call me when you need
help getting money
The biggest obstacles in funding are:
1. No time or resources
2. Missing funding opportunities
3. Fierce CompetitionBeat them with Mint Maven solutions!
CREATIVE COMPASS
A 1:1 consultation + customized solutions
$150
• 1 hour phone or zoom call with Kimberly Lavon.
• Talk about your business obstacles.
• Find your best funding type.
• Leave with a customized guide or products.
DIGITAL PRODUCTS
Art Biz Templates • Grant Guides • Funding Kit
$29 - $1,000
• Art Business Templates: “Fill in the blank” pages.
• Grant Guides: Custom, targeted grant databases.
• Funding Kit: Grant Funding applications + leads.
• Custom: Retainer work, Art, and design!
WHAT’S THE PROCESS?
STEP 01 – Book a call with Kimberly.
STEP 02 – Pick your preferred solution.
STEP 03 – Pay the entry fee.
STEP 04 – Prep for your zoom or phone call!Ready to get started? Click the button below.
questions? Message me here.
🆓
Resources + Policies
FREEBIES
"FULL or FREE policy"All products and consultation time are full price (unless donated) and non-refundable. Not ready yet? Start with one of these free resources.
Frequently asked questions
💬
F.A.Q.'S
You've got questions? I've got answers! Read more below.
1. Q: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR HELP WITH APPLYING FOR A GRANT?
Grant service project fees start at $1000 and go to $10,000 depending on the complexity of the project.
2. Q: WHAT TYPE OF GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE?
General Operations Grants, General Purpose Grants, Matching or Challenge Grants, Endowment Grants, Seed Money or Start Up Funds.
3. Q: WHAT CAN I USE GRANT FUNDS TO PAY FOR?
Grants can fund things like: staff salaries, equipment, office space, utilities, travel meetings, + more. Sometimes grant funding can mean achieving your mission with full capacity.
4. Q: HOW MANY HOURS DOES IT TAKE TO FINISH A GRANT APPLICATION?
Federal : 40-60, Specialized : 100-180, Foundation : 4-8, Corporate: 4-8, State : 10-20, Individuals : 2-8.
5. Q: WHAT'S A GRANT?
Money you don’t have to pay back — but you have to qualify, and each opportunity has its own requirements. For example, nonprofit or not-for-profit orgs need a Letter of Determination from the IRS proving tax-exempt status. For-profit businesses can apply for certain grants if they are eligible. Mint Maven, LLC works with female owned, creative, for profit orgs to apply for grants.
6. Q: WHAT IS CREATIVE PLACEMAKING?
Americans For The Arts defines Creative Placemaking as the use of arts and culture by diverse partners to strategically shape the physical and social character of a place in order to spur economic development, promote enduring social change and improve the physical. environment.
7. Q: DO I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN?
Do you know the donor’s prerequisites? Can you present a well-crafted idea, excellent research, collaboration, innovation, and why you need the proposed funds? Are you confident in your idea and merit of it? Grant writing is a skilled trade. If you can paint a masterpiece with words alone you're a shoe in. Practice make progress here!
8. Q: CAN I PAY A PROFESSIONAL A PERCENTAGE OF MY GRANT WINNINGS VS PAYING FOR THE SERVICE SEPARATELY?
NO. Two professional organizations, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Grant Professionals Association, bar grant writers from taking a percentage of the grant, also known as working on commission. If you choose the opposite route, it carries a high risk for implications of the financial status of a non, or for profit + the grant writer.
9. Q: WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF SUCCESS?
If you apply by yourself your chances of winning are less than 1 in 10. Applying for a grant with 2 people (you + me) your chances of winning go up by 75%. If you apply to 5-10 grants a cycle, you will most likely win at least 1! Preparation, relationship building, + merit are key.
10. Q: WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 OBSTACLES TO GETTING GRANT FUNDING?
• Lack of knowledge, time or staff
• Fighting fierce competition
• Difficulty finding grant prospects
11. Q: WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW?
• Winning funding is more than just the ask. You've got to have merit and the ability to get the work done.
