Production grants fund the creation of new dance work that will tour nationally by supporting costs incurred through the artistic development of the work.

These grants are highly competitive and are awarded to approximately 20 projects annually. Grants generally range from $25,000 to $40,000. To date, Production grants have supported 231 new works by 161 artists and dance companies. 

Because NDP views distribution and engagement as essential to the vitality of the dance field, projects supported by Production grants also receive Touring support for the season following the work’s creation.

 

General Process & Timeline

The Production grant selection process is divided into two rounds:

ROUND 1

• March 2, 2010: Production grant applications submitted to NEFA.
• May 2010: Production grant finalists are notified and each is paired with one of the NDP Hub Site representatives, who serves as the project’s advocate and assists in developing the full proposal.

ROUND 2

• June 1, 2010: Production grant full proposals submitted to NEFA.
• July 2010: Production grant recipients are notified and announced as eligible for touring support in the following season (June 1, 2011 - August 31, 2012).

 

 Funding Criteria

Projects applying for Production grants should:

• Make possible the creation of regionally or nationally significant work that will tour
• Offer potential to engage audiences
• If appropriate, explore collaborations within and across disciplines
• Involve creative and dynamic partnership with one or more U.S. presenter partners* in the development of the work.
  

* Presenter/artist partnerships are relationships between U.S. presenters and dance artists in the creation of new work, and often in the touring of that work. In the development process, a presenter may provide a variety of resources, including, but not limited to, residency space, audience for work-in-progress showings, administrative guidance or support, marketplace advocacy, tour planning assistance, and the leveraging of additional funds for the project. It is understood that the need and level of assistance between presenting partners and artists varies from artist to artist, but NDP believes strongly in presenter/artist alliances, which can greatly benefit the development and distribution of dance projects.

 

 Eligibility

• Choreographers, artists, and companies are eligible to apply for Production grants. Only one application per artist/group will be accepted
• Projects must have a U.S. presenter partner, as outlined in the funding criteria (below). The presenter partner does not have to be an NDP Hub Site, nor will preference be given to those projects that have Hub Sites involved.
• Artists who have received NDP Production grants for two consecutive cycles are not eligible to apply in the following third cycle (two seasons), but will gain back eligibility in the fourth cycle.

 

 Program Parameters

• NDP can only award grants to organizations with nonprofit status. Production grants may be paid either directly to an incorporated dance company and/or to a fiscal agent (such as the presenter partner)
• Artists receiving an NDP Production grant in any given season are not eligible to apply for another NDP grant in the following season. Once an artist has completed the NDP-supported tour of the project, that artist may again be eligible for another NDP Production grant.
• Work on the project must occur in the season the grant is awarded. The work should be completed and ready to tour in the U.S. the following season. In some instances, and only with prior consent from NDP, touring support may be deferred for one season.

 

Grant Instructions & Forms

GRANT DEADLINES 

• March 2, 2010: Production grant applications submitted to NEFA online
• June 1, 2010: Production grant full proposal submitted to NEFA online

 

ONLINE GRANTING

APPLY USING NEFA'S ONLINE GRANT FORMS

If you are unable to apply online, please contact Julia Marx at jmarx@nefa.org.

 

PDF FORMS
* All PDF downloads require Adobe Reader software. If you have trouble downloading or typing into grant forms, please contact NEFA.

2009 NDP AWARDS
NDP PRODUCTION APPLICATION (This is a sample form; apply online by clicking the orange button above.)
NDP WORK SAMPLE FORM
NDP PRODUCTION FULL PROPOSAL & WORK SAMPLE FORM (for international applicants)
NDP PRODUCTION EVALUATION