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Actors' Fund of America, Chicago
(312) 372-0989
The Actors' Fund of America, a nonprofit organization founded in 1882, provides for the social welfare of all entertainment professionals-designers, writers, sound technicians, musicians, dancers, administrators, directors, film editors, stagehands - as well as actors. The Actors' Fund Human Services Department offers a wide range of social services to working professionals, persons with AIDS, seniors and the disabled and others in need of help. In addition, emergency financial grants may be provided for essentials such as food, rent and medical care.
Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation, Inc.
212-226-0581
Offer grants to individual visual artists through two programs: an annual Individual Support Grant and a separate program to assist visual artists in cases of catastrophic events through an Emergency Grant program.
AFM: Lester Petrillo Memorial Fund
800-762-3444 x 1275
The Lester Petrillo Memorial Fund for Disabled Musicians provides a modest grant, usually from $100 to $400, to disabled musicians who are members of the AFM. To qualify for financial assistance from this Fund, a member must be disabled (temporarily or permanently). Applications are available online.
AFTRA: The Frank Nelson Sick & Benefit Fund
323-634-8104
The Fund assists qualified AFTRA members in locals west of Omaha with basic living expenses and emergency medical costs.
AGMA: American Guild of Musical Artists
212-221-7300
Assistance fund for members in good standing who meet eligibility criteria. Administered by the Actors' Fund of America. For assistance call 212-221-7300.
AGVA: American Guild of Variety Artists Sick and Relief Fund
(212) 675-1003
AGVA does not have a presence on the Internet. It offers emergency financial assistance for members in good standing. The contact number in New York is listed above; the contact number in California is 818-508-9984.
Artists' Fellowship, Inc.
646-230-9833
Artists' Fellowship, Inc. is a private, charitable foundation that assists professional fine artists (painters, graphic artists, sculptors) and their families in times of emergency, disability, or bereavement. Applications from performance artists, commercial artists, commercial photographers, filmmakers, crafts persons, and hobbyists are not accepted. Although the need is real and often urgent, Artists' Fellowship is not authorized to respond to such requests. Application available on-line.
Broadcasters' Foundation
203-862-8577
The mission of the Broadcasters Foundation of America is to provide an anonymous safely net to men and women in the radio and television broadcast profession who find themselves in cases of critical illness, advanced age, death of a spouse, accident and other serious misfortune.
Cable Positive!
212-459-1502
Offers programs and services to those in the cable and telecommunications industry whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDs. Also offers grants to local HIV/AIDS organizations around the country. NOTE: Administered by The Actors' Fund of America. For assistance call 212-221-7300.
Career Transition for Dancers
(212) 764-0172
Career Transition for Dancers offers eligible current and former professional dancers the following programs and services designed to help each individual realize their vision for life after dance: financial aid for tuition, career counseling and workshops, retraining and seed money for new businesses. CTFD helps dancers nationwide, with offices in NY (212-764-0172) and LA (323-549-6660).
Carnegie Fund for Authors
516-877-2141
Carnegie Fund for Authors offers aid to authors who have had at least one book published commercially. Grants are given to writers and family members of writers experiencing a health- or injury-related crisis.
Artist Trust
Change, Inc.
212-473-3742
One-time grants of up to $1000 to artists of any discipline for financial emergencies including medical bill payment. For grant application guidelines, call the number above.
Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)
802-229-2306
The mission of Craft Emergency Relief Fund is to strengthen and sustain the careers of craft artists across the United States through direct financial and educational assistance, including emergency relief assistance, business development support, and resources and referrals on topics such as health, safety, and insurance. CERF also advocates, engages in research, and backs policy that supports craft artists’ careers.
DGA: Directors Guild of America
(877) 866-2200
Information on health plans with downloadable forms. If you are a DGA member or a family member and require emergency assistance related to Hurricane Katrina, please call the DGA Foundation at 310 289-2037, or the toll-free number 800 421-4173 ext. 2037, or email laraine@dga.org and leave detailed contact information. A foundation representative will get in touch with you with information.
Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund
615-316-6174
Opry Trust Fund’s mission is to help those in the country music industry by offering financial assistance during times of need. Any individual who has been employed full time in some facet of the country music industry (i.e. performer, songwriter, publisher, radio, session musician, etc.) may be eligible to benefit from the Opry Trust Fund.
Jazz Musicians Emergency Fund
212-213-3866
The JMEF is committed to helping jazz professionals, especially older musicians, overcome their hard times and to help them get back on their feet. As "freelancers," most jazz musicians do not have full-time jobs with one organization. Therefore, they don't qualify for health insurance, pensions, or other benefits, making it next to impossible for them to receive the proper health care they need.
The JMEF makes emergency funds available for immediate needs. The Jazz Foundation provides jazz artists in need with someone who can assess their problems and find solutions. Through valued partnerships with Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, they provide much needed, free medical care.
In addition, the Jazz Foundation of America established a volunteer network of caring jazz enthusiasts to provide free legal, dental, and psychological services when needed.
Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation
The mission of the Foundation is to provide financial support and encouragement to a new generation of musical theatre composers, lyricists and bookwriters. Applications are judged first on artistic merit; financial need is a secondary consideration.
Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc.
919-643-2456
Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern musical traditions gain recognition and meet their day to day needs.
Their criterion for recipients is they be rooted in a Southern musical tradition, be 55 years or older and have an annual income less than $18,000.
