Best Grants for Dance Nonprofit Organizations in Tennessee

South Arts Inc

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, South Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the State Arts Agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — with additional funding from other public and private donors such as the Doris Duke Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and Mellon Foundation — South Arts supports artists and organizations through a rich and responsive portfolio of grants, fellowships, and programs. Why? Because South Arts believes that the arts elevate the region, increasing connectedness and inspiring meaningful change in the process.

Our mission: Advancing Southern vitality through the arts.

Arts in Community Grants

Program Description

Arts in Community Grants are designed to support deeper engagements between Southern communities and artists. Through these grants supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, we aim to increase access to the arts, expand audiences for artists, and broaden our reach. Eligible projects require a Southern artist/company visiting another Southern state for public activities, offering access to arts programming by professional artists. Funding supports Southern film directors, traditional artists, visual artists, performing artists, or writers:

• film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
• traditional arts (music, dance, storytelling, and visual arts/crafts),
• visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media),
• performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance), and
• literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry).

Projects require an artist or artist ensemble and a host or partner organization. Project must include at least two in-person or live, virtual public activities – both a public presentation (a film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement activity (a workshop, demonstration, lecture, facilitated discussion, or master class). The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match.

About Us

Our Mission

The Tennessee Arts Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly with the special mandate to stimulate and encourage the presentation of the visual, literary, music and performing arts and to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of Tennessee. TN Arts Commission Governing Policies can be found here.

The mission of the Tennessee Arts Commission is to cultivate the arts for the benefit of all Tennesseans and their communities. Our vision is a Tennessee where the arts inspire, connect and enhance everyday lives.

The Commission is supported by in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Individual Artist Fellowship

Recognition and acknowledgement of outstanding professional Tennessee artists who, through their work add to the cultural vitality of the state.

Fellowships provide those individuals who by education, experience, or natural talent engage in a particular art form or discipline, and live and work in Tennessee. To qualify, an artist must be financially compensated for his or her work, and this compensation must be a significant source of support for their livelihood.

Accepted categories for FY 2028:

• Visual Art:
  • Two-Dimensional Work
  • Mural Arts
  • Craft
• Media:
  • Film
  • Photography
• Dance:
  • Solo Dance, Choreography, or Movement-based Work
• Music:
• Performance-based Work
• Composition-based Work
• Theatre:
• Acting or Directing
• Playwriting
• Production Design (set, lighting, or costume)
• Literary Arts:
• Creative Non-fiction
• Fiction
• Children’s Literature/Young Adult Literature
• Poetry

The Robinson Foundation Grant, established in 2016, aims to alleviate hardships faced by individuals and communities, demonstrating God's love through charitable contributions. As a family-operated foundation, it focuses on creating meaningful, long-term impacts in various areas including animal welfare, education, and disaster relief. Organizations eligible for funding must be 501(c)(3) public charities. The foundation prioritizes fiscally responsible projects with the potential for tangible results, while not supporting capital projects.

Women-identifying individual artists in the U.S., including those working in dance-related or performance-based environmental art, can apply for Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants of up to US $20,000 to advance in-progress projects. Grants from New York Foundation for the Arts support environmentally focused art with free public engagement between August 2025 and August 2026.

Tennessee arts and cultural 501(c)(3) nonprofits with audited expenses over $2 million can access funding through the William Randolph Hearst Foundation for culture programs, capital projects, and limited general or endowment support. Eligible organizations include ballets, performing arts centers, museums, symphonies, theaters, and arts schools, especially those engaging youth, nurturing artistic talent, or offering STEAM-focused education, with awards more than US $100,000.

Theresa Alessandra Russo Foundation Inc

The Theresa Foundation honors the memory of Theresa Alessandra Russo by touching the lives of children with special needs and their families. The Foundation fosters each child’s unique abilities by supporting programs focusing on art, music, dance, drama, and recreation.

The Theresa Foundation has a vision of the world where artistic expression and physical recreation are just as important to adults as they are to children. We believe in a world where every child, regardless of ability or challenging conditions, is free to communicate through and participate in every art or recreational activity. A society without art is a society without soul. Art enables us to express our inner thoughts, fears, joys, and sadness.  

The Theresa Foundation Grant Program

The Theresa Foundation Grant Program is committed to providing financial support for programs in art, music, dance, drama, or recreation that are designed specifically for children with special needs in order to ensure that no one is excluded from these activities. 

