Impact & Exploration Fund
About The Impact & Exploration Fund
NAMT’s Impact & Exploration Fund (formerly the Innovation & Exploration Fund) is designed to help NAMT member theatres pilot new capacity-building programs to advance their missions. Areas of exploration may include (but are not limited to) technology, accessibility, audience development, education and artistic innovation and advancement. By reducing the financial burden, these project grants will allow theatres to take some risks and try new ideas, contributing to the overall growth and health of the field. Whether the projects succeed fully, minimally or not at all, lessons learned will be shared with the entire NAMT membership, leading to opportunities for more innovation and continual growth.
Impact & Exploration (I&E) grants may fund, for example, technology improvements, audience development and inclusion for a specific project, or an artistic project that combines the theatre’s producing mission with community engagement. It may also be used for administrative, front-of-house, and other projects that relate to how the business of making theatre is conducted, how our spaces are accessed and navigated, or how overall institutional infrastructure might be strengthened.
Suggested Project Areas
The Impact & Exploration Grant was conceived for — but is not limited to — the following project areas:
- Community Engagement
- Marketing and Audience Development
- Education
- Artistic Innovation and Advancement
- Technology/Business Operations (General)
- Physical Accessibility/Disability Services
- Addressing Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Objectives
Applicants may submit other areas for consideration — innovate! We want this grant to grow with your ideas. Feel free to email adam@namt.org or call (212) 714-6668 x15 if you have any questions.
Grant Eligibility
The Impact & Exploration Fund is open to NAMT’s U.S. not-for-profit theatre members in good standing.
Distribution Of Awards
Applications for the I&E Fund are reviewed once a year by a panel selected by NAMT and comprised of NAMT members and other experts. Awards range from $500 to $5,000.
Project Period
The next round of I&E Fund grants (round 6) will be to fund projects taking place from July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025. We understand that the nature of some of these projects (audience development, etc.) may mean they don’t have a hard end date, but the project budget should fall within this period, and you should be prepared to provide your progress report by December 31, 2025.
Reporting Requirement
Issuing of grant recipient’s final payment will be contingent on the filing of a detailed post-project report with NAMT, outlining the project’s goals, the methods used and the outcomes. These reports will be disseminated to NAMT’s other members via the Innovation & Exploration Guide (a password-protected member benefit) and may also be shared at NAMT Conferences, Roundtables, and in our newsletters and publications. This sharing of ideas is an important feature of the I&E Fund, so that others can learn from your project (whether it succeeds or fails) and innovate at their own theatres.
Timeline
Round 9
Intent to Apply due May 12, 2025
Application due June 8, 2025
Panel selects grant recipients early July
All applicants informed mid-to-late July
Application Info Session
This info session was recorded on April 24, 2024. If you have questions, please email us! A live session for 2025 will be announced in the new year.
Past Recipients
More About Past Recipients
More Details
For more information, email Member Services Director Adam Grosswirth.
NAMT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Your contribution to NAMT is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
This page was last updated on 11/04/2024