Special Awards in the Arts Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • Application materials must be received by Wednesday, June 18th at 4pm (PST). Please email applications to special.awards@gerbode.org. Late or incomplete submissions will not be eligible.

  • All applicants and grantseekers are encouraged to attend either an Application Info Webinar or Drop-in Hours before submitting an application. Program Director will also be available to answer any questions about the program by sending an email to special.awards@gerbode.org. Please make sure to read through the Program Guidelines and FAQs prior to contacting the Foundation.

  • Please make sure to attend either an Application Info Webinar or Drop-in Hours before scheduling a follow-up. Follow-up Call or Zoom with Program Director will be available 5/7/25 - 6/13/25. Bookings will open on May 1st. Click here to schedule.

  • We do not accept applications from individual artists or collaborative teams. An eligible organization is the applicant.

  • We accept fiscal sponsorship on a case-by-case basis. A fiscal sponsor must be a partner and be involved in the project beyond a fiduciary pass-through. Please contact Olivia at special.awards@gerbode.org or attend a drop-in session to confirm eligibility.

  • Yes. If you are a founding director or member of the applicant organization or company, please consider a project that will have significant impact on your organization.

  • While the producing organization must be based in an eligible Bay Area County, the artist(s) can reside in any zip code in California or out-of-state if the artist has a demonstrated history creating and producing work in California in the last 5 years. Please contact staff to ensure eligibility. Please contact Olivia at special.awards@gerbode.org or attend a drop-in session to confirm eligibility.

  • Download the Word version of the Application available here and enter information directly into the document. Please do not use a font smaller than 10 pt. and save frequently!

  • The information requested in our Application Form aligns with the Common App with notations in parenthesis. While the intent of the Common App is to provide an easy copy-n-paste from the Common App template, be mindful of our program’s goals and criteria. Consider making minor revisions to ensure responses address the specific nuances of the 2025 Theater Production Awards program.

    If you are not using the Common App, please simply ignore the notations in parenthesis in our application form.

  • The Common App is a collaboration between funders and grantmakers with unique histories and objectives. The 2025 Theater Production Awards is a part of the Common Application for the Arts – Bay Area (“Common App”) – an initiative in which participating funders use standardized questions to help create greater efficiency for grantseekers.

    You are not required to complete the Common App to apply to Gerbode Foundation. However, once you have completed Gerbode’s application, consider copy and pasting your responses into the Common App template since you are already 70% done!

  • Yes, there is a suggested max word count noted each section. 

  • It is important for the lead artist to respond to the Artist Statement questions. Do not be overly concerned with “grant speak” or formal grant language in the response. However, we do suggest that you try to be as concise as possible in this section. Please feel free to include an outline or bullet points to convey your artistic process.

  • If the application form (narrative format) does not work for the lead artist or the producing organization, please discuss other possible options with the Program Director. While we do not have a formal process for doing so, we will consider a video recording of responses to the questions or a presentation deck as other possible options.

  • Submit writing samples, scripts, videos, visuals or any other materials that will give the review panel a clear sense of your creative process and artistic vision. The work samples should be relevant to the proposed project.

    You may provide up to 3 work samples. Work samples can be provided below by using online links (video or audio - up to 5 minutes of material to review), or uploading JPGS (images), and PDFs (documents).

  • Deadline to submit application: Application materials must be received by Wednesday, June 18th at 4pm (PST). Application materials must be emailed to special.awards@gerbode.org. Late or incomplete submissions will not be eligible. Gerbode Foundation staff will confirm receipt of all applications once received so there is no need to follow-up.

    For fiscally-sponsored projects, with the exception of the IRS letter, materials should relate to your organization/company and not the fiscal sponsor.

    Attach the following application materials as separate attachments to an email as PDF files unless noted – please label numerically as listed. You may send multiple emails if attachments exceed 25MB.

    1. IRS determination letter establishing the applicant organization’s nonprofit 501c3 status.
      If a fiscal sponsor is the applicant, in addition to its IRS letter, please include a short description of the partnership with the fiscal sponsor as it relates to the commissioned work.

    2. Completed Application Form – Section 1 through Section 3 (submit as a Word doc)

      • If applicable, please also attach JPG or PDF work samples.

    3. (Optional) Detailed project budget.

    4. Staff & Board list.

    5. Balance sheet and profit & loss statement for the last two completed fiscal years.

    6. Year-to-date information: Balance sheet and profit & loss statement as of 4/30/25.

    7. Current organizational budget.

  • Email notifications regarding the status of applications will be no later than September 2025.