Who is eligible for support?

Nominated organizations or artist collectives must meet these five criteria:

1. BIPOC led:

Leadership positions within the organization are held by BIPOC leaders and the organization has a proven track record of equitable and diverse hiring practices. 

2. Commitment to Inclusion and Equity:
   Commitment to and a track record of prioritizing artists from historically underrepresented groups (artists identifying as Black Indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities, people of underrepresented gender identities, and the LGBTQ+ community). 

3. Financial Need:
   Clear finanicial need where organizational health and sustainability are at stake. Also eligible are organizations that specifically support a community of artists who have a clear financial need 

4. Artist Support:
   Demonstrated impact in providing artists with creative artist support, such as granting, exhibition, residency space, infrastructure, or community. If granting, a proven ability to disburse grants effectively within their communities.

5. Independence:
   Organizations that support independent media artists.

Who are the nominators?

Sundance Institute is soliciting nominations from US based artists and organizations. Nominators represent a broad cross section of media, arts, racial justice, theatre, humanities, philanthropy, social sciences, and human rights fields. Nominators encompass trusted and long-standing partners, including peer arts organizations, funders, and Sundance Institute alumni artists. We are prioritizing nominators with a commitment to inclusion and equity for underrepresented artist communities.

What does the application consist of?

Sundance staff will invite organizations to submit a short application through our secure online application portal. We request an organizational mission, as well as a description of their work and artist communities they service. Additionally, they will be required to provide a description of need and a granting plan that describes the intended use of funds.

Who makes the decisions?

Sundance Institute will convene an external committee to review all applications and make recommendations for funding. This panel consists of external experts with deep expertise in media, artist support, and racial justice.

Are individuals eligible to be nominated?

No. Only arts organizations and artist collectives are eligible for nomination. We encourage individuals to review our other opportunities here.

How many organizations will you fund? Will every organization nominated and invited to submit an application be funded?

Sundance Institute intends to support up to 10 organizations this round. We anticipate more nominations and requests than the available funds we have to support this initiative. We hope to make grants to as many organizations as possible and may consider awarding less than the full requested amount in order to do so. 

When is this happening?

By March 15, we will have solicited all nominations. Eligible organizations will be invited to apply starting April 1.

Is there a deadline to submit an application?

Yes. Eligible organizations will receive detailed instructions regarding the application deadline. The deadline will be 5/12/2021.

How long will your decisions take?

We anticipate notifying awardees by early June.

What will grantees receive?

Grantees will receive non-recoupable grants. Grants up to $20,000 USD will be determined based on need and potential impact.

What can I use the funding for?

Grants may be used to regrant to artists and/or to strengthen the organizations themselves in their ongoing work.

Will the names of the organizations that receive grants be made public?

Sundance Institute may announce grant recipients via Sundance Institute website and associated social media channels. Grant recipients wishing to remain anonymous may elect to do so. 

Are there any reporting requirements if I receive a grant?

Yes, we require a brief narrative report within six months detailing how the funds were used.