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Project Development Grants

TIMELINE

The application to submit an Intent to Apply for projects taking place between May 1, 2025 and October 31, 2026. The Intent to Apply will open on November 19, 2024 and is due on December 17, 2024.

Full applications will be due on January 31, 2025.

Recipients for this granting cycle will be announced in May 2025.

Eligibility

Applications may be submitted only by U.S.-based, not-for-profit members of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre. Specifically, every applicant must:

  1. be a NAMT member in good standing, both at the time of submission and throughout the granting period
  2. have U.S. not-for-profit tax-exempt status [i.e. current, documented 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status]
  3. pay artists according to industry standards

Please note: applicants may apply for both the Project Development and Production Grants in the same cycle for separate projects. Applicants may not apply for both grants with regard to the same project.

Grant Requirements

For Applicants

  • The only eligible applicants are not-for-profit NAMT member theatres in the United States in good standing with NAMT
  • The primary partners, including producer(s) and primary creative artists, must be identified in the application, and the proposal must be developed jointly by the collaborating partners. Applications should reflect the vision, planning and anticipated artistic and managerial contribution of the primary creative and producing collaborators.  Any commercial enhancement or commercial producer involvement must be clearly indicated in the project narrative and budget.
  • A not-for-profit NAMT member theatre can apply to only one of the two categories as the sole applicant, or as the Lead Applicant on a co-production request. Artistic control of a project must reside with the not-for-profit applicant organization(s).

I am a writer. Can I apply for a grant from the Frank Young Fund for New Musicals?
Unfortunately, writers cannot apply for Frank Young Fund for New Musicals grants. Only NAMT member theatres in good standing who are registered U.S. not-for-profits may apply.

My theatre is not yet a member. Can my organization apply for membership and still have time to submit a grant application? 
It can take a few weeks to process a new member application, but it is possible. Before you submit an Intent to Apply, please contact our membership director Adam Grosswirth at 212-714-6668 x15 to discuss NAMT membership.

Why are the grants limited to U.S.-based not-for-profit NAMT member theatres?
At this time, these are the only organizations to whom we are legally permitted to grant monies.

We know we want to apply, but we haven’t settled on a project. Can we still send in the Intent to Apply? 
Please do send in an Intent to Apply with as much information as you currently know. You will need to have the show, writers and specifics sorted out before you submit the final application.  It is common to submit the Intent to Apply while still deciding on the best project for the actual grant.

For NAMT Member Co-Production Applicants

  • The NAMT member with primary responsibility should submit the application and will be considered the “Lead Applicant.”
  • Organizations in partnership with the Lead Applicant do not have to be members of NAMT.
  • NAMT members may apply as a co-production member on additional applications, but can only serve as Lead Applicant on one application.
  • All co-production members must have tax-exempt status.
  • A commercial producer cannot be considered a co-production member on the application.
  • NAMT expects successful Lead Applicant theatres to take full responsibility for the administrative oversight of the project, the dispensation and accountability of funds and submission of the final report

May NAMT Member Co-Production Applicants apply for more than the $5,000 maximum for individual applicants? 
Yes, NAMT Member Co-Production Applicants may apply for up to the $5,000 maximum Project Development grant award per the number of NAMT Member applicants that are participating in the Co-Production. For example, if two NAMT Members are applying as a single Co-Production, the group may request up to $10,000 for the Project Development grant ($5,000 x 2 Members).

The members of our proposed NAMT Member Co-Production are not all theatres or are not NAMT members. Is that allowed?
All co-production applicants must be a U.S-based not-for-profits registered with the U.S. government, but they do not need to be member theatres.  The lead applicant on a co-production grant must be a NAMT member in good standing.

I have a commercial producer attached to the show and/or enhancing the process. How do I reflect that in the application? 
The involvement creatively, managerially and financially should be reflected in your project narrative.  If the producer is enhancing the project, that should be reflected in the project budget in the Income section with a clarifying note in the application.  Creative control of the project must lie with the lead applicant.

Can I apply as a co-production applicant and as lead applicant on a sole application? 
Yes, you may.

Is there a preference given to co-production applicants?
Yes, a goal of the Frank Young Fund is to build collaborations among NAMT Members and to build developmental trajectories for projects.

For the Project

  • The project must be a musical.
  • The project should represent new material, rather than a new context for existing material.
  • Adaptations from other sources are eligible.
  • Projects conceived in a revue format should be based on new music.
  • If a musical has been licensed, it is not eligible.
  • Only one request may be submitted in a given year for a specific musical.

