Continuing the discussion of interesting and inspirational grant-writing examples, here's a piece from photographer Garry Winogrand's Guggenheim fellowship application, 1963:
I look at the pictures I have done up to now, and they make me feel that who we are and how we feel and what is to become of us just doesn't matter. Our aspirations and successes have been cheap and petty. I read the newspapers, the columnists, some books, I look at some magazines (our press). They all deal in illusions and fantasies. I can only conclude that we have lost ourselves, and that the bomb may finish the job permanently, and it just doesn't matter, we have not loved life … I cannot accept my conclusions, and so I must continue this photographic investigation further and deeper. This is my project.
Found and forwarded by Leslie.