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Classroom Resources Grants
With the generous support of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, the American Theatre Wing is investing in public schools to help drama teachers get more of the resources they need to provide quality theatre instruction in their schools. Through this grant-giving program, funding will be provided directly to under-resourced public schools for equipment, instruments, and other necessary materials to create new opportunities and enhance existing theatre programs.

General Guidelines

Who can apply?
Any individual public K-12 school OR a non-profit parent group associated with that public K-12 school. Private/parochial schools, school districts, home schools, and pre-schools are not eligible.

Parent groups (Parent Teacher Associations, etc.) may apply, but must have an independent EIN and official 501c(3) status from the IRS. If your group does not have a 501c(3) status, please apply through your school. However, the PTA can still be the point of contact for a proposal.

What Kinds of Project Proposals are Competitive?
Teachers can apply directly for resources they need to build and enhance their program in order to best nurture young talent in their schools. This can be musical instruments, lighting equipment, sound equipment, or costumes, to name a few examples.

Grant requests of up to $50,000 will be considered, as this allows us to extend meaningful resources to multiple deserving schools each year.

Grant funding can be used for:
Essential resources and equipment fundamental to arts education, specifically focused on enhancing learning in the area of theatre. This can include:

  • Purchase of production equipment (audio, lights, shop tools, etc.) and professional installation costs.
  • Production supply costs associated with the presentation of plays, musicals, and other theatrical performances including, but not limited to, costumes and material, lighting supplies, and scenery/scenic supplies.
  • Musical Instruments
  • Licensing fees
  • Costs associated with artistic consultants to leverage equipment and/or resources. This could include artistic residencies, mentorship, and technical consultants.

Funding may not be used for:

  • Capital costs of the theatre and/or school (i.e. auditorium renovations, structural building enhancements, etc.)
  • Individuals and families (including scholarships--please see our other program initiatives)
  • Religious denomination-sponsored programs or events (holiday pageants, etc.)
  • Sponsorship of fundraising events (i.e. dinners, walks, golf tournaments and auctions)
  • Advertising or marketing
  • Sports teams or athletic events (parade floats, etc.)
  • Development or production of books, films, videos or television programs
  • Endowment campaigns or scholarship campaigns
  • Continuing education for teachers and staff
  • Institutional overhead and/or indirect cost (i.e. salaries, benefits, etc.)
  • Memorial campaigns
  • Multi-year requests

Timeline

  • August 6, 2024 – Applications open
  • October 25, 2024 - Deadline Extended! No further extensions will be announced.
  • Fall 2024 – Review process, selections made by panel of industry experts
  • Winter 2024 – Notification of Grants
  • Winter 2024 – Dispersement of Grant Funds

Next Steps
Read More About Qualifications and Criteria
Read our Frequently Asked Questions
Look at our Tips and Example Projects
Start an application

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