A) Overview --

 

The Foundation supports only not-for-profit performing arts organizations based in New York City, principally (but not exclusively) in the Borough of Manhattan.  It does not give grants to organizations outside New York City, to individual artists, broadcast programs, spoken word, arts-in-education initiatives, workshop endeavors, national arts service initiatives, or media/visual arts projects related to stage performance.  Only publicly supported organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code may submit applications.  The Foundation does not make grants to fiscal agents for the benefit of individual artists, special initiatives, start-up projects, or emerging organizations that are not already publicly supported and tax-exempt.  Requests for special development campaigns, building projects, or endowment support are not considered.

 

In accordance with the wishes of its founders, the Foundation’s primary mission is to support New York City’s large-scale dance, music, opera and theatre companies of national and international importance.  Continuing that legacy, the Foundation provides major funding to many of the constituent organizations based at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.  In addition, the Foundation also sustains commitments to a broader range of New York City’s not-for-profit performing arts producing and presenting organizations.  This support is directed primarily at established institutions that have the expertise, knowledge, capacity, and artistic judgment to offer traditional work, new creations, or a varied repertoire that enhances the aesthetic and intellectual life of New York City. 

 

The Foundation also provides grants to an extremely limited number of conservatory and development programs in New York City dedicated to young professionals seeking full-time careers in the performing arts.  Applications are not accepted for support of arts-in-education programs at the primary and secondary school level.

 

The Foundation generally directs funding towards a roster of established local arts institutions whose grants are usually sustained from year to year.  When funds are available to expand the roster, an important part of the Foundation’s mission is to also support noteworthy emerging organizations in New York City that stage performances regularly and contribute to a greater understanding of New York’s creative sectors and diverse cultures.

 

Most performing arts requests to the Samuels Foundation are for general operating support, although we also accept proposals for targeted creative projects, or local season support from New York City performing arts organizations that might otherwise be on tour.  Application review meetings with Foundation staff are not required, but arts organizations that have not previously applied are encouraged to send a brief email inquiry to the Samuels Foundation Manager of Program Administration, Colette Lui [clui@samuels.org], prior to filing, to confirm that their request will match our guidelines. 

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The Foundation maintains an open door policy for inquiries, and welcomes new applications that fit within our guidelines from the diverse sectors of New York City’s performing arts community.  However, it is important that all applicants be aware that the Foundation receives many more requests for support than it could ever fund, and for that reason most first-time grant applications are not successful.  Even though 2024-25 funding will be unlikely for groups not already on our performing arts roster, we are always interested in learning about additional organizations that match our priorities. 

 

The Foundation’s Board of Directors maintains a standing Performing Arts Committee that reviews all grant proposals prior to action by the full Board.  During 2024-25, the Committee will participate in four grant review cycles that will begin on September 3, 2024, December 2, 2024, March 3, 2025 and June 2, 2025.  For a grant application to be eligible for consideration at a specific meeting of the Committee, a complete application [see below] must be submitted to the Foundation via its online grants portal no later than 5PM on one of the above dates. 

 

The grant letters sent to all performing arts organizations that applied to the Samuels Foundation during FY24 mentioned that they may reapply one year after the date of their 2023-24 submission.  Organizations that are applying to us for the first time, or reapplying after an absence of several years may select one of the four dates above for their submission.  In those instances, please email Colette Lui [clui@samuels.org] for information about accessing the Foundation’s online grants portal.  Grant applications may be submitted only via the online grants portal.

 

Please be aware that our performing arts budget remains tight.  Grant increases will be unlikely for most returning grantees, and we expect that few additional organizations will be added to our roster in 2024-25.

 

The receipt of each application received by the Foundation will be confirmed by return e-mail.  Within approximately eight weeks of the 2024-25 September, December, March or June filing dates, applicants will be informed by e-mail whether their grant application has been approved, declined, or postponed for further consideration at a future Committee meeting.  Whether an application is ultimately accepted or rejected, organizations may apply only once within any 12-month period, beginning in the month of their most recent application filing date. 

 

 

B)  Materials to be included with all application submissions, whether for new or renewed grants --

 

All performing arts grant applications must include EACH of the following items:

 

1)  A narrative description, not exceeding three pages, that succinctly covers the applicant organization’s

            *  Current organizational, artistic and financial challenges.  

                        [-- Please note that our understanding of the ongoing institutional issues faced by each

                        applicant is of particular importance.  The purpose of the narrative is not to restate what we

                        have already read about the applicant organization though press releases and season

                        brochures.]

            *  Artistic mission.

            *  Artistic achievements, recent activities, and future plans.

            *  The amount of the annual operating budget.

            *  A description of the activity for which general operating or project funding is requested.

            *  For all theatre companies:   If the applicant theatre has received or expects to receive production

               “enhancement” or commercial underwriting/investment of its productions, please include for both

               the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, a) the number of productions “enhanced” by any source in

               2023-24 and 2024-25, whether corporate or individual, with regard to future rights, income and

               commercial intent;  and b) the total amount of “enhancement money” received by the applicant

               theatre in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.

 

2)  A list of the applicant organization’s principal individual and institutional funders.

 

3)  A list of the names and affiliations of the applicant organization’s Board members.

 

4)  Brief biographies of the applicant organization’s principal artistic and managerial staff.

 

5)  The organizational budgets (plus the project budget, if applicable) for both the current and previous fiscal year.

 

6)  A copy of the applicant organization’s most recent audited financial statement or review.  (NOTE:  The

     Foundation is unable to accept applications that do not include a recent independent financial audit or

     review.  Submitting an IRS 990 tax form is NOT a valid substitute.)

 

7)  A copy of the applicant organization’s 501(c)(3) tax exemption letter from the Internal Revenue Service.

 

Supplemental materials such as brochures, video, sound clips, or published annual reports, etc. are welcome but not required, and may be submitted with your application. 

 

 

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As we have said for many years, all of us at Samuels know how hard people in the arts work and how much is sacrificed in pursuit of artistic mission – never more than during the pandemic crisis and its subsequent seasons. This has been a time of extraordinary challenges for everyone in the field, and the Samuels Foundation respects the intensity of shifting efforts and commitments demanded by each passing week.  Despite the hardship, losses – and successes – ahead, we look forward to seeing our community thrive.

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