Life Maintenance - Grants for necessities such as food, medical needs, housing.
Emergency Relief - Substantial one-time grants to recipients in crisis (medical, fire, theft, etc.).
MusiCares
Social services and financial assistance for basic needs, medical and substance abuse treatment.
West Coast Region 3402 Pico Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90405 Ph: 310.392.3777 Fx: 310.392.2187 Toll-free Help Line: 1.800.687.4227
Central Region 1904 Wedgewood Avenue Nashville, TN 37212 Ph: 615.327.0050 Fx: 615.327.0876 Toll-free Help Line: 1.877.626.2748
Northeast Region 156 West 56th Street, Ste. 1701 New York, NY 10019 Ph: 212.245.7840 Fx: 212.245.8130 Toll-free Help Line: 1.877.303.6962
Musicians Foundation, Inc.
212-239-9137
Helps professional musicians by providing emergency financial assistance in meeting current living, medical and allied expenses.
Requests are handled by application which is available on the Internet and by mail from the Musicians Foundation, 875 Sixth Avenue, Room 2303, New York, NY 10001.
You can also request one by telephone at 212.239.9137 or by E-mail from info@musiciansfoundation.org.
PEN Writers' Fund
The PEN Writers’ Fund is an emergency fund for professional—published or produced—writers in acute, emergency financial crisis. Depending on the situation, the Fund gives grants of up to $2,000. The maximum amount is given only under especially dire circumstances and when monies are available. An application is available to download.
PEN American Center
Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Inc.
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation‘s dual criteria for grants are recognizable artistic merit and demonstrable financial need, whether professional, personal or both. The Foundation‘s mission is to aid, internationally, those individuals who have worked as professional artists over a significant period of time.
Artists are required to submit a cover letter, an application, and slides of current work. All applications will be promptly acknowledged and considered.
Artists interested in obtaining application forms and information on the application procedure can download the forms from our Web site or must write, fax or e-mail their complete mailing address to:
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Inc.
863 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10021
Attn: Request for Application
Fax: (212) 288-2836
E-mail: grants@pkf.org The Pollock-Krasner Foundation is also currently accepting emergency requests for grants to professional visual artists, which will be expedited under the foundation's guidelines.
Professional Dancers' Society Social Services
212-221-7300
Human services and financial assistance for dancers and choreographers who meet eligibility criteria. NOTE: Administered by The Actors' Fund of America. For assistance call 212-221-7300.
Rhythm & Blues Foundation
215-568-1080
Provides financial support, medical assistance and educational outreach through various grants and programs to support R&B and Motown artists of the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
SAG: Screen Actors Guild
(212) 221-7300
Assistance to SAG members in good standing for a minimum of six (6) dues periods. Administered by The Actors' Fund of America. For assistance call 212-221-7300.
Society of Singers
866-767-7671
The Society helps singers who have financial needs resulting from personal, medical or family crises. Charitable grants may be provided for basic needs including rent, utilities, medical/dental expenses, substance abuse rehab, psychotherapy and HIV/AIDS treatment.
ELIGIBILITY: Any individual who has derived his or her primary income as a professional singer for five years or more may qualify for services.
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
(888) 955-7880
Sweet Relief provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.
The applicant must be a musician who has regular public performances, or performed on at least three widely released recordings (audio or audiovisual), or written music that has been performed on three widely released recordings, or published on three occasions. The term “Musician” includes vocalists, songwriters, composers, arrangers, and instrumentalists.
The applicant must show financial need by submitting, upon Sweet Relief’s request, tax returns, bank statements, and/or any other information deemed necessary to verify such need.
For financial assistance for medically related costs, the applicant must have a serious medical condition. A diagnosis by a medical doctor, or hospital or medical bills indicating such condition, must be provided.
The Authors League Fund
212-268-1208
The Authors League Fund helps professional writers and dramatists who find themselves in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income or other misfortune. The Fund gives open-ended, interest-free, no-strings-attached loans. Download an application on this site.
The Dramatists Guild Fund
212-391-8384
The Dramatists Guild Fund provides grants to professional dramatists experiencing personal hardships such as health-related problems or the temporary loss of income. They are also involved in helping older playwrights, composers, and lyricists who are ill, uninsured, or whose royalties have dried up. Recipients need not be Dramatists Guild members. All information is held in strict confidence. Grants are also given to not-for-profit theatrical organizations that produce works by American writers.
The Mayer Foundation
The core mission of the Mayer Foundation is to make economic relief grants to needy individuals who are distressed or suffering as a result of poverty, low income or lack of financial resources. They also award grants to non-profit organizations, and award scholarship benefits and student aid to high school, college or graduate school students. Applications can be downloaded at this site.
The PEN Fund for Writers and Editors with HIV/AIDS
Administered under the PEN Writers’ Fund, grants of up to $2,000 are given to professional writers and editors who face serious financial difficulties because of HIV or AIDS-related illness.
Will Rogers Memorial Fund
(877) 957-7575
The Will Rogers Memorial fund will subsidize for therapeutic medical care, including prescriptions, equipment, physical therapy, occupational therapy and more.
To quality for assistance, the applicant is required to have worked 30 months, out of the past 60 months, as a full-time employee in the entertainment industry. Each person who requests assistance must fill out an application to explain financial hardship.
Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Fund
The Motion Picture Pioneers Assistance Fund serves veterans of the theatrical community (exhibition, distribution and production) who are encountering an illness, injury or life-changing event.
