As we approach the one-year anniversary of the near-shutdown of the theatre industry, Theatre Washington is committed to keeping the Taking Care Fund open to support theatre-makers still grappling with the loss of work.
We are announcing a new goal to raise one million dollars for the Taking Care Fund by the end of 2021 and we wanted to share the following updates on our progress and the future of the Fund.
In March 2020, in response to the pandemic outbreak, we created additional opportunities for the long-standing Taking Care program to provide grants to theatre professionals who faced financial hardship from closings, postponed productions, and other lost wages. Over the course of 2020, the Fund provided over 500 microgrants to individuals in need.
As it became clear that the future of in-person productions remains uncertain and likely will for some time, and the need persists, a committee-led decision was made to shift from short-term, paycheck continuity relief and focus on longer-term expenses like rent coverage, debt relief, and medical care. As a result, larger grants are now funded, up to $5,000 per individual.
As of February 2021, the Fund has raised nearly $500,000 from more than 1,200 community donors. To date, 669 grants have been awarded totaling over $419,000. In fact, this month alone we distributed more than we ever have previously – over $42,000.
As we’ve stated before, we are committed to keeping the Fund open – for applications and donations – for as long as the community needs it, increasing the level of support, and providing a continuous monthly grant cycle. With a generous $100,000 matching gift from The Revada Foundation of the Logan Family, we have set a new goal of raising a total of $1,000,000 for the Taking Care Fund by the end of 2021.
Please join us.
Make a Donation
Apply for a Grant
