Bridge Grants
$500 Grants to bridge the gap and ease transitions.
DGF offers Bridge Grants to theater writers facing non-emergency challenges that pull focus away from their creative practice. Whether you are a little short on a monthly utility bill or medication payment, need to pay for childcare while in production or residency, or have a few weeks between paying gigs, Bridge Grants allow writers to smooth over those difficult patches.
To qualify for a Bridge Grant, applicants must be theater writers who are 18 years of age or older. They must be living and working in the U.S. or U.S. Territories. They must have not previously received a DGF Bridge Grant. They must have less than $15,000 in their combined bank accounts.
For questions, contact grants@dgf.org or call 212-391-8384 x1007
Currently accepting applications on a rolling basis until December 14, 2026. 2027 applications will open on January 4, 2027.
ELIGIBILITY:
DGF has the following eligibility requirements:
• You must be an individual professional dramatist:
– We have an expansive definition of what a dramatist is. We accept playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists who write for live performance. We may accept work that veers towards performance art, devised work, and movement, as long as there is a strong written element.
– To qualify as a dramatist, applicants must fulfill three of the following criteria:
— You have written two or more completed full length works for the American theater within the past 10 years and you were at least 18 years old at the time the work was written. We consider full length works to be scripts that are at least 45 minutes long when performed.
— You are currently enrolled in or have graduated from a degree program in dramatic writing or musical theater.
— You are a member or have participated in one or more writer’s associations (e.g. Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, the Dramatists Guild, the Playwright’s Center…)
— Your work has been professionally developed, workshopped, or produced.
— Your work has been presented for paying audience
— You have been commissioned or paid to write a play.
— We do not support artists who are primarily screenwriters for film or television, stand-up comedians, improvisers, dancers, or musicians who do not write for the stage.
• You must have less than $15,000 in your combined bank accounts
– At this time, Crisis Relief Grants are reserved for those who do not have a safety net in times of crisis.
– This includes checking and savings accounts and mobile payment services like PayPal or Venmo.
• You must have not previously received a Bridge Grant
– At this time DGF Bridge Grants are one time awards only.
• You must be 18 years or older at the time of your application
• You must be working and living in the United States or United States Territories.
Determination Process:
All grant applications are read by DGF’s grant team. We review primarily for eligibility, making sure all applicants fulfill our requirements, are indeed professional dramatists living and working in the United States. Then we review whether the applicant’s emergency is an eligible one. Certain applications may be sent to our Grants Committee for additional review. Applicants will typically receive a determination within one month of their application.
Repeat Applicants:
Applications from dramatists who have received support from DGF in the past may take longer to process. First time applicants will be prioritized. We generally do not fund applicants that received funding from DGF in the last 12 months.
Questions?
Please Check Our FAQs. If you have additional questions, please contact us either at grants@dgf.org or by phone. You can reach us by phone Monday through Thursday from 10am-6pm EST and on Friday from 10am – 1pm EST.