Since its inception in 1996, FAN has awarded over $5,633,600.00 in grants to 113 art organizations with over 655 arts programs presented to our community.
Funding Arts Network (FAN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and enhancing the visual and performing arts programs offered in Miami-Dade County by providing member-supported grants to arts providers, capacity-building workshops to grant applicants, and educational and social programs for members to encourage greater involvement, appreciation, and awareness of the arts.
Over the last 30 years, Miami-Dade County’s cultural community has grown more rapidly than that of any other major metropolitan area in the United States.
What
The Funding Arts Network (FAN), formerly fifty over fifty, inc., is a non-profit 501[C]3 organization dedicated to the cultural enrichment of the Miami-Dade community by providing a funding source for local visual and performing arts programs.
Funding Arts Network’s governing documents, conflict of interest policy, financial statements and Form 990 are available for public inspection upon written request to FAN at fan@fundingartsnetwork.org
When
FAN was established in 1996 with an initial goal of 50 members, each contributing $1,000 to an annual funding pool for the arts. The first grant awards were made in December 1997 to seven organizations receiving a total of $50,600. Between 2008 and 2011, in a unique collaborative partnership with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, FAN presented four FAN-Knight “New Work” awards for a total of $150,000. Over its 25-year history FAN has provided over $5,000,000 in grants for visual and performing arts programs.
Why
Declining government and corporate support require private philanthropy to provide leadership in funding arts programs. FAN offers a source of support for the arts and provides a vehicle for expanding education, involvement and appreciation of the arts for its members. By pooling our membership dollars, we make a larger impact in our community.
How
Membership contributions create FAN’s annual arts support fund. A competitive grants program provides awards yearly to non-profit visual and performing arts organizations for presentations in Miami-Dade County. Grant finalists are selected through a rigorous screening process in which member screening teams review and discuss the applications submitted by the arts organizations. FAN provides professional training in grant evaluation to screening teams. All FAN members vote by mailed ballot for grant award recipients.
Quarterly membership luncheons showcase new trends, developments and issues related to the visual and performing arts. They feature discussions among leaders in the local arts community and provide a lively forum for expanding awareness and understanding of the arts today.
Our History
1996
Funding Arts Network, originally known as fifty over fifty, inc. emerged from informal conversations between two Miami friends, Deborah Hoffman and Nita Maercks, both long-time patrons and supporters of the arts. They shared a concern about how to sustain a healthy cultural environment in Miami-Dade County in light of diminishing government and corporate funding for cultural programs., The initial goal was fifty members, each of whom would contribute $1,000 per year, to create an annual arts funding pool of $50,000, hence the group’s original name, fifty over fifty, inc..
2003
In 2003 the name fifty over fifty, inc. was changed to Funding Arts Network (FAN) . The growing membership enabled FAN to award approximately $250,000 annually and, as of 2019, FAN has awarded more than $4,600,000 in grants to support over 550 programs in the visual and performing arts.
In addition, a new category, Emerging Groups, was introduced for that period, enabling newer groups to receive FAN funding.
2006
In September 2006 another funding category, Community Arts, was introduced for cultural arts organizations focused on racial, ethnic, or cultural heritage.
In celebration of the 10thAnniversary of FAN, the board voted to provide a special grant for a new work. FAN was honored to have the James S. and John L. Knight Foundation as its grant partner in this newly created Knight Foundation New Work Award. A major criterion for the award, which amounted to $50,000 a year in 2007 and 2008, was that it be available to a broad cross section of the Miami-Dade population.
2011
In 2011 FAN created a program to bring further awareness and understanding of the arts to its members: FANFare: A Taste of……!, a lecture series on one of the four disciplines of Dance, Music, Theater or Visual Arts. Both members and non-members attended with members paying a discounted fee. These lectures were highly interactive, and the program was extremely popular.
2018
Community Awards
In 2018, the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) chose FAN to be honored at its 11th Annual Corporate Luncheon for the difference FAN made in the realm of the arts and philanthropy. Founding President Deborah Hoffman and President Maureen Gragg represented FAN.
In addition, in December 2018 Deborah Hoffman, FAN’s Founding President was one of the 21 leaders from the Miami community awarded the Knight Arts Champion Award. The award recognized Miami leaders “who have played key roles in building South Florida’s rich and diverse cultural community” and praised their leadership and “passionate commitment to our city and a belief that art and culture binds us to this place – and to each other.” Each champion was given $10,000 to contribute to a local artist or arts organization of their choice. Deborah’s choice was Funding Arts Network.
“Debi is always looking out for Miami, always wanting us to shine and model other great ideas..seeking best practices and bringing them to Miami. She’s been a teacher, publicist, lawyer and changemaker…all of these things add up to a passion to make a difference in our community.” — Teresa Valdes-Fauli Weintraub, Co-chair Philanthropy Miami
2022
To mark our 25th Anniversary, FAN members and friends contributed funds to support a special one-time awards program entitled FAN’s AWARE Grants Initiative. FAN’s AWARE (Artistic Works Addressing and Rethinking Equity) Grants Initiative was directed to advance exciting, probing performing and/or visual arts work that explores or reflects issues of equity.
On January 9, 2022 FAN awarded $200,00 to six outstanding arts organizations:
- Martha/Mary Concert
- Miami Light Project
- Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation
- Seraphic Fire
- Miami Dade College, Live Arts Miami
- Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami
