Dance Source Houston Announces Groundwork Grant Program

Contact:
Mollie Haven Miller
Executive Director
Dance Source Houston
713.224.3262
mollie@dancesourcehouston.org

Dance Source Houston Announces Groundwork Grant Program

Supporting Small to Mid-Sized Dance Companies and Fiscally Sponsored Projects

Houston, TX – Dance Source Houston is excited to announce the Groundwork Grant program, a pilot funding initiative to advance dance makers based in the Greater Houston area, made possible by support from Houston Endowment. The program will award operational grants to small to mid-sized nonprofit dance companies and fiscally sponsored projects to address the lack of funding opportunities for dancemakers. 

Mollie Haven Miller, Dance Source Houston’s Executive Director, says, “The goal of the Groundwork Grant program is to infuse the dance community with much needed funds, thereby advancing the health and resiliency of the sector. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to offer this support and make strides toward a more equitable distribution of funds to dance organizations.”

This initiative is a response to Dance Source Houston’s needs assessment of the local community and culminating report of the data, The State of Houston Dance, which revealed a sector that is struggling financially, while continuing to offer a wide range of dance programming to Houstonians, often made possible by unpaid and underpaid labor of dancers, choreographers and company leaders. The study also noted that, of the responding dance organizations, more than half had annual operating budgets under $100,000 and all reported limited sources for support. 

“Although Houston is home to an extremely vibrant art scene, The State of Houston Dance report starkly outlined the sacrifices many in the dance community make in pursuit of their art form.  The Groundwork Grant program will provide valuable support to address some of the needs outlined in the report while also creating an opportunity to highlight dancemakers for their contribution to our city,” says Dance Source Houston’s Board President, Stephanie Todd Wong.

Groundwork Grants will provide general support awards of $5,000 and $10,000, based upon the age of the organization. Dance Source Houston will open a call for applications in late November. Organizations and fiscally sponsored projects working in all dance genres across the Greater Houston area are encouraged to apply. Two grant workshops will be held in December to provide more information and answer applicants’ questions. The deadline for submissions is January 17, 2020, at 6pm CST. 

There will be a simultaneous call for panelists to jury applications. Members of the dance community are encouraged to apply for panelist consideration. 

More information about the Groundwork Grant will be available at dancesourcehouston.org.  

About Dance Source Houston

Dance Source Houston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the diverse individuals and organizations working in the field of dance throughout the Greater Houston region by means of advocacy, inclusive community engagement and support services. Founded in 2005, Dance Source Houston is a resource for all things dance and provides programs and services to address the evolving needs of the local dance community. Dance Source Houston is funded in part by grants from The City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, and Texas Commission on the Arts. www.dancesourcehouston.org

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