Professional Development Scholarship | Entertainment Community Fund

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Professional Development Scholarship

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Founded in 1985, Career Transition For Dancers enables dancers to define their career possibilities and develop the skills necessary to excel in a variety of disciplines outside of outside of entertainment and the performing arts. The Professional Development Scholarship provides a one-time award of up to $1,000 for occupational skills training in a certification or licensure program in a field outside of dance, to initiate a post-dance career.

 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

In order to be considered for a grant, an individual must meet all of the following eligibility requirements. Awards are competitive and merit-based. Financial need is taken into consideration.

  • A dance performance career of 5 or more years (need not be consecutive or current), within the last 15 years (Teaching and choreography excluded)
  • 70 weeks or more of paid dance employment (For non‐citizens, please provide 70 weeks of work in the U.S.)
  • Total minimum gross earnings of $40,000
  • Consultation with a Career Counselor.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please use the link below to access the application. The completed application must be submitted on or before the deadline of each month. Applications received after each month’s deadline will be reviewed by the deadline of the following month. Applications are reviewed by the Career Transition For Dancers National Grants Committee.

Application deadline: The 12th of every month

Awardees will be notified of their application status no later than three to four weeks post the submission deadline. All grant checks will be mailed to the awardee, made payable to the training institution. Please verify that your educational program can accept a third party check from the Entertainment Community Fund. It is the recipient’s responsibility to present the grant award check to the appropriate entity for deposit by the check’s expiration date—60 days from the processing date.

CAREER COUNSELING CONSULTATION

Prior to submitting an application, you must discuss your career and education goals with an Entertainment Community Fund Career Counselor. Career Counselors are available for virtual consultations in the New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago areas. Applicants located outside of these cities should contact the office nearest to your place of residence.

Required DOCUMENTATION

  • Five years of earnings over the past 15 years, totaling a minimum of $40,000. Accepted forms of earnings documentation include: Union pension statements, copies of contracts, W-2/1099 forms, or statement on employer’s letterhead verifying years of employment, number of weeks worked and average compensation per week or year
  • Most recent performance resume
  • Copy of program description and tuition cost
  • First page of most recent checking and saving bank statements, including balance totals (Black out bank account numbers)
  • Documentation of credit card debt

To learn more, attend a Career Center Orientation.