Dance Advancement Fund
Call for Proposals

 

New York, NY (For Release May 31, 2017) — Dance/NYC invites New York City metropolitan area dance groups with budgets of less than $1 million to submit proposals for two-year general support awards of $5,000–$15,000 annually, from October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2019.

The purpose of the funding initiative is to address the inequitable distribution of resources in the dance field, which has been underscored by Dance/NYC research, including State of NYC Dance and Workforce Demographics. Through its strategic support of small-budget dance groups, the initiative will not only advance the segment’s artistic development and delivery but also contribute to the field’s overall diversity, sustainability, resilience, and health.

Eligibility Requirements and Priorities

Eligible applicants must:

• Self-identify as dance makers focused on the creation and performance of dance, with a history of at least three years of local dance-making activity;
• Be headquartered in the metropolitan New York City area, including the five boroughs of New York City, as well as Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties in New York State, and Bergen and Hudson counties in New Jersey;
• Have an annual expense budget between $25,000–$1 million for FY 2015 (actual), 2016 (actual), and 2017 (forecasted); and
• Provide proof of 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsorship status for at least three years.

Dance/NYC seeks to award grants to approximately 25 dance makers. Priority in grant selection will be given to applicants who demonstrate to a review panel:

• Above all, artistic excellence and clear artistic vision;
• A dedication to sustaining practice beyond the two-year grant period, with a well-articulated narrative for how the funds will help advance the organization, and a willingness to share learning with the field;
• A commitment to the values of equity and inclusion;
• Demonstrated organizational and financial health, regardless of budget size, and a commitment to paying artists; and
• A diversity of organizational types and perspectives. Preference will be given to:
  (a) dance makers headquartered outside Manhattan;
  (b) organizations artistically led or otherwise producing work by African, Latina/o/x, Asian, Arab and Native American (ALAANA) and/or women and/or disabled artists.

Funds will not be designated to individual artists (without a fiscal sponsor), educational institutions, presenters, festivals, or service organizations. Dance/NYC may include a limited number of fiscally sponsored artists and projects (no more than five in its grantee pool). Dance/NYC’s goal in focusing outside Manhattan is to help increase activity in areas that are less saturated with activity and undersupported. Dance/NYC’s aim in considering demographics as a selection criterion is to identify a grantee pool that represents the demographics of residents in the metropolitan area and address misalignments highlighted by Dance/NYC research: in particular, racial homogeneity in the dance workforce and a general absence of disabled artists. The intention is for the grantee pool to be majority ALAANA-led and majority female-led, and include disabled artists.

Grants will be awarded for general support from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2019.  Amounts will be determined on a sliding scale based on grantees’ total expense budget range for 2016: $25,000-$99,999; $100,000-$249,999; $250,000-$499,99; and $500,000-$999,999.

This funding initiative is made possible by the generous support of the Ford Foundation. Grantee organizations of Dance/NYC’s Disability. Dance. Artistry. Fund, also made possible by the Ford Foundation, as well as direct recipients of Ford Foundation grants are eligible to apply.

Proposal Specifications

Required materials include:

• Dance Advancement Fund Application
• Advancement Fund Diversity Matrix
• Advancement Fund Financial Information
• Proof of tax-exempt status for at least three years
• Audited financial statements
• Board of directors list

Timeline

Call for proposals release                    May 31, 2017
Optional application webinars            June 13 at 11:00 a.m., June 15 at 3:00 p.m., June 29, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.
Deadline for submission                      July 12, 2017 6:00 p.m.
Panel review                                       Week of September 10, 2017
Award notification                               Week of September 17, 2017
Press release w/grantees                     October 2017
Grant disbursements                          Week of October 1, 2017 (round one)
                                                         October 1, 2018 (round two)
Interim grantee report due                  August 31, 2018
Final grantee reports due                    October 31, 2019

Submission details

Dance/NYC is using an online application portal.  Before completing the application form, interested small-budget dance groups are asked to first complete a series of questions to determine baseline eligibility for the grant program. If eligible, applicants will be prompted to complete the application.

Complete applications, including supplementary materials, must be submitted online no later than 6:00 p.m. on July 12, 2017. Incomplete applications, hard copy submissions, and applications received after the July 12 deadline will not be considered.

Webinars and Questions

To help prospective applicants prepare for and complete the application process, Dance/NYC will hold three optional one-hour webinars. The content of the presentation for the two webinars is identical; applicants are strongly encouraged to attend.

Webinar details

June 13, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at imeet.com
June 15, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at imeet.com
June 29, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at imeet.com
URL: https://imeet.com/dancenyc/danceadvancementfund
Dial in Number: 605-475-5623 Guest Passcode: 422480

If you were unable to join or you have further questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page at Dance.NYC or download the Webinar Slide Deck. Applicants may also submit questions not already addressed on the FAQ page by e-mail to danceadvancementfund@dance.nyc. Please do not contact members of the review panel directly.

Dance/NYC is committed to accessibility and the inclusion of disabled people in its programs. If you need assistance accessing any part of this application, please contact us at danceadvancementfund@dance.nyc.

About Dance/NYC
Dance/NYC’s mission is to promote the knowledge, appreciation, practice, and performance of dance in the metropolitan New York City area. It embeds values of equity and inclusion into all aspects of the organization. It works in alliance with Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance. Visit Dance.NYC for details on Dance/NYC research and programming.

Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions

Webinar Slide Deck

Announcement of Dance Advancement Fund (May 16, 2017)

Fund in the News
"Small and minority-led dance companies get access to new funds," Crain's New York Business, May 18, 2017

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These and all products generated by Dance/NYC for the Dance Advancement Fund are licensed to the public subject to the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.