New Generations Program
The New Generations Program was designed by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and TCG.
The New Generations Program offers three objectives:
Objective #1: Future Leaders - Emerging leaders in the theatre field are mentored by accomplished theatre professionals with a paid mentorship. $76,000 ($38,000/year) will be paid to the theatre in support of the two-year mentorship with an additional $15,000 available to the mentee for student loan repayment.
Objective #2: Future Audiences - A matching grant of up to $65,000 ($32,500/year) will be paid to the theatre in support of the expansion and strengthening of relationships with young, culturally specific, disabled and/or under-served audiences through creative audience cultivation efforts that have proven to be effective.
Objective #3: Future Collaborations - A geographically unrestricted grant of $3,000 will be paid to theatres and individual theatre professionals to facilitate international collaboration by way of hosting or traveling abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are grant recipients chosen?
An independent national panel, chosen from the theatre field, reviews each preliminary proposal. Based on the selection criteria in the guidelines, a smaller number of theatres are invited to submit full applications. Another independent selection panel reviews the full applications and selects grant recipients based on the selection criteria in the application guidelines.
I didn't submit an Online Registration Form. Can I still apply?
Preliminary Proposals will only be accepted from theatres that submit an Online Registration Form. At this time a registration is not required to apply in the Future Collaborations objective.
I'm having trouble downloading the application form. Who do I call?
Contact Michael Francis, 212-609-5900, ext. 252.
My theatre has experienced leadership changes since submitting this application. Are we still eligible?
It depends on the situation. Contact Michael Francis, 212-609-5900, ext. 252, for more information.
Does my theatre have to be a member of TCG to apply?
The New Generations Program is open to all theatres that meet the eligibility requirements in the guidelines.
Do I need to send financial information?
You must submit an audited financial statement. If your theatre's annual operating budget is $500,000 or less, a Form 990 may be submitted.
New Generations Program: Future Leaders
Do I have to have a mentee chosen before I apply?
While you do not have to select a mentee at the time of the Preliminary Proposal, you must make a specific identification by the time of the full application if you are invited to move forward. As a general rule, theatres that have submitted proposals identifying the mentee were far more specific in the application: the sense of the mentorship was more specifically defined, the activities more specifically structured and the value of the mentee to the theatre more specifically articulated. Theatres that have submitted a proposal without identifying a specific mentee, for the most part, were less competitive.
What about the administrative expenses my theatre might incur?
While the bulk of grant funds must be applied to compensation and benefits for the mentee, the program recognizes that theatres will inevitably incur expenses in participating. Theatres are allowed to apply grant funds, not to exceed 10% of the award total, toward expenses incurred as a result of the mentorship.
Can the student loan repayment be used to repay credit card debt?
Loan repayment can only be used to repay pre-existing student loans or to cover unique travel and/or legal expenses in the case of an international mentee.
New Generations Program: Future Audiences
I have a great new idea for audience cultivation. Can the New Generations Program fund this?
The New Generations Program is designed to strengthen and deepen existing programs, approaches or strategies that successfully result in elective theatre participation by culturally specific groups, young people and/or underserved communities. It is not designed to support new programs.
What is a compulsory program?
A compulsory program is one in which students are required to participate: if the program takes place during the school day, if they are graded on their participation, if a workshop occurs in their classroom during school hours, or if their attendance is required at a student matinee, these are all compulsory programs and not eligible for funding through the New Generations Program. The program is intended to elicit elective participation.
Some parts of my audience cultivation program are compulsory. Can I apply to fund non-compulsory portions?
Yes, however you must be able to clearly separate funding for each portion of the programming, as funding from the New Generations Program can only support non-compulsory programs.