The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) announces the COLLECTIVE Cohort for the 2021 COHI | MOVE program. The twenty-five companies that comprise the cohort will receive a total of $41,000 over the next three years: A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham | New York, NY; Atlanta Dance Connection | Atlanta, GA; Ayodele Drum and Dance | Chicago, IL; Ballethnic Dance Company | Atlanta, GA; Dance Iquail! | Philadelphia, PA; Danse4Nia/ Phoenix Danse4Nia | Philadelphia, PA; Diamano Coura West African Dance Company | Oakland, CA; Dimensions Dance Theater | Oakland, CA; Eleone Dance Theatre | Philadelphia, PA; Forces of Nature Dance Theatre | New York, NY; Garth Fagan Dance | Rochester, NY; Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet | Brooklyn, NY; Joel Hall Dancers and Center | Chicago, IL; MODArts Dance Collective | New York, NY; Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago | Chicago, IL; NAJWA Dance Corps | Chicago, IL; Red Clay Dance Company | Chicago, IL; Robert Moses' KIN | San Francisco, CA; SOLE Defined | Washington, DC; South Chicago Dance Theatre | Chicago, IL; Spectrum Dance Theater | Seattle, WA; Threads Dance Project | Minneapolis, MN; TU Dance | St. Paul, MN; Urban Bush Women | Brooklyn, NY, and Wideman Davis Dance | Columbia, SC.

IABD remains committed to supporting the organizational and financial health of these important and critical dance companies," said Denise Saunders Thompson, president and CEO of IABD. "The 25 companies comprising THE COLLECTIVE cohort truly represent the depth and breadth of the Black Dance sector, and the loss of any of these companies would be devastating to the dance community. This cohort will continue to build upon the capacity building and capital deployment methodologies utilized since 2018, with the intent of creating more adaptable organizations that carry on vibrant artistic programming. We are excited to nurture and witness the growth of these companies, especially during these challenging times."

The organizations were selected based on several key considerations for participation:

commitment to collaborative participation and engagement with IABD, NFF, program consultants, and cohort companies,

the depth of community relationships,

demand for local based programming greater than the organization's ability to provide,

engagement and demonstrated support of local artists and the local arts community,

demonstrated loss for the community if this organization no longer existed.

The Comprehensive Organizational Health Initiative (COHI) | Managing Organizational Vitality and Endurance (MOVE) is a multi-phase and collaborative program in partnership with the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) designed to improve the structural and financial health of dance companies. The program has a strong emphasis on peer learning and evaluation that delivers methodology and resources to strengthen the financial and organizational health of the IABD Membership. NFF provides the analytic basis, requisite data, training, and planning for a comprehensive initiative that addresses the financial capacity and capitalization needs for long-term stability of these critical dance organizations. In partnership with NFF, IABD will offer access to financial coaching so that companies may receive strategic feedback and guidance as they seek to apply the learnings to their organizations. IABD will also underwrite access to discrete consulting engagements over the course of the four-year period.

Gifts from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Ford Foundation support the Comprehensive Organizational Health Initiative | Managing Organizational Vitality and Endurance (COHI | MOVE) program.

About The International Association of Blacks in Dance 

For 30 years, The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) has preserved and promoted dance by people of African ancestry or origin and has assisted and increased opportunities for artists in advocacy, audience development, education, funding, networking, performance, philosophical dialogue, and touring. IABD serves a diverse, national and international membership of agents and managers, dance companies and studios, educators and educational institutions, individual artists, researchers, and supporters of the Dance field.

About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation: Founded in 1969, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and we believe that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom to be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Additional information is available at mellon.org. 

About Nonprofit Finance Fund: Founded in 1980, the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) is a nonprofit lender, consultant, and advocate for putting money to work in better ways for social good. NFF believes that improving the flow of money to community-centered organizations led by and serving people of color that have historically been denied it, begins by correcting the legacy of systemic underfunding restricting money and resources to organizations. We envision a society where money and knowledge come together to support just and vibrant communities and proudly help mission-driven organizations achieve their communities' aspirations through tailored capital, strategic advice, and accessible insights. For more information on NFF visit www.nff.org.