Bronx Dance Fund

The Bronx Dance Fund is a grant initiative administered by the Bronx Council on the Arts with support from the Mertz Gilmore Foundation and Amazon. It is designed to nurture and elevate the development of the dance ecosystem within the Bronx by supporting both individual artists and nonprofit dance organizations. The fund aligns with a broader goal of empowering early-career and BIPOC-led practitioners and institutions, offering financial assistance to strengthen their artistic and operational capabilities. The grant provides flexible funding for either general operating or project-based support and includes eligible uses such as capacity building, professional training, artistic production, and professional development. The grant targets Bronx-based dancers, choreographers, unincorporated collectives, and nonprofit dance organizations. Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old and residents of Bronx County, while organizations must be formally incorporated as 501(c)(3) nonprofits with a Bronx address, an active board of directors, and annual operating budgets not exceeding $250,000. Productions supported under this program may occur anywhere in New York City, but applicants must have a strong geographical and professional link to the Bronx. Applications are processed through the Submittable platform, accessible via the Bronx Council on the Arts website. The submission window for the 2025 cycle opened on October 7, 2024, and closes on November 25, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Four informational sessions are offered by the Bronx Council to assist applicants during the submission period. Applications are reviewed by a panel comprising BCA staff and invited professionals from the dance community, who are trained to evaluate proposals in alignment with the fund’s goals. The application requires a personal or organizational history, funding purpose narrative, statement of connection to the Bronx, project timeline (if applicable), CVs or resumes, work samples from the past three years, and proof of eligibility. Optional materials may include press kits and promotional content. Evaluation criteria include artistic merit, clarity and feasibility of the proposal, cultural significance, financial management (for organizations), and the relationship to the Bronx. Panel reviews and funding decisions occur in January 2025, and grant notifications will be sent to applicants by February 2025. The fund is administered on an annual basis, and it is implied that future cycles will follow a similar cadence. The primary contact for questions is the BCA Grants Manager, who can be reached at tracey@bronxarts.org.

BIPOC-led groups and early-career artists are prioritized; emphasize Bronx connection and project feasibility.