Best Grants for Theater in California

Professional nonprofit theatres producing contemporary, issue-focused plays in California and the broader West Coast can access funding through the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation. Grants from Biller Family Foundation help theater organizations cover artistic, production, and community engagement costs, and offer US $10,000 - US $25,000 change capital to support new business models, community connections, or emerging leaders.

California 501(c)(3) presenters, government units, colleges, and tribal governments can receive US $2,000 - US $3,000 to present touring theater and other performing arts through Creative West’s TourWest program. Funding supports artist fees, facility rentals, accessibility, marketing, travel, and related administration for regional touring, with priority for smaller-budget and rural organizations in the Creative West region.

The BACKstage Grant Fall 2025, offered by the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), provides funding for secondary education theatre teachers to enhance their professional development. Grants support various expenses, including workshop registrations, travel, and educational supplies. Eligible applicants must be secondary school educators teaching theatre-related subjects, and all funded activities must be completed within a year. This initiative fosters growth and innovation in the performing arts community.

Individual and student members of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology in California can apply for international travel grants awarding up to US $2,500 for theatre design and technology research trips. Funding supports travel, lodging, fees, and related costs for productions, exhibitions, festivals, or workshops, with recipients sharing their experiences with the USITT community.

Emerging theater and entertainment design professionals in California and across the U.S. can gain nonprofit leadership training and board experience through this fellowship, valued at US $3,000 - US $3,500. Focused on leadership development, the United States Institute for Theatre Technology invites active USITT members with 2–5 years’ experience to apply.

Theater and arts organizations fostering Shakespeare engagement through teaching, scholarship, performance, or activism, including those in California, may be eligible if a primary collaborator is a Shakespeare Association of America member. The Shakespeare Association of America’s Shakespeare Publics Award honors pioneering, culturally significant projects that build and sustain broad, diverse Shakespeare publics.

Native-led performing arts organizations, businesses, collectives, and individual Native performing artists in California can receive support for live theater and other performances through the Native Performing Arts Live Production Grant. First Peoples Fund offers one-year US $30,000 awards for U.S.-based projects in active production stages featuring multiple Native performers or artists.

High schools producing plays or musicals that explore diverse perspectives can receive US $10,000 to strengthen their theatre programs, including in California. Grants from Educational Theatre Association Foundation fund productions led by theatre educators, with professional mentors who reflect the student body and community events that spark conversations on equity and inclusion.

Graduating high school seniors in New Jersey pursuing college-level studies in dance, drama, visual arts, or music can receive scholarship support for tuition through the Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship. Grants from Arts Council of the Morris Area help students, including those active in theater, fund accredited post-secondary arts programs. Award amount is US $5,000.

California theater and other arts-focused students may be eligible for the Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, which supports graduating high school seniors pursuing post-secondary arts studies. Offered by Arts Council of the Morris Area, this US $1,500 award helps fund tuition for programs in theater, dance, music, or visual and fine arts.

Small and mid-sized arts and culture groups in California’s San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties can receive general operating support to present new work in theater, dance, music, film, visual, or interdisciplinary arts. Fleishhacker Foundation supports fiscally sponsored organizations with budgets under $750,000, prioritizing projects by professional Bay Area artists and historically marginalized communities.

Emerging U.S.-based music writers of color can receive US $5,000 to advance their critical writing careers through this fellowship, including time to write and related professional development. Grants from Japanese American National Museum help writers who review live or recorded music; California theater organizations with music-focused criticism projects may encourage eligible individuals to apply.

Individual artists, arts organizations, and fiscally sponsored projects creating environmental, climate-focused, or other social-issue theater and arts work in California may be eligible for support. With a mission to broaden artistic expression, Puffin Foundation prioritizes solution-focused environmental artistic activism projects, especially those serving under-resourced communities and primarily taking place in the U.S.

Women and non-binary playwrights of color in MFA playwriting programs, including UC San Diego in California, can apply for the Hansberry-Lilly Fellowship, which provides US $25,000 per year for living expenses. Funded by Dramatists Guild Foundation, this need-based award supports protected writing time and relationship-building during graduate study.

California theater companies producing new full-length world premieres by emerging playwrights can access funding through Theatre Bay Area, with awards of US $1,000 - US $2,500. Eligible companies must be based in specified Bay Area counties and TBA members; playwrights may live anywhere if they meet the emerging criteria.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) theater companies offering community-based, cross-sector programming in California and nationwide can receive US $20,000 - US $30,000 to support paid apprenticeships for early-career theater administrators and technicians. Arts Midwest, partnering with the National Endowment for the Arts, funds roles like technicians, set designers, assistant directors, operations, HR, communications, and marketing staff.

Professional playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists in California can receive one-time $500 support for essential living expenses such as housing, food, utilities, and health care. Dramatists Guild Foundation’s Bridge Grants serve U.S.-based dramatists facing financial hardship, helping theater creators stabilize daily needs so they can continue their work.