We believe that every individual should have the opportunity to participate in art, music, dance, drama or recreation if they so choose. Our grant program works to provide direct funding for the success of these activities, while also promoting an environment of acceptance and inclusiveness where all can take part without judgment or fear. 

As of 2026, the Theresa Foundation has provided over $3,300,000 in grant funding for over 200 programs in 29 states throughout the country and 4 international grants. With your help we can continue to make a difference in the lives of those with special needs by providing them access to enriching experiences that would otherwise be out of reach. 

Experienced SHAPE America members in health, physical education, dance, or related fields who have a substantial scholarly record in measurement and evaluation may be eligible for this national lifetime achievement recognition. With a mission to advance professional practice and promote research, Society of Health and Physical Educators honors individuals whose work significantly advances theory and application in these areas.

Dance and sports educators and professionals in Tennessee and across the U.S. can apply for SHAPE America’s National Girls and Women in Sports Legacy Award, offering US $1,000 for projects advancing opportunities for girls and women in sport. Eligible SHAPE America members may propose research, professional development, after-school programs, or similar initiatives.

New and current NDP dance grantees and U.S.-based presenters or curatorial staff can receive up to US $500 for domestic travel to plan touring of NDP-funded works, including in Tennessee. New England Foundation for the Arts supports trips that build relationships and assess feasibility for presenting National Dance Project pieces.

Tennessee graduate students in dance, physical education, health, or recreation can access funding through the Society of Health and Physical Educators’ Ruth Abernathy Presidential Scholarship. This U.S.-wide award of US $1,750 supports SHAPE America members in full-time master’s or doctoral programs who demonstrate strong academics, leadership, and service, and includes a three-year membership.

Tennessee undergraduate students majoring in dance, physical education, health, recreation, or related fields can receive US $1,250 to support their studies and professional development. Focused on higher education in movement disciplines, Society of Health and Physical Educators invites SHAPE America student members with strong academics and leadership to apply for the Ruth Abernathy Presidential Scholarship.

Children and adults with cystic fibrosis in California seeking support for dance, horseback riding, swimming, or golf can apply for Loretta Morris Memorial Grants from BreatheStrong CF, with awards up to US $750 paid directly to providers. Tennessee dance organizations serving eligible Californians with CF may benefit when facilitating these activities.

Native-led dance and other performing arts organizations in Tennessee can receive US $30,000 for live productions featuring multiple Native performers and artists. First Peoples Fund supports U.S.-based Native performing artists and Native-led groups presenting in-person or virtual performances, including theater, dance, music festivals, concerts, fairs, and touring productions in active stages of production.

Graduating high school seniors in New Jersey pursuing post-secondary dance, drama, visual arts, or music studies can receive $5,000 toward tuition through the Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship. Grants from Arts Council of the Morris Area support Morris County residents with demonstrated artistic excellence, which may benefit Tennessee dance nonprofits partnering with eligible students or families.

High school seniors pursuing dance or other arts studies can access funding through Arts Council of the Morris Area’s Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, which awards US $1,500 toward tuition. Eligible applicants must be Morris County, New Jersey residents attending New Jersey high schools and planning accredited post-secondary arts programs, with selection based on artistic excellence and dedication.

Focused on contemporary American classical concert music, Tennessee dance and other professional performing organizations can seek general operating or project support that features works by younger or under-recognized living American composers. The Alice M. Ditson Fund accepts applications from nonprofits and fiscally sponsored groups, including eligible organizations outside the U.S. presenting qualifying American music.

Graduate students in arts and cultural fields from eligible Asian countries who are enrolled full-time at U.S. universities, including those studying dance in Tennessee, can receive US $15,000 for one academic year to cover travel and living expenses. Asian Cultural Council also connects fellows with a global community of artists and scholars.

Experienced individual dance artists, scholars, and arts professionals can seek Asian Cultural Council’s Individual Fellowship to fund self-directed research and cultural exchange travel between Asia and the U.S., including Tennessee connections. Fellows pursue activities like meetings, workshops, and archival research that deepen artistic practice, cultural immersion, and international collaboration across eligible countries and disciplines.

Individual artists, scholars, and arts professionals in dance and related disciplines from eligible Asian countries can apply for Asian Cultural Council’s New York Fellowship; awards support six-month cultural immersion and research in New York City and across the U.S. Tennessee dance nonprofits may benefit by encouraging qualified Asian collaborators or residents to pursue this opportunity.

