Elizabeth L Mahaffey Fellowship Grant (CT)

The Elizabeth L Mahaffey Fellowship Grant supports Connecticut residents pursuing professional development in arts administration. Named after a dedicated mentor, this grant provides up to $2,500 for activities such as workshops, training, and consultancy. Applicants should have 2-10 years of experience in the arts and can expect 2-3 fellowships awarded annually by the Connecticut Office of the Arts. This initiative nurtures future leaders in the arts sector.

This program is named in honor of Elizabeth L. Mahaffey, a well-respected and loved former staff member who was an extraordinary mentor to young professionals pursuing arts administration careers. Elizabeth Mahaffey was dedicated to nurturing arts administrators, and the fellowship was established when she retired after more than 20 years of dedicated service at the Connecticut Commission on the Arts.
This fellowship helps people pursue professional development opportunities that will advance their careers in arts administration. These administrators are responsible for the business operations of an arts organization, such as staff management, public relations, marketing, budget/fiscal management, board development, fundraising, and program development.
Applicants may request up to $2,500. There is no predetermined number of fellowships to be awarded: The Connecticut Office of the Arts determines how many are awarded, although COA usually awards 2-3 fellowships per year.

Eligibility

You can apply for this fellowship if you:are a Connecticut resident,
are an arts administrator or an individual who aspires to become an arts administrator, and
have a minimum of two (2) years and less than ten (10) years of experience in the arts, not necessarily in the field of arts administration.Recipients may use the funds for costs directly related to professional development activities. Examples include:Tuition or registration fees for workshops, conferences, and training.
Fees to work directly with a consultant or career coach
Travel and hotel costs associated with attending a workshop, conference, or training

Ineligibility

Ineligible expenses include:The applicant’s regular salary or wages
General operating costs of the arts organization they work for