Theater and video/film artists and arts nonprofits in California can seek project support, including performance art and streaming media, through grants up to US $3,500. Grants from Puffin Foundation help U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and DACA recipients with SSNs fund smaller-budget creative projects that may otherwise lack mainstream opportunities.

High school seniors in California planning to study theater at a U.S. university can receive up to US $10,000 annually for tuition through the Andrew Lloyd Webber University Scholarships. American Theatre Wing supports students from historically underrepresented communities pursuing any theater discipline, with awards renewable for four years plus mentorship and professional development opportunities.

The Jonathan Larson Grants provide essential support to emerging musical theatre artists, helping composers, lyricists, and librettists further their creative endeavors. Established in memory of Jonathan Larson, creator of the iconic musical "Rent," these grants empower artists to create impactful work that resonates with contemporary culture. The program, sustained by the American Theatre Wing and the Larson Family, encourages professional growth and artistic exploration without the limitations of specific projects.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative offers Classroom Resources Grants aimed at enhancing theatre education in under-resourced public schools. Funded by a $1.3 million grant from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, the initiative provides essential resources, scholarships, and grants to foster artistic growth. By supporting diverse students and schools, this program opens pathways to careers in theatre, ensuring all young people have access to quality arts education, thereby enriching the cultural landscape of America.

The Asian Cultural Council's Graduate Fellowship provides financial support for travel and living expenses to graduate students from Asia studying in the U.S. It offers $15,000 for one academic year, potentially renewable for another year, covering essential costs while pursuing full-time coursework. This initiative fosters international cultural exchange and enhances academic training in the arts. Eligible applicants must be enrolled full-time in accredited graduate programs and commit to at least two consecutive semesters of study.

The Asian Cultural Council's Individual Fellowship provides artists, scholars, and arts professionals from Asia and the United States with opportunities for self-directed cultural exchange and research in unfamiliar regions. This program supports activities such as interviews, workshops, and archival research, fostering cultural immersion and collaboration. With a funding limit of $35,000, the fellowship encourages innovative proposals that enhance creative perspectives and relationships among peers, while also ensuring strong eligibility criteria for applicants.

The Asian Cultural Council's New York Fellowship offers a transformative six-month program for artists, scholars, and arts professionals from Asia. Participants engage deeply with New York City's vibrant cultural landscape, attending performances, exhibitions, and workshops while building networks with local communities. This unique opportunity fosters peer-learning and individual artistic development, encouraging fellows to incorporate their experiences into their practices and contribute to their home cultures. The fellowship emphasizes exploration, exchange, and support, culminating in a rich cultural immersion.

Students pursuing full-time undergraduate theater arts degrees who have ties to the Marshfield area may be eligible for this renewable scholarship, which can support theater education costs. Marshfield Area Community Foundation offers the James Brasington Theater Scholarship, and California theater students planning to study in this region may benefit.

Armstrong County Community Foundation

The Armstrong County Community Foundation, a public nonprofit corporation,

• Gives grants, scholarships, and organizational support to address the needs of our community.
• Builds a permanent endowment to help our donors create a legacy through this endowment.
• Promotes informed philanthropy to increase and sustain charitable resources for the region.
• Provides leadership and builds partnerships to identify and solve community issues.

Susan Falsetti-Burdett Memorial Scholarship Fund for Music

Born in Kittanning in 1957, Susan Burdett was the daughter of Aldo and Dorothy (Trenchik) Falsetti, and was a lifelong resident of our community. Susie was a loving daughter, sister, mother, wife, and friend. She taught music to many over the years, and also taught at Divine Redeemer School. She was caring, compassionate, sharing and understanding. Her charity will live on through this Susan Falsetti-Burdett memorial Scholarship Fund for Music.

Scholarship Details

• Available to High School Seniors
• Nonrenewable

All ACCF Scholarships are merit based.

Community Foundation for Northeast Florida

The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida connects people who care with causes that matter. Since 1964, we have served the citizens of Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Baker, Clay, and Putnam counties through a range of charitable and civic activities, while helping individual donors achieve their philanthropic goals. We believe in Giving Back. Forever Forward.

Scholarships

Thanks to generous donors, The Community Foundation offers several scholarships each year that benefit students in Northeast Florida who are seeking post-secondary degrees.

Bernie G. Yvon Memorial Fund Scholarship

For High School Seniors & College Students in The Theatre/Performing Arts

The purpose of the fund is to perpetuate the legacy of Bernie G. Yvon by supporting students pursuing study in the Theatre/Performing Arts with need-based scholarships. In this tenth year (2026), amounts up to $2000 each will be available from contributions to the fund via The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. In selecting the successful candidate(s), the review committee will consider the following:

• Knowledge of Bernie G. Yvon
• Theatre/Performing Arts potential and past experiences
• Financial need
• Academic record
• Two letters of recommendation
• GPA