Samuels Foundation: Performing Arts Grant

The Samuels Foundation: Performing Arts Grant supports New York City's not-for-profit performing arts organizations, focusing on high-quality productions in dance, music, opera, and theatre. With a commitment to both established and emerging groups, this grant aims to enhance the cultural landscape while maintaining an open-door policy for new applicants. Organizations may apply once a year, and while general operating support is prioritized, proposals for creative projects are also welcomed. Note that funding is limited, and not all applications will be successful.

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.
Performing Arts Grant Guidelines For 2025-26
The Foundation’s core mission in the performing arts is to support the not-for-profit producing and presenting organizations of New York City that deliver the highest quality work on stage in dance, music, opera and theatre regarding both classical legacies and contemporary forms. The Foundation also supports an extremely limited number of pre-professional conservatory and development programs in New York City for early-career artists. In accordance with the wishes of its founders, the Foundation sustains historic levels of support for select constituent organizations of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Having concluded its emergency responses to the Covid pandemic and temporary changes to our application process, the Foundation has fully restored its pre-Covid grantmaking calendar, with four possible ‘due dates’ for the submission of grant applications. Organizations may submit funding requests only once within any given 12-month period.
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.
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.
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.

Eligibility

The Foundation supports only not-for-profit performing arts organizations based in New York City, principally (but not exclusively) in the Borough of Manhattan.Only publicly supported organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code may submit applications. 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.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.

Ineligibility

It does not give grants to organizations outside New York City, to individual artists, broadcast programs, spoken word, arts-in-education initiatives, or media/visual arts projects related to stage performance. 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.Applications are not accepted for support of arts-in-education programs at the primary and secondary school level.Our current grant guidelines do not include support for primary and secondary level arts-in-education programs, broadcasting, spoken word, workshop endeavors, or media/visual arts projects that might relate to live performance. In some years, if funds become available, special project grants might be awarded to address issues such as audience access, preservation, or other topics of importance to the field.