Grants & Programs

Expeditions Touring Grant

Expeditions grant recipient Circa | Photo: Judy Sirota

Touring grants provide funding for presenting high quality artists with innovative projects that exhibit strong collaboration between artists, presenters, and nonprofit organizations, and that creatively bring the arts to communities and underserved populations in New England.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Expeditions Touring Grant funding, applicants must:

  • Be a nonprofit organization, school, or government entity. (Nonprofit organizations do not have to be arts organizations. Organizations that do not have a federal tax identification number may apply if part of an official government agency.)
  • Be based in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)
  • The federal government now requires that all NEFA organizational grant recipients supported by federal funds register for DUNS numbers. More specifics on the requirement will be included in all NEFA grant applications.
  •  Applicants must be able to provide, if requested, documentation of their compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Please visit our Increasing Access to the Arts page for details.

Expeditions Touring applicants may act as a lead partner or presenting partner in a maximum of five (5) tours. Each tour partner submits an individual application. 

Expeditions will not fund:

  • Fundraising events or activities.
  • Organizations or activities occurring outside of the six-state New England region.
  • Events designed exclusively for students in school during class time.
  • Performances that are not open to the public and advertised accordingly.
  • If a project changes after funding has been awarded, the applicant must notify NEFA as soon as possible. NEFA does not guarantee funding if the project differs substantially from the original application. Requests for changes to a tour or tour planning grant will be considered on a case by case basis and may change the amount of the grant award.

Funding Criteria

Expeditions Touring grant projects must include at least three New England nonprofit organizational partners in geographically separate communities from at least two states. Expeditions Touring grants provide up to 50% of artist fees (maximum $10,000 per partner). Artist fees may include the cost for multiple performances, residencies, and other contextual outreach activities, travel, accommodations, and per diem.

Each of the three or more touring partners must include public performances, and additional community engagement activities.

Expeditions Touring applicants may act as a lead partner or presenting partner in a maximum of five (5) tours. Each tour partner submits an individual application.

 

Expeditions Touring grant projects must occur within the June 1-August 31 time frame following award notification.

Projects will be assessed on the individual strength of each presenter partner application and the collective strength of the tour. The funding criteria are:

  • A high level of artistic quality, exploration, and creativity.
  • Evidence of collaborative planning in key areas among project partners and artists. The featured artist(s) should be included in project planning.
  • Contextual, educational, and adjunct activities featuring the artist(s) in the project (e.g., workshops, lecture-demonstrations) which meaningfully engage various sectors of the community. Cross-sector exchange (connecting arts and non-arts organizations) and collaboration is strongly encouraged.
  • Extend the arts to populations whose opportunities are limited by geography, economics, or disability.
  • Evidence of well-planned promotion and marketing, including linkages that extend and deepen the reach of the project.
  • Potential to attract diverse funding in support of the project (e.g., local, municipal, state, or national public funding, foundation support, commercial/business sponsorship, etc.)

All partners are responsible for carefully reviewing the program goals and criteria.  This information should be considered when developing plans for community engagements and to prepare application materials in a complete and timely manner. Each lead and presenting partner is responsible for the following:

  • Negotiating with the artist or ensemble the terms of the engagement in its community.
  • Creating and/or sharing contextualization materials with other presenter partners.
  • Developing complementary activities with community partners.
  • Completing a Presenter Application for the proposed project.

Process & Deadline

  • Early November 2012: Idea Swap (annual, one-day networking conference)
  • February 14, 2013: Application deadline 
  • Mid-April 2013: Expeditions Tour Planning and Touring grant recipients notified
  • June 2013: Touring period begins (and continues through August 2014) for touring grant recipients

Grant requests & Instructions

The most recent grant request deadline has passed.

Requirements & Reports for Grant Recipients

Requirements

Grant payments will be made upon receipt of the following which must be submitted within 30 days after the funded event:

  1. A completed Expeditions Touring grantee report for each grant. (See below for instructions on how to access your form.) 
  2. A copy of the signed contract or letter of agreement (with printed name and title) between your organization and the artist(s) presented. 
  3. Copies of letters of appreciation sent to your federal and/or state legislators. This is to inform them about the purpose of this award, and the impact it will have on your organization’s activities and service to the community. 
  4. Copies of program and publicity materials showing acknowledgement of NEFA’s funding. 

Failure to provide this material within 30 days of the event may result in cancellation of the grant and all pending NEFA grants. If the performance date is changed or cancelled, or if you anticipate a delay in submission of materials, please contact Elizabeth Bouchard. 

Reductions in Artist Fees
Expeditions grant amounts are determined based on  the proposed artistic fee; therefore, reductions in artist fees may result in the reduction or cancellation of your grant. Grant recipients must notify NEFA of any changes in fees paid to the artist(s) as soon as possible in advance of the event. 

Click below to log in and begin your grantee report. You may save and return at any time.

 START YOUR GRANTEE REPORT   

Contact

Adrienne Petrillo | Program Manager, Presenting & Touring
apetrillo@nefa.org | 617.951.0010 x527

Elizabeth Bouchard | Program Coordinator, National Theater Project, Presenting & Touring
ebouchard@nefa.org | 617.951.0010 x516