Exploration Grants

The Applicant Theatre must meet the following requirements:

• 501(c)3 status


• Must be a TCG Member Theatre in good standing at the time of application, and throughout the grant period, if selected to receive an award.


• Minimum of three years prior existence as a not-for-profit theatre. History of producing its own theatre production(s) within the previous year.

Applicant Theatres can only submit one Audience (R)Evolution Exploration Grant application per Cycle within Round Three of the program.

In an effort to maximize field-wide benefit, Applicant Theatres who received a previous grant in the Audience (R)Evolution Program are not eligible to reapply.

Cohort Grants

Cohort Organizations:

• Must employ at least one full-time (35 hours/week) salaried staff person at the time of application.


• Can only be listed in one proposal.


• Audience (R)Evolution Round 2 (both Travel and Cohort Grants) recipients are ineligible


• Individual artists and consultants are ineligible to serve as members of a cohort in this round of the program. However, project funds can be used to support their participation as consultants.


• Audience (R)Evolution Round 3 Exploration Grant recipients are ineligible

In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above, the Lead Organizations must meet the following:

• A minimum of one year prior existence as a not-for-profit professional theatre, or not-for-profit theatre service organization (fiscal sponsors are not allowed).

Proposed Project:

• Must focus on Audience Engagement and Community Development initiatives designed to engage “Youth” and “Multigenerational” audiences/communities. Proposed projects aimed at engaging multigenerational audiences/communities must include those defined as youth by this program.

If you have any questions about the composition of your cohort, or the eligibility requirements, please contact TCG at AudienceRev@tcg.org prior to submitting an application.

Exploration Grants

• Clearly articulated audience engagement and/or community development challenge(s) and/or question(s) to be examined by the Applicant Team


• Evidence of a commitment to the community(ies) served by the theatre’s proposed audience engagement and/or community development activities


• Clear plan for executing the proposed activities


• Potential impact of the proposed activities on the Applicant Theatre’s audience engagement and/or community development efforts


• Capacity to carry out the proposed activities


• Appropriateness of the match between Applicant Team and the proposed organization(s)/professional(s) to visit


• Appropriateness of the proposed budget


• Willingness to examine audience engagement and community development approaches and break from previous practices, as appropriate

NOTE: Proposals that request support for activities that are part of the Applicant Theatre's normal operations, or those for travel without a learning component, will not be considered competitive.

Cohort Grants

• Commitment to audience engagement and/or community development throughout the cohort as illustrated by:


• Clearly articulated challenge(s) and/or question(s) to be examined by the cohort and strategy to implement proposed activities


• Relevance of the proposed activities to the audiences/communities to be served and/or challenge(s) and/or question(s) to be examined


• Appropriate match among the Lead and Cohort Organizations


• Organizational and fiscal stability of the Lead and Cohort Organizations


• Appropriateness of the proposed project budget


• Evidence of the Lead and Cohort Organization’s ability to carry out the proposed activities as described in the application