Is there a preference given to past NAMT Festival shows? 
There is no preference given, but it is really nice to see!

Our show is currently enlisting a new member of the writing team. Can we still apply? 
You can submit an Intent to Apply form, but the entire writing team must be in place in time to submit the grant application.

We are still in negotiations with the writers to develop their project. Are we able to apply for funding? 
You can submit an Intent to Apply, but the agreement with the writers must be in place in time to submit the grant application.

Are shows created from pre-existing musical material permissible? 
If it is a non-revue-type musical, it can contain pre-existing music. However, preference is given to projects with original music.

Does a show applying for a Production Grant need to be a world premiere? 
No, it can be any production of an unlicensed new musical as long as there is active rewriting being done by the writers in residence during the project.

For the Writers

  • The musical’s writers and other artists, as appropriate, should be on-site at the host theatre(s) for a period of time sufficient to fulfill the goals of the project.
  • Applications should discuss the artists’ projected residency and creative involvement.
  • The writers must receive a stipend or sufficient monetary compensation for their time and work, outside of necessary room-and-board.

Why do we have to state whether a writer is an ASCAP or BMI member?
We gather this information for internal statistical purposes; it has no influence on the panel’s selection process.

Is there any preference given to NAMT Festival alumni writers? 
No, but it is always great to see the membership working with the alumni!

Requirements After You Receive a Grant

An authorized signatory must sign a Letter of Agreement with NAMT. The initial payment of 75% of the grant amount will be made one month prior to the commencement of the project with the final 25% distributed upon receipt of a final report. The grantee is responsible for paying all taxes related to the project.

Upon completion of project activities, a final report, including a narrative evaluation and final budget, is due one month after the completion of the project. A credit for the grant must appear in the programs of all collaborating partner theatres as well as in all other appropriate printed materials in connection with development and production activities, including readings, workshops and productions. The wording for the credit will be outlined in agreements signed by the grant recipients.

If an organization receives a Production Grant as the sole or Lead Applicant in a given year, that organization must skip a review cycle before submitting another request for a Production Grant as the sole or Lead Applicant. An applicant supported for one phase of a project’s development process may apply in a future funding cycle for a later stage of its development.

Application Guidelines

Only a not-for-profit NAMT member theatre may apply for a grant, and each may submit only one application a year as a sole or Lead Applicant. As most musicals are developed over time with the contributions of several organizations, the panelists reviewing the applications will give priority consideration to co-production requests. We believe that partnerships formed at the inception of a project will enhance planning and efficiency, create and deepen relationships, and build strong producing networks.

For the 2025-2026 cycle, we anticipate awarding 3-4 Production Grants ($10,000 each) and 2-3 Project Development Grants ($5,000 each) though final grant decisions are reserved for the review panel and subject to board approval.

2025-2026 Granting Guidelines

Project Development Grants will support projects in the middle stages of their development trajectory and are intended to enable producers and creators to develop and refine works through residencies, creative work, readings and workshops. Co-Productions created to support the needs of works throughout their evolution are strongly encouraged, including planning for eventual full productions or rolling premieres. The creative teams are expected to spend time in residence at the host theatre. An applicant’s prior experience in new work development will be considered but is not a requirement. Applicants should consider, as appropriate, how a work can begin to find and build its audience.

The intended outcome of a Project Development grant is a tangible product—generally a reading or workshop, and possibly a demo recording.

Award range: $2,000-$5,000; the award must be matched by the organization at least 2-to-1 in the project budget for the application (i.e. for every $1 from NAMT, the applicant must match with $2)

Review criteria:

  • Artistic merit and excellence of the proposed project as conveyed in the application and accompanying work samples
  • Potential impact of the work
  • Quality of planning for the development of the project
  • Support for participating artists including artists’ fees, resources and creative inclusion
  • Evidence of commitment to/experience in new work development
  • Appropriateness of the budget for the stated goals of the project
  • Evidence of ability to carry out the project

Allowable expenses:

  • Writers’ stipends or royalties (required to be part of the project budget)
  • Other Artists’ stipends/fees
  • Travel
  • Lodging
  • Per diem
  • Demos, CDs, recording of readings (not for sale)
  • Direct costs of readings or workshops
  • Administrative overhead, up to 10% of total expenses

 

Apply Now!

 

If you have any questions, please email New Works Associate Skye Cone Ivey skye@namt.org 

This page was last updated on 11/19/2024