A) Overview --

 

The Foundation supports only not-for-profit performing arts organizations based in and incorporated in New York City, principally (but not exclusively) in the Borough of Manhattan.  It does not award 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 pre-professional conservatory and developmental programs in New York City dedicated exclusively to those pursuing 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.  All professional producing applicants must pay appropriate levels of compensation to artists.  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’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 2025-26 funding is 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 2025-26, the Committee will participate in four grant review cycles that begin on September 4, 2025, December 1, 2025, March 2, 2026 and June 1, 2026.   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 electronic grants portal no later than 5PM on one of the above dates.  

The determination letters sent to all performing arts organizations that applied to the Samuels Foundation in FY25 mentioned that they may reapply one year after the date of their 2024-25 submission.  Other 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.

Please be aware that the Foundation’s performing arts budget is extremely limited.  Grant increases will be unlikely for most returning grantees, and we expect that few additional organizations will be added to our roster in 2025-26.

The receipt of each application received by the Foundation will be confirmed by return e-mail.  Within approximately eight weeks of the 2025-6 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 on the date of their most recently assigned application 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 items listed below.  The Foundation does not share any submitted application material with other funding sources or data banks.

 

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

            *  Current organizational, artistic and financial challenges.  

                        [-- Please note that communicating the key institutional issues faced by the

                        applicant at this difficult time is of crucial importance to the Foundation's grant review.  

                        The purpose of the narrative is not to restate what we already know about an organization's

                        work though press releases and season brochures.  Inadequate narratives may be rejected

                        and will compromise funding prospects.]

            *  A brief statement of the organization's history and artistic mission.

            *  A brief statement of the organization's most recent artistic achievements 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 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, a) the number of productions “enhanced” by any source in

               2024-25 and 2025-26, 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 2024-25 and 2025-26.

 

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 or institutional tax return is NOT a valid substitute.

     Organizations that cannot provide an independent financial audit or review at the time of filing will be

     ineligible for support.)

 

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

 

Note: 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.  Please do not include any links, as our staff will not click on them.

 

 

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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, its subsequent producing seasons, and the current climate of political and economic stress. 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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