• Your application has to rank in the top 2% of every other application to beat the competition.
• One application costs anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 with professional help. That's an industry standard!
• There are BILLIONS of grant dollars available and many other funding options available to help you.
• If you need help and you're ready to get it click the button below.
12. Q: CAN YOU HELP ME WITH MORE THAN JUST GRANT FUNDING?
Absolutely! After our initial conversation I'll be sure to tell you all about my expanded menu items and all the ways I can help you get funded. :)
co-building awesome
💚
Partners
Getting funded is a complicated process with many needs.
That's why I work with trusted partners to offer you more support!
Brand Strategy
Melinda Livsey is the creator of the Brand Strategy Bootcamp.
A program/community mastermind to help you feel confident in your brand strategy process so you can solve big, meaningful brand problems (And let’s not forget charge more and actually enjoy your work ;)Creative businesses need strategy first and foremost. That’s why we are thrilled to partner with Melinda and her team.
Opportunities for creatives
"Our mission is to revolutionize the field of creativity through collaboration over competition."After hearing the struggles and ideas of so many musicians, and artists, the Creative Baggage team decided to focus their energies on finding practical solutions to improve the lives of their creative community. The database "For the Lost Creative" launched in September 2022 thanks to the generous support from diverse partners.
Activistpreneurs
Jalyn Gordon is the founder & visionary of Afrocentric Communiversity. Her goal is to transform the way communities “do” work by updating antiquated protocols and formulas help you affirm who you are.Activistpreneurs need accessible resources to do their best work. piecemealing support to build your life work is taxing and takes a lot of time. The Afrocentric Communiversity does that labor for you.
MAGAZINE
Providing publicity for creative small businesses.Why this is important for small business owners? According to an article on Forbes about the effectiveness of earned media (publicity) vs. paid media (advertising) in the consumer decision-making process, “PR is almost 90% more effective than advertising.” Business tycoon Richard Branson said it best, “Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.”
ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT (EPK)
ABOUT
Kimberly Lavon
Pictures, video and words that tell my story.
Kimberly Lavon
MA, CD, CEO | MINT MAVEN
Kimberly Lavon is a nationally award winning artist turned arts funding consultant, Creative Director and CEO of Mint Maven. Her education includes a Masters in Advertising from Savannah College of Art and Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Art from Kendall of Art and Design in Fine Art Printmaking and Graphic Design. She currently lives in Lansing, Michigan with her cat Sherlock. When she's not busy with research and writing, you can find her eating popcorn and watching movies at home.
📚 PUBLICATIONS
📹 Video
🎤 INTERVIEW ME
Work with Mint Maven!
💬
Testimonials
I've gotten to work with some
amazing businesses and people!
Take a look at what they have to say.
Ash G. at OJASWE
Mint Maven is a wealth of experience and expertise around grant writing. She helped us put together a grant playbook and greatly simplified and sped up our process to apply for grants. Thanks for all the help!
David D. at EVRGRN
Working with Kimberly and Mint Maven is like teaming up with your own personal superhero. At every step of her process I was blown away by the speed at which she works and the high quality of the work itself. Not to mention her ability to make the complex world of grants (which I had absolutely no idea about) seem like very doable is just one more aspect of her superpowers. All of that put together makes me feel like I made a very very good choice by asking her to help me find funding.
Liz K. at Honey Bun Bakery
Kimberly has been such a gem to work with! I went into the world of grants blind and she definitely was a light in the darkness in helping me understand how to navigate this world. Grants aside, I've also made a LOT of useful connections in the Lansing area specifically to help me grow my business. I am FOREVER grateful for this relationship I have gained.
Matt P. at Know Buddies Designs
I thought I was sleeping because Mint Maven made my dreams come true. I’m absolutely blown away by the service, clarity, and quality provided. Thank you Kimberly!