The Shubert Foundation is the largest funder in the U.S. providing unrestricted grants to not-for-profit theatres and dance companies. It focuses on supporting professional dance organizations that demonstrate artistic activity, community service, and fiscal responsibility. The foundation emphasizes equity, diversity, and inclusion in its grant-making process, with a commitment to evaluating organizations based on their impact and contributions to the field. Funding is limited to U.S. organizations with established track records.

Tara Lynn Clossman Memorial Fund

Established by the Clossman family and many others in memory of Tara Clossman, who passed away suddenly in 2016 at the age of 25, to provide postsecondary scholarships to Akron City School District high school seniors pursuing a career in dance or education.

Amount:

• Varies ($1,000 minimum)

Number of awards:

• Varies

Renewal:

• No

Washington County Community Foundation

The Washington County Community Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in Washington County by promoting and facilitating philanthropy. We accomplish this by assuming four philanthropic roles of Grantmaker, Donor Service Organization, Fundraiser, and Community Leader. Fostering philanthropy by offering charitable gifting opportunities to donors on an individualized basis and at reasonable fees, we make charitable giving easier, more satisfying, and more effective. 

The Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation organized under the laws of Pennsylvania, which is registered with the Pennsylvania Charities Bureau and annually files the Federal Form 990.

Scholarships for Post-Secondary (Undergraduate) School

The Foundation provides both need-based and merit-based scholarships to students in Washington County, with a few scholarships also available to students in Greene County. All scholarships are made payable to the educational institution the student is attending. 

Carol L. Berthold Scholarship Fund for Dance

For a current year graduating senior who is pursuing a degree in dance at an accredited post-secondary educational institution and demonstrates both financial need and academic excellence. The award is renewable annually, provided the recipient remains enrolled in the dance program and in good academic standing (as defined by the institution).

Shawnee Fine Arts Club Scholarship

Provides a scholarship to graduating seniors of Shawnee High School, Liberty Academy, or home-schooled residents of Shawnee, Oklahoma with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7. Student must be accepted into the university of their choice, majoring in music, visual arts, dance, or drama.

Our Mission

Empower donors to fulfill their passions and dreams by establishing charitable vehicles designed to create a positive and enduring impact on Jewish Buffalo, Western New York and the World.

Geoff Richter Performing Arts Award

The Geoff Richter Performing Arts Award Committee announces the availability of an Award up to $2,000! The GRPAA was founded in memory of Geoff Richter, Western New York Musician and Educator of the Arts.

About Geoff Richter

A native of Eden, New York, Geoff received his Bachelor of Music degree with a Performer’s Certificate in trumpet and a Master’s with a Performers Fellowship, from the Eastman School of Music.

Geoff played trumpet professionally with the Rochester, San Antonio, and Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestras and Niagara Falls, Binghamton, Chautauqua, Orchard Park, Clarence, Cheektowaga, and Amherst Symphony Orchestras. He co-founded the Buffalo Brass Quintet, the Buffalo Niagara Concert Band, and The Frankfurters, an internationally known Bavarian show band. He also acted as the summer/pops conductor of the Erie County Wind Ensemble and the Amherst Symphony Orchestra.

After retiring from a long career at Williamsville North High School, Geoff started working part time as director of the orchestra for musicals at St. Joseph Collegiate Institute. He also worked with the Mount Saint Mary Academy band and recruited and directed the orchestra for the annual school musical.

The NAACP X Society Awards Scholarship

The NAACP x Society Awards Scholarship is one of many funding opportunities available to students through NAACP's Inspire Initiatives. We offer scholarships to outstanding and qualified students pursuing undergraduate degrees. Through the generosity of our donors, we advance efforts to ensure equity in educational opportunity that prepares students for success in school, work, and life.

Scholarship amount: $1,000 to $5,000

This is a non-renewable scholarship opportunity.

What is Emergency Assistance Fund

Emergency Financial Assistance is available to eligible performing arts and entertainment professionals:

• In times of unexpected critical need.
• To assist towards basic living expenses, such as health care, housing and utilities to prevent eviction or shut-offs.

Hunter Brown Emergency Assistance Fund

The Hunter Brown Emergency Assistance Fund offers emergency financial assistance to current or former employees of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

The BTCF: Simple Gifts Fund Grant supports young artists aged 13-19 in the Berkshire Taconic region, providing financial assistance for summer enrichment programs in the arts. Established in 1998 in memory of folk singer Bill Crofut, the fund aims to empower youth through small grants that can cover costs for tuition, art supplies, or living expenses. The grant fosters creativity and personal growth, ensuring that young individuals have opportunities to pursue their passions.