When you go to Altria’s website, it’s not as easy as you’d think to find the link to the Grant Programs. You have to move the cursor over “Responsibility” and click on the alliterative and diplomatic heading “Contributions and Communities.” You can then click on “Focus Areas” and go to “Arts” and then, finally, to “Grant Programs” where you will be greeted by the following message: In 2006, Altria Group will not be conducting an arts request for proposal (RFP). In this focus area, we will be making second payments to the organizations that received two-year grants in 2005. As it is almost the end of 2006, I sent an email via the “Contact Us” page inquiring about arts funding in 2007, and this was the reply I received: Thank you for contacting the Altria family of companies. All of our grant making in 2007 will be by invitation-only and limited to organizations with whom we have a funding history. We sincerely wish you all the best in your fundraising efforts.
I am concerned and intrigued by this unfortunate news, and I intend to research this issue further in order to find out why Altria isn’t funding any new prospects. If any of you out there in cyberland have any knowledge, please let us all know.