CAREER RESOURCES – THEATRE GRANTS
DATABASES
The Foundation Center
Offers a library of resources and some free intro workshops for individual artists.
Website: www.foundationcenter.org
Harvard University Research Administration Services
Database of a variety of grants including links to other databases, private foundations and federal agencies.
Website: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~research/quick_links/funding_opps.html
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is your source to FIND and APPLY for federal grants. Learn more about Grants.gov and determine if you are eligible for grant opportunities offered on this site.
Website: http://grants.gov/
Grant Station
GrantStation is an online funding resource for organizations seeking grants throughout the world. Providing access to a comprehensive online database of grantmakers, as well as other valuable tools, GrantStation can help your organization make smarter, better-informed fundraising decisions.
Website: http://grantstation.com/
Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center
May have some resources. Stop by and ask a reference librarian.
Website: http://www.nypl.org/locations/lpa
FISCAL SPONSORSHIP
Fiscal sponsorship organizations are organizations that lend their non-profit status to artists so they can solicit tax-deductible donations from individual and corporate sponsors. One such organization is called Fractured Atlas, although there are others as well.
INDIVIDUAL THEATRE GRANTS
LMDA Dramaturgy Grant
Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas offers seed money to support projects conceived, spearheaded, and/or orchestrated by LMDA member dramaturgs. This $500 grant is designed to support unique and innovative projects that are ‘driven’ by dramaturgs.
Website: http://lmda.org/grants
LMDA Residency Program
LMDA offers a $2,000 stipend for a dramaturgical residency within a theater project, program and/or community that seeks an on-site dramaturgical presence but is unable to fund a dramaturg at this time.
Website: http://lmda.org/grants
LMDA Elliott Hayes Award
The LMDA Prize in Dramaturgy awards $500 in recognition of exemplary contributions by dramaturgs to the conception, development and production of theatre or to educational projects in dramaturgy in the Americas over the past two years.
Website: http://lmda.org/grants
METLIFE/TCG A-ha! Program
A program for TCG member theatres that supports creative thinking and action in two ways: Think It grants ($25,000) give theatre professionals the time and space for research and development, Do It grants ($50,000) support the implementation and testing of new ideas.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/aha/aha_index.cfm
Alan Schneider Director Award
The Alan Schneider Director Award was established in honor of Alan Schneider’s significant contribution to the American theatre and his lifelong concern for the development of career opportunities for freelance directors.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/schneider/aschneid_index.cfm
NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Theatre Directors
The program offers six exceptionally talented, early-career theatre directors the opportunity to spend six months over a two-year period expanding their artistic boundaries and increasing their knowledge of the field. Each experience is hand-tailored, matching recipients’ goals to appropriate and challenging assignments.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/cdpdirect/cdp_dir_index.cfm
NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Designers
The program offers six exceptionally talented, early-career theatre designers the opportunity to spend six months over a two-year period developing their design skills, expanding their artistic boundaries and increasing their knowledge of the field. Each experience is hand-tailored, matching recipients’ goals to appropriate and challenging assignments.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/cdpdesign/cdp_des_index.cfm
Global Connections
The Global Connections program was designed by TCG and is funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. US-based theatre organizations and individual artists may apply to one of the two initiatives of this new program:
Global Connections—On the Road: This initiative will award 12 grants of up to $6,000 each to foster new relationships with international colleagues that will inspire each other’s work and aesthetics by creating opportunities for cultural exchange.
Global Connections—In the Lab: This initiative will award six grants of $10,000 each to further pre-existing international collaborations by supporting residencies that either advance the development of a piece or explore elements leading up to a full production.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/global_connections/
New Generations Program
The New Generations Program was designed by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and TCG. Round 11 of this program is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
The New Generations Program offers three objectives:
Objective #1: Future Leaders – Emerging leaders in all areas of the theatre field are mentored by accomplished theatre professionals at a host theatre. $80,000 ($40,000/nine-month period) will be paid to the theatre in support of an eighteen-month mentorship with up to an additional $10,000 available to the mentee either to defray outstanding student loan debt or to meet unique costs incurred when an international mentee is selected.
Objective #2: Future Audiences – Theatres with a successful track record of reaching age-specific, culturally specific and/or underserved communities will receive a matching grant of up to $65,000 ($32,500/year) to support the development or expansion of technology aimed at cultivating a diverse audience. Up to $5,000 in additional funding will be available to help recipients transition out of the program.
