Impact Program

The Impact Program provided multi-year capacity building support to small and mid-size dance, theater and multidisciplinary arts organizations that received funding through the Foundation’s New and Experimental Works (NEW) Program. The Foundation provided up to three years of support to build organizational capacity and program effectiveness to improve the health of emerging organizations or help establish groups in navigating critical organizational transitions. Funds ranged from $25,000-$50,000 per year.

Goals of the Impact Program included:

• Creating optimal conditions for art to be made
• Strengthening individual dance, theater and multidisciplinary arts organizations
• Strengthening the Bay Area performing arts ecosystem overall

Recipients of the Impact Program engaged in an organizational assessment process at the start of the funding cycle to determine program and capacity building needs. Each organization developed a tailored plan outlining programmatic and capacity building strategies, use of one-on-one coaching and outside expertise, and short and long-term outcomes. Grantees also participated in a schedule of convenings, technical assistance opportunities and peer exchanges.

An additional two years of general operating support was available to organizations that met their capacity building goals.

The Impact Grant provided stability for our small organization to weather an artistic leadership change, and it helped us experiment and grow our fundraising and marketing.

Tiffany Cothran, Managing Director, Crowded Fire Theatre Company