Dance/NYC Announces 5th Iteration of Dance Advancement Fund
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Dance/NYC Announces 5th Iteration of Dance Advancement Fund
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2026
New York, NY – Dance/NYC is pleased to announce the launch of the fifth iteration of the Dance Advancement Fund, a regranting and professional development program designed to support small-budget dance makers in the New York City metropolitan area. Made possible by the generous support of the Howard Gilman Foundation and the Ford Foundation, the Dance Advancement Fund aims to address inequities in how resources are distributed across the dance field and to help build a more sustainable future for dance.
As Dance/NYC launches the fifth iteration of the program, it will award $650,000 over the grant period to up to 25 dance-making organizations and groups. Those selected will receive general operating support over a two-year period, with grants ranging from $6,000 to $40,000 awarded annually, along with ongoing professional development. The award period is September 1, 2026–August 31, 2028.
The upcoming application cycle will open on April 15, 2026, and will follow a two-part application process:
- Expressions of Interest (EOI) are due on June 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
- Applicants selected through the EOI process will be invited to submit a full application, which will be open from June 30, 2026, through August 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Grantees of the previous (2024-2026) iteration of the program will not be required to respond to the EOI and will automatically be invited to the next tier of the application process.
Dance/NYC established the Dance Advancement Fund in 2017 to address long-standing inequities in the dance ecosystem, particularly for smaller-budget dance makers who make up a significant portion of the field yet often have limited access to funding and support. Since its launch, the program has been a critical investment in dance makers whose work sustains the region's cultural life.
“What makes the Dance Advancement Fund so powerful is its simplicity, putting real resources directly into the hands of the people doing the work,” says Raquel Du Toit, Dance/NYC Executive Director. “The organizations we serve are not on the margins. They are the foundation. This investment goes directly to those who have historically been overlooked by traditional funding structures, pairing unrestricted operating support with the professional development tools they need not just to survive, but thrive.”
As of 2026, the Dance Advancement Fund has provided over $2.25 million in general operating support to 112 unique small and medium-sized dance-making organizations across four grant cycles. The fifth iteration continues and deepens that work.
This next phase of the program reflects Dance/NYC’s ongoing learning and dialogue with current and past grantees, field partners, Dance/NYC task forces and committees, ongoing research, and current events impacting the field. Dance/NYC is also collaborating with Niya Nicholson, a celebrated executive arts leader dedicated to championing opportunity access, building impactful businesses, and advancing creative careers.
“My work with Dance/NYC has always been rooted in service, making my return as a Program Consultant for the 5th iteration of the Dance Advancement Fund a profound honor,” says Nicholson. “In this role, my mission is to support artists by demystifying grantmaking and providing the high-level technical guidance necessary to transform artistic vision into organizational stability. I believe providing this specialized support to small-budget dance makers is vital; it levels the playing field and ensures their creativity has the structural backing to thrive. Having led professional development webinars and direct consultations during the 4th iteration, I have seen firsthand how intentional guidance creates true access to opportunity. Together with the Dance/NYC team, I am excited to help artists not only navigate the grant process, but truly own it.”
Dance/NYC remains committed to helping ensure that applicants have access to the tools, information, and support needed to engage fully in the application process. Available resources will include:
- A live webinar detailing how to complete both the expression of interest and full application forms, and answering questions on May 7, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. ET
- Virtual one-on-one technical assistance sessions via phone (voice-only), dictation, or Zoom in English, for 30 minutes each. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Four (4) recorded professional development sessions covering running a dance entity, financial planning, fundraising strategy, and creating accessible work samples
More information about eligibility, application materials, and support resources can be found at Dance.NYC/DAF5.
About Dance/NYC:
Dance/NYC champions the New York City metropolitan area dance sector by fostering a more just, equitable, and inclusive landscape where dance workers and organizations can thrive. Rooted in research, Dance/NYC engages in advocacy, regranting, and knowledge-sharing that works toward establishing dance as a valued form of cultural expression and a common good. Through this work, Dance/NYC strengthens the ecosystem, expands access to resources, and supports the leadership of historically under-resourced communities across the field.
About Niya Nicholson
Niya Nicholson is a celebrated leader dedicated to championing opportunity access, building impactful businesses, and advancing creative careers. A Harlem native and Vassar graduate, Niya’s mission is to propel visionary creatives and institutions toward their next level of impact. As the founding Executive Director of MOVE|NYC|, she has spent a decade scaling the organization into a renowned civic arts nonprofit recognized for “Changing the Face of Dance.” This commitment to equity and excellence continues through NOWNEXT by NN, her consultancy where she equips artists and organizations with the strategic resources and operational roadmaps necessary to deepen their purpose and expand their possibilities. Recently named a 2025 Nonprofit Power Player by Politics NY and amNY, Niya’s leadership is widely recognized by premier institutions, including Dance/NYC, the International Association of Blacks in Dance, Dance/USA, American Express, OneCause, and New York Foundation for the Arts.
About the Howard Gilman Foundation:
Howard Gilman believed in the power of the arts to transform lives. The Howard Gilman Foundation honors his legacy by supporting the most robust, innovative, and promising performing arts organizations in New York City.
About the Ford Foundation:
The Ford Foundation is an independent organization working to address inequality and build a future grounded in justice. For 90 years, it has supported visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. Today, with an endowment of $16 billion, the foundation has headquarters in New York and 10 regional offices across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
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Media Contact:
Michelle Tabnick, (646) 765-4773, michelle@michelletabnickpr.com
