National Dance Project Grants provide funding to artists/companies to create new dance works and touring subsidies to the U.S. organizations who bring those works to their communities.
Now in its third decade, National Dance Project is widely recognized as one of the country’s major sources of funding and field building for dance. NDP has invested more than $38.5 million in funding primarily to support the creation and touring of new dance works, as well as other initiatives, including production residencies and regionally focused professional development for dance artists.
Production Grants are awarded to 20 dance projects annually through a competitive two-stage application process. Artists/choreographers and/or companies apply to receive a package of support that includes:
- $45,000 for the creation of a new work
- $10,000 in general operating support for the artist/company
- $11,500 for production residency and/or community engagement plans
- up to $35,000 to support a U.S.* tour** of the work
Creation funds and general operating funds are paid directly to the artist/company or their fiscal sponsor to cover expenses related to making the new dance work during the creation period (defined as the period from the receipt of funds to the premiere of the work). Works may not premiere before October 1, 2021.
Production residency and/or community engagement funds are also paid directly to the artist/company or their fiscal sponsor and may only be used to
- Cover the costs of activities that support the full realization of the new dance work during a residency experience, and/or
- Cover costs related to deepening relationships with existing communities or engaging new communities via activities directly related to the new work.
The $35,000 reserved for each work’s U.S. tour is distributed by the artist/company to U.S.-based organizations to subsidize a presentation of the NDP-funded work, and must be used during the work’s NDP touring period.
The NDP touring period for projects that receive a 2021 Production Grant:
- January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2025
The Production Grant selection process is divided into two rounds:
Preliminary Round:
- Early/Mid-January: Preliminary NDP Production Grant application available.
- 11:59 PM EST, March 1, 2021: Preliminary NDP Production Grant application deadline.
- Late April/Early May: Applicants are notified of preliminary decisions. Finalists are invited to submit a full proposal and are paired with an NDP Advisor who will guide applicants through full proposal development.
Full Proposal Round
- Late April/Early May: NDP Production Grant request application available.
- June 7, 2021, 11:59 PM EST: NDP Production request application deadline.
- August: NEFA announces NDP Production Grant recipients.
- September: NDP Awards publication available.
We look forward to our next preliminary deadline in March 2022.
Full Proposal Process for Finalists
Useful Information to know if your NDP Preliminary proposal moves to the Finalist (Full Proposal) round.
- All eligible applicants are notified by email by the end of April if their project has moved forward to the Finalist round.
- Finalists are announced publicly on NEFA’s blog in May.
- Finalists are paired with a NDP advisor panelist who helps in preparing the full proposal; this assistance may include discussion of the project and new developments, reading narrative answers, budget development, and work sample feedback. Advisors present the full application at the final Proposal meeting in June. NEFA staff is also available and ready to work with you on your proposal development and answer any questions about the form or process.
- The full proposal form asks for a minimum of three organizations that are strongly interested or committed to bringing the finished project on tour to their communities. These organizations should agree to be listed as such in the Full Proposal. NDP does not require signed contracts at any time during the application or award process.
- The full proposal form asks for a five (5) minute work sample (Vimeo with downloadable capabilities or Google Drive). This can include up to three selections of at least one minute in length but should not be a promotional video. NDP staff can provide guidance on this.
- Work sample submissions cannot exceed five (5) minutes. Submissions over five (5) will be watched to the five (5) minute mark, and not longer.
- First-time Production grantees are invited to participate in a cohort gathering taking place over two days. This meeting will offer professional development and networking opportunities with fellow grantees, experienced NDP Advisors, and other field representatives. The possibility of convening in person in late 2021 or early 2022 is currently being considered. If in-person convening is not possible, the gathering will take place virtually.
- Finalists who do not receive a Production Grant receive a Finalist Award to acknowledge the time and expenses required to go through the full proposal process.
- NDP staff is available during the application process to answer your questions, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST Mon-Fri.
