CA$H Dance

Spring 2023 Grantees

Read the awardees’ project descriptions

See previous CA$H Dance grantees

The program seeks to support a range of artists and organizations that represent the many diversities of Bay Area dance (race, ethnicity, genre, age, gender, orientation, ability, experience, location). Please read Dancers’ Group’s Racial Equity Statement. You can also view the statistics from the Spring 2022 round of CA$H.

For more information about the program, read the Spring 2023 Guidelines below (for reference only).

CA$H Dance is funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, with additional support from the Fleishhacker Foundation and the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation. And prior year grant funding from the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation and Grants for the Arts.

If you have questions, email cash@dancersgroup.org

Spring 2023 Guidelines (for reference only)

The CA$H Dance grant may be used for a project, to support your artistic process generally, or to support you as an artist/organization. This is often referred to as general operating support.

The grant is $5,000 for dance artists and $5,000 for dance organizations to support your creative activity.

Creative activity may include, but is not limited to, research, administrative and/or artistic development, exploring ideas that might lead to performance, or steps taken to develop and present a performance, community-centered event, or educational activity.

We recognize that a creative activity may not always culminate in a presentation. We’re interested in what you’re interested in doing, what you’re curious about, what you’re investigating in your practice.

Eligibility

CA$H Dance accepts applications from dance ARTISTS and dance ORGANIZATIONS residing* and making work in the Bay Area.

The Bay Area includes San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano Counties.

*Residency: We acknowledge that many artists and organizational staff have relocated as a result of the pandemic. Artists and Organizations applying to CA$H Dance are not required to currently reside in one of the eligible Bay Area counties; however, they should have a demonstrated history of working in the 11 Bay Area counties and a commitment to contributing to the Bay Area dance community.

Applicants may only submit one proposal per granting round. If an artist is in a partnership or collective application, they are not eligible to apply individually.

Applicants DO NOT need to have a fiscal sponsor or nonprofit status.

You are not eligible to apply if:

• You are a full-time student
• You were a CA$H awardee in the most recent cycle (awardees may reapply after sitting out one round)

DANCE ARTISTS must be at least 18 years old. Artists must be able to document at least one work that was presented publicly (including online events open to the public) in the Bay Area. An application may be submitted by an individual artist working by themself or with collaborators, or by individual artists working together in a partnership or collective that is not a formal organization. These details will be included in the Narrative and Artistic History sections. Dance artists must have a project budget under $75,000.

DANCE ORGANIZATIONS must be able to document at least a two-year history in the Bay Area, with a minimum of two works that were presented publicly (including online events open to the public) in separate years in the Bay Area. Dance organizations must have an annual operating and project budget under $75,000.

If your work is taking place under the umbrella of a dance organization (company), submit an ORGANIZATION application. If you direct a dance organization, only submit an ARTIST application if your work in the grant period is taking place outside the organization’s structure. If you have questions about which category to apply to, contact us.

Application Steps

1. Register to Apply by Tue, March 28, 2023

Collecting information helps Dancers’ Group to understand who is interested in applying and allows staff adequate time to review eligibility, given the volume of applicants. If you did not register by March 28, you cannot apply for the Spring 2023 deadline.

2. Dancers’ Group staff will contact you within 2-3 days if there are any questions. Once your eligibility is confirmed, you will receive a link to the application.

3. Complete and submit the application by Wed, April 12, 2023

How decisions will be made in 2023

Dancers’ Group convenes a panel of Bay Area artists and administrators that review the applications submitted.

The Panel will review applications based on the following criteria: 

• The strength of the artistic potential and/or history
  (as demonstrated in the Narrative, Artistic History, Work Sample)
• The artist or dance organization is able to describe what they are interested in doing during the five-month grant period — note: this grant does not require an artist or dance organization to create something new. Each applicant will describe what they are interested in investigating, working on, or doing during the grant period.
  (as demonstrated in the Narrative)
• Supporting a range of artists and dance organizations that represent the many diversities of the San Francisco Bay Area dance community (race, ethnicity, genre, age, gender, orientation, ability, experience, location).

Grant Period

July 1 – Nov 30, 2023

Notification of Awards

By June 30, 2023

Reporting

Awardees agree to provide three updates in a Google doc from July through November 2023 (what you’ve been doing, what you’re curious about, what you’re investigating in your practice, etc.) along with completing a survey at the end of the grant period. No final report will be due.

Acknowledging this Time

The global pandemic might continue to add challenges and complexities to presenting dance that relies on public gatherings; therefore, the Spring 2023 round of CA$H Dance takes the changing environment into consideration.

If you need support or have questions, our staff can find a time to meet with you virtually to discuss. Email cash@dancersgroup.org.

To learn about theatre applications, visit Theatre Bay Area.