Maya Austin

OVERVIEW: Oversee and manage the growth and development of projects under the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Endowment.

• Develop and maintain relationships with California Native Tribes and Native-Led organizations
• Manage the planning, development and implementation of the Graton Fellowship and Graton Collab Artist Opportunity
• Oversee the continued growth of the endowment and develop new programs to support California Native Filmmakers
• Conduct 1:1 meetings with all fellows and artists receiving support through endowment
• Curate a program of support though Sundance Collab to support the artists professional or project development.

OVERVIEW: Created a slate of programming focused on contemporary Indigenous Storytellers with a primary focus of featuring California Native Filmmakers.

• Collaborated with artists and other institutions for diverse and enriching programming, attracting a wider audience.
• Reviewed grant proposals, journal articles, blog posts, and institutional reports.
• Collaborated with local artists to showcase contemporary art, promoting cultural diversity and raising visibility of practicing California Native Filmmakers.

OVERVIEW: Served a central role in integrating and supporting First Peoples Fund (FPF) programs to grow the Indigenous Arts Ecology nationally.

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Oversaw development and growth of the Indigenous Arts Ecology (IAE) through programs, including all services, systems, and relationships
• Supervised program staff to develop objective performance measurements across all programs to ensure consistent, high-quality evaluation and goal setting for all program areas.
• Working at the tribal level, collaborated with local nonprofit partner leadership, FPF Network, and Culture bearers to develop culturally responsive programming.
• Identified arts ecosystems and artist networks to initiate community-driven programs that activate and include artists and culture bearers.

IMPACT:

• Curated a program of six short films thematically aligned with We The Peoples Before, a three-day event celebrating the 25th Anniversary of First Peoples Fund.
• Developed an artist incubator grant to support pre-emergent Native Artists based in select regions.

OVERVIEW: Managed the State of California's investment in the creative and cultural sectors through a portfolio of grants, which provide support to arts and culture organizations with an emphasis in relationship building and program planning with California’s Native artist community.

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Developed and administered discrete grant programs that serve arts and culture organizations, individual artists, and cultural practitioners.
• Created and prepared reports for Council members on issues and policies affecting arts and funding for the arts.
• Maintained and managed full timeline of grant administration from application through final reporting and compliance.
• Served as program lead for individual projects of the California Arts Council and coordinated assignments of junior staff and volunteers.
• Led collaboration with the Governor's Office of the Tribal Advisor and the California Arts Council to hold a convening of Native Artists and cultural practitioners

IMPACT:

• Designed and initiated the detailed planning process, request for proposal (RFP), and community stakeholder engagement strategy for the Fall 2021- Native Artists and Cultural Practitioners convening.
• Provided ongoing training and support to new staff members, including protocol, policies, and procedures.
• Collaborated with program staff to strategize and design a rollout of all 17 grant programs to bring the Agency in alignment with the fiscal year and statewide budget.
• Improved program design and outreach strategies for 2019-2020 grant cycle.
• CAC saw an increase of 17% in applications from geographically diverse regions of the state.

OVERVIEW: Provided technical training and project guidance to Council Members of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe.

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Developed and led a three-day curriculum around story development and centered on Indigenous filmmakers.

OVERVIEW: Managed Sundance's investment in Indigenous filmmakers by identifying and supporting their project development while also overseeing outreach, programmatic strategy, program budget, and project grants.

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Identified, supported, and developed emerging Indigenous talent globally while serving as an ambassador for Sundance Institute.
• Maintained oversight of 24+ filmmakers annually and their films at various stages of development and production through critical feedback, deadlines, and stage-specific funding and support.
• Analyzed and evaluated Managed budget of $750K for project and artistic development efforts and maximized resources by cultivating partnerships.
• Supervised three additional team members, which included developing job descriptions and conducting quarterly performance reports.
• Led and managed grant processes, including open call process, cultivation, evaluation, and assessment.

IMPACT:

• Refined interviewing and application processes based on the needs of diverse tribal communities.
• Guided partnerships with numerous tribes and Indigenous communities globally to produce public programs and artist workshops curated to community needs.
• Worked interdepartmentally to analyze and evaluate participant information.
• Defined and designed a continuum of fellowships and strategic support for projects that increased our program's support cycle.

OVERVIEW: Provided creative and fiscal assessments of film proposals in consideration for the Commission's support roster.

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Assessed the skills, relevant experience, creative, technical, and management abilities of the applicant creative team and critical collaborators to determine the viability of the project.
• Determined prospects for both local audiences and in the international film market.

OVERVIEW: Co-instructed a course at UCLA for the American Indian Studies Department.

IMPLEMENTATION:

• The course provided an introduction to the study of Indigenous film and representations, with a focus on selected ethnographic, documentary, animated, and feature films ranging from 1920 to present.

OVERVIEW: Worked closely and built a robust network with Native American tribes to supply them with resources, grants, and programs as part of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Completed program reports for NAGPRA Review Committee and Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, outlining short-and long-term program successes to maintain financial support each year.
• Developed and led multiple webinars discussing the grant application process and program processes for Native American tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, federal agencies, and museums.

IMPACT:

• Managed $1.2M in grants per year, streamlining applicant processes to increase grant approval rates among Indigenous communities.
• Provided monthly grant and administration status reports to the program manager.
• Oversaw communications between grantees and staff, delegated tasks and completed internal reports regarding grantees.