Objective #3: Future Collaborations – A geographically unrestricted grant of up to $6,000 will be paid to theatres and individual theatre professionals to facilitate international collaboration by way of hosting or traveling abroad. The Future Collaborations objective is funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/newgen/newgen_index.cfm
Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships
The Fox Fellowships are awarded to actors in two categories: Early to mid-career actors who have completed their training within the last fifteen years; and Actors who have demonstrated considerable experience in professional theatre, with a substantial body of work. The program will bestow a total of four fellowships per year in both categories combined.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/fox/fox_index.cfm
The Jim Henson Foundation Grants
The Jim Henson Foundation awards grants each year for the creation and development of innovative works of puppet theater. Project grants of $5,000 are awarded for the continued development and production of new works ready to be presented in the coming year. Seed grants of $2,000 are for the development and workshopping of pieces in earlier stages of creation. Seed grants and Project grants can be combined over a two year period for the greatest benefit to the piece; keep in mind, however, that a Project grant does not need to be proceeded by a Seed grant and a Seed grant in no way ensures a future Project grant. Family show grants of $3,000 fund the development of new and innovative work specifically for children, families, and teenagers. Please keep in mind that Family show grants will be evaluated by the same high artistic standards as works for adults.
Website: http://www.hensonfoundation.org/index.php?nav=guidelines
American Theatre Bay Area Commissioning Fund
American Theatre will continue to establish and/or strengthen ongoing professional relationships with selected arts writers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The program is designed to bring Bay Area theatres and artists to national attention—by broadening and deepening the magazine’s coverage of theatre activities and issues in the region—and to heighten visibility for the region as a whole.
Website: http://www.tcg.org/grants/bacf/bacf_index.cfm
NEFA American Masterpieces: Dance
As the dance component of a major initiative of the NEA to acquaint Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy, AMD celebrates the extraordinary and rich evolution of dance and choreography in the United States. The three-year agreement to establish AMD has resulted in 45 select projects (both Reconstruction and Touring grants) and over 100 performances, tours, and educational programs that have reached large and small communities throughout the United States.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/american_masterpieces_dance
NEFA Center Stage Program
Center StageSM is an international exchange program that will bring performing artists from around the globe to tour throughout the U.S. in 2012. The program is an effort to demonstrate respect and understanding of cultures by bringing international performing artists to the U.S. so that Americans can grow in their appreciation and understanding of other nations, while providing opportunities to international performers.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/center_stage
NEFA National Dance Project
NEFA’s National Dance Project (NDP) was launched in 1996 to encourage the creation of new work in dance that would be shared with audiences in communities throughout the United States.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/national_dance_project
NEFA National Theater Pilot
The National Theater Pilot explores creating a system of support for professional artist-led collaborative theater. Award size will depend upon the needs of each project and will range from $80,000-$130,000, including support for development, evaluation, and touring.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/national_theater_pilot
NEFA Native Arts
NEFA’s Native Arts program supports Native American artists and organizations in New England and nationally through grantmaking and network development.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/native_arts
NEFA New England Presenting & Touring
With its origins in New England, NEFA maintains a core group of programs specifically serving the New England region, from which both national and international programs have evolved. Current regional performing arts programs support the presenting and touring of performing arts in the region, projects with New England-based composers, and travel for New England arts presenters to see the work of artists that they may present in their own communities.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/new_england_presenting_touring
NEFA Public Art
NEFA supports the field of public art through professional development, networking and grantmaking. Whether you’re an artist, nonprofit organization, community member or public art supporter, NEFA’s public art program has something for you.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/public_art
NEFA Research
NEFA strengthens and supports the creative sector by providing tools and information which build the intellectual assets of the cultural community. NEFA’s research and knowledge-sharing inform cultural decision-making and program development, and ultimately, enhance public understanding of how the arts contribute to the vitality of communities.
Website: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/research
Mass Cultural Council Adams Arts Program
Support through the disbursement of cultural economic development grants including grants for cultural activities that have the capacity to revitalize communities, stimulate income, create or enhance jobs, and attract tourism.
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/adamsarts.asp
Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowships
Fellowships to artists in recognition of exceptional work.
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/artistfellows.asp
Mass Cultural Council Big Yellow School Bus
Provides grants to help schools meet the costs of providing educational field trips to cultural institutions and events across the Commonwealth.
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/bigyellow.asp
Mass Cultural Council Cultural Facilities Fund
An initiative of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the goal of the Fund is to increase investments from both the public sector and the private sector to support the sound planning and development of cultural facilities in Massachusetts.
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/facilities/facilities.htm
Mass Cultural Council Cultural Investment Portfolio
A fresh approach to unrestricted funding for nonprofit arts, humanities, and interpretive science organizations. Not a traditional grant program, but a partnership that will better position the cultural sector as vital components of Massachusetts’ economy and the quality of life of our citizens.
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/cultural_investment_portfolio.asp
Mass Cultural Council Local Cultural Council Fund
Local Cultural Councils serving every city and town in Massachusetts offer grants to projects benefiting their community (including the PASS Program).
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/lccgrants.asp
Mass Cultural Council STARS Residencies
Grants to schools for residencies of 3 days or more with teaching artists, scientists, scholars, or cultural organizations.
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/residency.asp
Mass Cultural Council Traditional Arts Apprenticeships
A part of the Folk Arts and Heritage Program, apprenticeships support the teaching of traditional arts that are specific to a particular folk group or ethnic community.
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/apprenticeships.asp
Mass Cultural Council Youth Reach
Multi-year grants for partnerships that provide substantive arts activities for young people “at-risk.”
Website: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/youthreach.asp