My union negotiated to get us more money. It pays adjuncts up to $2,500 a year to fund their projects and seems to be completely non-competitive. I almost never apply for anything but the one thing I do apply for and get every year is a part-time faculty development grant from Columbia College Chicago where I teach. Artists should have a section on their CV where they list grants they could have easily gotten but didn’t apply for because they are privileged enough that they don’t need the money as much as someone else. If you don’t truly need the money, don’t ask for it. Try to avoid competing with other artists for resources. I’ve been using some random dead person’s staples for years because I bought their staple hoard. Buy the dead person’s extra tape and staples and rulers and scissors. Go to estate sales and look for the home office in the house. Be like a wacko survivalist prepper, but for office supplies. You can store your extra reams of paper under your bed or on top of your kitchen cabinets if necessary. Make publications that have a consistent size so you can purchase cardboard mailers in bulk and get a discount on them. ROY FUCKING MOORE? CHECK FUCKING CHECK! Tear up their catalogs and use them as packing material to protect your books. Seriously, they give money to everyone horrible.
Boycott terrible right wing fuckers like ULINE. Look out for neighbors who just bought new furniture-it’s usually wrapped in miles of packing material you can use for shipping books. Find bubble wrap and other packing materials in the trash.