About the Call for Project Ideas

Can you submit more than one Project Idea?
No. Select the Project Idea that you feel is most competitive, given the goals of EDA.

Do you have to be a Dance/USA Member by Call for Project Ideas deadline or by the application deadline?
Your organization must be a member by the Call for Project Ideas deadline on May 4, 2009.

Will priority be given to large organizations? 
No. All organizations are eligible regardless of size or function or type of dance. Consortia are encouraged; see below for more information.

Must a project involve an artist and/or performance? 
It is anticipated that most projects will involve live performance or audience involvement of some type, but it is not mandatory.

Can a project involve new work? 
Yes, but bear in mind the overall goals of EDA and the type of project and budget that would best realize those goals.  Unless there is a strong audience engagement theme, it is unlikely that such projects would be competitive. Refer to the Project Support section of the Guidelines.  

Is the Project Idea I submit binding? What if my project changes between the time I submit it online and the initial panel review in June? 
Applicants can modify their Project Idea Form up until May 4, 2009. You will need your user ID and password; refer to Submit Your Project Idea.

About Eligibility

Can a Dance/USA Individual Member apply? 
Only Dance/USA member 501(c)3 organizations are eligible to submit a Project Idea or full application, if invited. Individual members may be part of a consortium project; however, it must be a true consortium with a lead organization that will collaborate on a project, rather than an organization serving as a fiscal sponsor. Note that individual members may upgrade their membership to become an organizational member to be eligible to apply on their own. Refer to Become a Member for additional information, including costs and benefits, or contact the membership manager at membership@danceusa.org.

Can Dance/USA’s international members apply?
At this pilot stage, EDA is open only to U.S. members. However, international members are welcome and encouraged to be part of consortia projects.

Can organizations be part of more than one consortium? 
Yes. Member organizations may apply only once either individually or as a Consortium Lead; however, there are no restrictions on the number of consortia projects organizations may join. Refer to the Eligibility section of the Guidelines for more information. 

Do all Consortium Partners need to be dance organizations? 
No. Although the Lead Partner must be a Dance/USA organizational member, it is anticipated that consortia will involve a range of organizations, and possibly individual members, working within and outside the dance field.

About the Full Application (for those invited to apply in June)

Should the budget cover only the engagement components of a project or can it include other costs, such as artist fees or residency elements?
Residency or other costs can be included if integral to the EDA project, but engagement costs should be delineated within any larger project budget. 

Why the short turnaround time from the Project Idea phase to the full application?
When Dance/USA received notification from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, it was committed to give its applicant members as much time as possible during the next season (or two) to implement projects. The Call for Project Ideas phase was designed to encourage new thinking about audience engagement, yet limit the outlay of applicants’ time.

For Funded Organizations

About the Learning Community

How many meetings will be required? How many days out of the office can I expect? 
Grantees should plan for a total of about six (6) full days of meetings, in addition to travel time over the entire project timeline. Meetings will take place at three points during the project period, most likely at locations and times that coincide with Dance/USA Conferences and Forums. The first meeting will be in January 2010, in San Diego in conjunction with Dance/USA's Winter Forum. It is mandatory that two people from each funded project attend this orientation meeting. One person from each funded project must attend the second and third meetings (times and locations to be determined). Dance/USA will cover travel costs for these meetings separately from the grant funds. More people from each project are welcome to participate provided they cover their own travel costs.

How much information will I need to provide for the Dance/USA website? 
Grantees must provide a range of documentation, including summaries, photographs, and/or video clips. Related costs can be allocated from grant funds.

I am a bit uneasy about sharing my lessons learned publicly. How could this be addressed? 
At this crucial point, when the dance field is grappling with how to better engage audiences, there is a lot to be learned and shared. Dance/USA will be respectful in the manner in which information is shared and expressed publicly; grantees will have a say in determining how information is shared. The most competitive applicants will be those who are not only eager to learn and benefit, but also committed to sharing what they have learned.

About the Research Component

What will be involved in the audience research plans? Will each grantee write their own plan or will WolfBrown guide us?
After Dance/USA has awarded the EDA grants, WolfBrown will work with each grantee to develop an audience research plan. The audience research plan will be developed during several conference calls between the grantee and WolfBrown. During the calls, the format of the grantee’s engagement activities and their adaptability for research will be discussed.  Viable audience research plans will include methods for surveying audience members. Grantees must be willing to work with the consultants to provide not only access, but accurate information. 

I am eager about finally being able to conduct audience research, but it is new to me. What will WolfBrown provide for us and what will be expected from us?
Alan Brown and Jennifer Novak of WolfBrown will work directly with each grantee. They will provide survey instruments, guidance on how to administer them, and analysis of the data collected. Grantees are responsible for onsite administration of survey instruments, which may involve enlisting one or a team of staff and/or volunteers to work before and after performances/events, as well as furnishing copies and supplies, and delivering completed surveys to WolfBrown. Other grantee responsibilities could include obtaining permission from rental facilities to administer surveys, and reviewing protocols and results at key points.

How will the data from my audience research be used?
The data from EDA grantees will become part of a national data source. Information will be presented in the aggregate and also identified by organization. It will be presented at Dance/USA meetings and written about in the Journal and/or other publications. Grantees should not only be willing to share their information, but be ready to learn from their peers – to reflect, collectively, on what this information means and how to use it. 

Must the audience research take place at live events, and on paper, or can it be conducted in other ways? 
The research methods used will be discussed during the development of the audience research plan with WolfBrown, and is not limited to paper surveys or live events. However, the research does require an ability to contact audience members – most likely via email and/or in person onsite at an engagement activity and/or performance. WolfBrown will tailor survey instruments and research methods to accommodate the intent and logistics of the event(s). In order for the research to be considered valid, it is crucial to have a reasonable response rate. Grantees may be required to furnish valid email or other contact information for audiences, and to update any emails that are returned. 

About EDA’s Future

Will there be another round of funding? 
As a pilot program, there is no assurance of a future round of support at this time. Thanks to the leadership of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Dance/USA is now striving to learn from its members’ best thinking on the topic of audience engagement, generate new ideas and solid information, and share it with the field nationally. Ideally, EDA will have benefits that go far beyond the grants alone to contribute to the field’s understanding and knowledge base about reaching and building lasting relationships with its audiences.

back to top