Editorial Cartoonists Group Seeks Funds Beyond Herb Block Grant

By: Dave Astor The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists has used a lot of the $150,000 Herb Block Foundation grant it received in 2004 to improve its EditorialCartoonists.com site. But what happens when that money runs out?

To increase its chances of getting other grants, the AAEC is setting up an Editorial Cartoonists Initiative (ECI) group that would be separate from the AAEC group. AAEC President/Christian Science Monitor editorial cartoonist Clay Bennett, speaking Thursday at the AAEC convention here, said the AAEC is hoping to receive government approval of the ECI within a few months.

The improvement of EditorialCartoonists.com has given AAECers increased exposure for their cartoons and the opportunity to get more reprint sales. But the site is also designed to bring more attention to editorial cartooning in general and maybe even create additional job opportunities in a shrinking profession.

How might that happen? For one thing, the site links to the "Cartoons for the Classroom" project, which is popular among many teachers and students. Bennett hopes student interest in editorial cartoons might help convince at least some newspapers of the importance of political art.

It's always possible that the AAEC could receive another HBF grant. But if that happens, it might not be until 2010. HBF President Frank Swoboda noted that the foundation usually gives grants no larger than $25,000 -- meaning the AAEC received about six years' worth of grant money in 2004.

Herblock, the legendary editorial cartoonist who died in 2001, left a whopping $50 million or so to start the foundation. He amassed his fortune by buying Washington Post Co. stock and living a modest lifestyle.

Convention co-host Ed Stein, editorial cartoonist for the Denver Rocky Mountain News and United Media, recalled that Herblock was so frugal that he didn't pay for a banquet meal when he attended part of the AAEC's 1987 convention in Washington, D.C. "We found out what he was saving his money for," said Stein. "It's come back to us many times over."

The other convention co-host is Mike Keefe, editorial cartoonist for The Denver Post and Cagle Cartoons. His wife, Anita Austin, handles the many tech responsibilities connected with EditorialCartoonists.com.