
Individual grants to be given in 2013 will be up to a maximum of $1,000. The activities covered by the grant must occur in the period January 1, 2013--December 31, 2013.
Grant applications must be emailed by the deadline January 21, 2013, 5:00 p.m. (EDT).
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
There is no application fee, but applicants must be active members of the Society. (Members receiving FS-Powermatic Scholarships in 2013 are not eligible for an educational grant from the Society in 2013.)
Grant requests should be specific as to dollar amount and clearly written to spell out what, where, when and why. Applicants should be prepared to explain how the request will benefit their professional development, or in the case of special projects, how the project holds meaning for the field.
Applications must include biographical information and a detailing of expenses to support the request.
Applicants applying for a professional development grant must provide five images of five current works. Each image should meet these specifications:
- File size: maximum 500KB
- Dimensions: maximum 800 x 800 pixels
- File type: JPG or GIF
Image files may be compressed in a ZIP or similar archive format. Images sent as email attachments should not be embedded in a Word or similar document, or in a PDF document. Images not conforming to these requirements will be rejected and may disqualify the application.
Applicants applying for a special project grant must provide information that supports the request. For example, if funds are for an exhibition, a description is necessary. For all special projects, a web address should be given if it would supply additional, clarifying information.
A board-appointed Educational Grants Committee reviews all applications. Decisions of the committee are based on the merit and feasibility of the request, its potential impact on the applicant or its significance to the field. The committee’s recommendations are submitted to the Society board for final approval.
Grant recipients are required to file a report of approximately 300 words summarizing the experience or outcome that was enabled by the grant.
Awarded grants will be paid out in two increments: 75 percent of the granted amount upon approval of the grant request, and 25 percent upon the receipt of the report required of all grantees.
Applications must be emailed to edu.grants@furnituresociety.org by the deadline January 21, 2013, 5:00 p.m. (EDT). Only email applications will be considered.
APPLICATIONS
Deadline: January 21, 2013, 5:00 p.m. (EDT)
The application form must be completed in Adobe Acrobat Reader and emailed to edu.grants@furnituresociety.org. Images, if required, must accompany this form.
Download the application form 
Download the application guidelines
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader
2012 EDUCATIONAL GRANT RECIPIENTS
The Furniture Society is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2012 Educational Grants program, which promotes excellence in the furniture field through financial assistance for professional development or for special projects of an educational nature.
The program is supported by donations made in relation to the Award of Distinction given annually by the Society to honor distinguished makers and others who have contributed meaningfully to the field.
Grants up to a maximum of $1,000 were offered in the 2012 program and cover activities occurring in the period January 1, 2012-Decemer 31, 2012. The grants are meant to supplement the applicant's own financial commitment. Applicants must be members of the Society.
A board-appointed Educational Grants Committee reviewed all applications and selected the following grant recipients.
Heather Dawson, Everett, MA will be attending either a Danish modern side table workshop or a chip-carving workshop or both at North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA.
Owain Harris, Deerfield, NH will be attending a Relief Carving workshop at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, ME.
Robb Helmcamp, Asheville, NC will be attending Don Miller’s Constructed Vessels workshop at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, CO.
Craig Johnson, Saint Paul, MN will be attending Journeyman Program in Chairmaking at the Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking in Roberts Creek, BC, Canada.
Mike Korsak, Pittsburgh, PA will be attending a workshop called Sophisticated Tables at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, ME.
Michael Oleson, Lisboa, Portugal and Adrien Segal, Oakland, CA both received funding to attend The Furniture Society 2012 conference at the Maine College of Art in Portland, ME.
GRANT REPORTS
In the past, grant recipients were required to submit a 300-word report summarizing their experience and the outcome of the project.
View reports submitted by prior grant recipients
