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Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training (DILT)

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Funding Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training (DILT)

Status: Active program (2024 applications closed as of extraction date)

Geographic Scope: National (United States)

Program Description:
DILT is a mentee-driven national dance mentorship and leadership development program designed to build leadership and resiliency skills of early-career dance leaders representing the vast scope of the national dance community.

Focus Areas:

  • Leadership development and professional advancement

  • Mentorship between established and early-career leaders

  • Self-direction and self-reflection

  • Networking and exposure to field opportunities

    • Target Population:
    Specific focus on supporting individuals who identify as:

  • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)

  • Disabled

  • Queer, transgender, agender, gender fluid, genderqueer

    • Eligibility:

  • Early-career dance leaders (mentees)

  • Established dance leaders (mentors)

  • Open to all regardless of Dance/USA membership status

  • Represent the vast scope of the national dance community

    • Program Structure:

  • Virtual format (as of 2024)

  • 6-month duration (March-September 2024)

  • One-on-one mentorship relationships

  • Monthly mentor-mentee meetings (2 hours minimum)

  • Cohort calls: kickoff call, closeout call, and four Zoom check-in meetings

  • Optional site visits to mentor locations

    • History:

  • Launched as pilot in 2011

  • Formalized as DILT in 2012 with American Express Foundation and Mellon Foundation support

  • Evolved in 2015 to focus on supporting emerging leaders of color and addressing inequity in dance ecosystem

    • Funding Support:

  • The Mellon Foundation

  • The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation

  • Doris Duke Foundation

  • The Harkness Foundation

  • National Endowment for the Arts

  • The Shubert Foundation

  • The Wallace Foundation

    • Contact:
    Questions: danceusa@danceusa.org

    How to Apply

    Application Process

    Applications for 2024 are closed. Information about future application cycles to be announced on Dance/USA website.

      Program Timeline (2024 example)

    • Program Launch: March 2024
    • Program Conclusion: September 2024
    • Cohort Calls: Kickoff call at launch, closeout call at conclusion, plus four Zoom check-in meetings scheduled throughout program
    • Mentee-Mentor Meetings: Monthly one-on-one meetings scheduled and driven by mentees (2 hours minimum per month)

    Program Elements

    1. Cohort Calls
    - Virtual format via Zoom
    - Two check-in meetings for mentees
    - Two check-in meetings for mentors
    - Purpose: cultivate community, track relationship progress, identify common interests, address questions/concerns
    - Guest speakers may be invited to address topics of interest

    2. Monthly Mentee-Mentor Meetings
    - Consistent one-on-one communication required
    - Two hours minimum per month
    - Scheduled and driven by mentee
    - Recommended tools for geographically dispersed pairs: Zoom, Google Meet, or alternative communication methods

    3. Optional Site Visits
    - Mentees may visit mentor's location
    - Not required
    - Arranged based on mentee interest and logistics

    Application Requirements (based on historical information)

    For Mentees:

  • Early-career dance leaders

  • Commitment to 6-month program

  • Availability for monthly mentee-mentor meetings

  • Interest in specific areas of professional development

    • For Mentors:

  • Established dance leaders

  • Availability for monthly mentoring

  • Willingness to provide guidance and support

  • Alignment with mentee goals and interests

    • Selection Process

    • Limited number of mentee-mentor pairs matched
    • Matching based on:
      • - Experience level - Area of interest - Geographic location - Professional affiliations
    • Mentees selected first, then mentors identified and matched
    • Selection made by Dance/USA DILT Selection Panel
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    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    dancementoringbipoclgbtqdisabled

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