WHAT
IS THE XERIC FOUNDATION?
The Xeric Foundation is a private,
nonprofit corporation established by Peter A. Laird, co-creator of the
Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles and Planet
Racers.
The Foundation offers financial assistance to committed, self-publishing
comic book creators and qualified charitable and nonprofit organizations.
The geographical consideration for comic book artists is the United States
and Canada. You must be a citizen and current resident of either country.
Charitable and nonprofit organizations must be located in Western Massachusetts.
It is the policy of the Xeric Foundation to prohibit discrimination based
on race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
The Xeric Foundation assists comic book creators with some of the costs
in self-publishing their work. It is not the Foundation's intention to
fully support an artist/writer through the entire process of self-publishing,
but rather to encourage creators to experience the learning process involved
in working towards such a goal.
Who Qualifies As A "Self-publishing Comic Book Creator?
You do, if you write and draw a comic book of your
own creation and plan to publish and sell that comic independently of
any other publishing company. If you belong to an artist/writer team,
submit together. We cannot review scripts without art or vice versa.
What Qualifies As A "Comic Book?"
Any publication featuring art in a deliberate narrative
sequence may be considered comics. The format is up to you.
What Kind Of Work Are You Looking For?
Among the qualities that we will be looking for
are: originality, literary and artistic merit, and a sense of commitment
to the work. The content is open-ended.
I Have Little Or No Work Experience, Will My Slight
Resume Disqualify Me?
No. We will take your experience into account, but
the quality of the work is by far the most important part of your application.
What Can The Grant Be Used For?
Xeric grants can be used for the physical production
and distribution of your new or previously unpublished work: printing,
color separation, photocopying, solicitation, shipping, advertising, and
securing an ISBN number or domain name. Xeric grant funds cannot be used
for website design, T-shirts, stickers, posters, postcards, art supplies,
phone bills, convention costs,or computer equipment.
Does The Artwork For My Project Have To Be Complete?
Submitted projects should be complete or near completion.
Please send 6 copies of the entire project to date. Submit only one project
per review.
How Important Is My Financial Statement?
Grants are not awarded on the basis of need alone,
but financial information is required for each applicant's profile. All
applicant information is held strictly confidential.
How Much May I Request?
Grants generally don't exceed $5,000. If you are
requesting an excess of this amount, please indicate whether you can use
a smaller amount of funds. There are no strings attached regarding copyrights,
trademarks, etc..