Beginning October 28, 2025, Dance Source Houston will accept applications from eligible dance nonprofit organizations and fiscally sponsored projects for the Groundwork Grant program. Awards will provide general operational support to grantees for the 2025 calendar year grant term. The Groundwork Grant program is not a project grant.

Dance Source Houston invites eligible nonprofit dance organizations and fiscally sponsored projects based in the Greater Houston area with budgets under $1,000,000 to apply. Through the funding program, DSH will distribute general operating support awards of $3,500–$5,000, totaling $75,000, to support the January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026 grant term.

Through support from Houston Endowment, Dance Source Houston will facilitate the fourth round of the Groundwork Grant program to support the 2026 calendar year grant term. The program was launched in 2019 to address the need for increased funding opportunities for local dance makers. Nonprofit dance companies and fiscally sponsored projects located in the Greater Houston region dedicated to the creation and presentation of any dance genres are encouraged to apply.

The priorities for the funding align with Dance Source Houston’s mission to empower the diverse individuals and organizations working in the field of dance throughout the Greater Houston region by means of advocacy, inclusive community engagement, and support services.

The deadline to apply is Monday, November 24, 2025 at 11:59pm CST.

Goals

• Facilitate a process that is transparent and minimizes labor on applicants and grantees;
• Provide an additional funding source to local dance organizations that currently have limited access;
• Offer flexibility through operational support that allows grantees to direct funds where they are needed most; and
• Infuse Houston’s dance sector with additional funds.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants are eligible to apply if they:

• Are a dance organization or fiscally sponsored project focused on the performance and/or presentation of dance;
• Are based in the Greater Houston region, defined by Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller counties;
• Have a documented history of creating and presenting dance in the Greater Houston region;
• Have a documented history of paying fees to local dance artists for performance-based work; and
• Can provide proof of current 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsorship status, as verified by the IRS Tax Exemption Organization Search; and
• Have an operating budget under $1 million.

Applicants are not eligible to apply if they:

• Are an individual artist or artist collective without a fiscal sponsor;
• Are an organization that is not focused on the creation or presentation of dance;
• Do not have a documented history of paying fees to local dance artists for performance-based work; 
• Are a preprofessional company working exclusively with student dancers under the age of 18; or
• Are an educational institution.

Funding Priorities

Strong applications will display:

• A clear artistic vision and exhibition of artistic excellence, as defined by Animating Democracy’s Aesthetic Perspectives: Attributes of Excellence in Arts for Change;
• A clear explanation of how the funds would impact the organization;
• A demonstration of payment to dance artists as a central value;
• Organizational and financial health, regardless of budget size,
• A range of organizational models, budget sizes, dance genres, and perspectives; and
• Representation of and service to audiences reflective of the Greater Houston region.

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by DSH staff for eligibility before they are paneled by a group of members of the local dance community. Panelists are selected through an open call and curated to guarantee the group represents a broad range of artistic and cultural perspectives. To apply to serve as a panelist, click here. If you have applied to be a panelist in previous years and are interested in serving this year, please complete the form again. Panelists will not be considered if they represent an organization submitting a Groundwork Grant application.

Timeline

• Application portal opens - Tuesday, October 28, 2025
• Application deadline - Monday, November 24, 2025, at 11:59pm CT
• Staff review & Panelist review process - November 25, 2025 - January 5, 2026
• All applicants receive notification on the status of their application - January 15, 2026

Required Application Support Materials:

• Eligibility Document(s) - Nonprofit organizations should upload their IRS determination letter. Fiscally sponsored projects must upload their fiscal sponsor agreement AND the sponsor's IRS determination letter. 
• Equity Matrix - Download template here.
• Form 990 - Nonprofit organizations should upload their most recently submitted 990. Fiscally sponsored projects should upload the 990 of their fiscal sponsor.
• Budget - Download template here. 
• Work Samples - Links to video samples reflective of your organization's work.

Submission Details

The application will be available through an online portal at dancesourcehouston.submittable.com, beginning October 28, 2025. Complete applications, including all support materials, must be submitted online by Monday, November 24, 2025 at 11:59pm CST.

Questions

Read our Frequently Asked Questions. Additional questions should be directed by email to danceinfo@dancesourcehouston.org. Do not direct questions to individual staff members’ email addresses. Please put “Groundwork Grant Question” in the subject line to ensure your email is prioritized. As appropriate, responses to questions received will be added to the FAQ page.