The Shubert Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Shubert Foundation supports live performing arts in the United States and US territories, prioritising New York City, with theatre as its main focus and dance a secondary focus, alongside limited support for arts-related organisations and MFA programmes.
- Grants start from $15,000, and half of its grants have been $35,000 or less, so a modest request is realistic.
- With 89% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in recent filings, it looks relationship-led, though this should not discourage a first approach.
- Apply only through its online grantee portal, choosing a single funding category, with dance and arts-related applications due in October and theatre applications due in December, and any required audited financial statements due in December for dance and arts-related applicants or February for theatre applicants.
- It does not fund project support, capital or endowment campaigns, individuals, conduit or fiscally sponsored organisations, community theatres, improv theatres or comedy venues, non-professional community dance organisations, or, for arts-related organisations, multidisciplinary arts presenters, performing arts centres, symphonies, opera companies outside New York City, or regranting funds, and interested MFA programmes should contact the Foundation first to check eligibility.
Overview
The Shubert Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Shubert Foundation supports the live performing arts in the United States and US territories, with theatre its primary emphasis and dance a secondary focus. It provides unrestricted general operating support to not-for-profit, professional producing theatres and dance companies, and makes a limited number of awards to arts-related organisations and MFA programmes that help advance the field. It is especially interested in professional resident theatre and dance companies developing and producing new American work. Theatre applicants are assessed individually with allowance for size and resources, including their operations, contribution to the field, artistic activity, service to community, fiscal responsibility and development of new work. Arts-related grants principally consider the organisation’s impact, administrative strength and fiscal stability.
Themes
- Theatre
- Dance
- Arts-related organisations
- Graduate drama programs
Geographic Focus
United States and US territories. Priority: New York City.
What They Don't Fund
- Project support
- Capital or endowment campaigns
- Individuals
- Conduit organizations
- Fiscally sponsored organizations
- Theatre only: community theatres; improv theatres; comedy venues
- Dance only: Non-professional community dance organizations
- Arts Related Organizations only: multidisciplinary arts presenters; performing arts centers; symphonies; opera companies outside of New York City; regranting funds
- Shubert Scholars only: any charge for administrative overhead
How to apply
Organisations submit applications through the online grantee portal; applications are not accepted in another format. Each applicant may apply in only one funding category.
Deadlines:
- Dance and arts-related applications are due in October.
- Theatre applications are due in December.
- When audited financial statements are required, dance and arts-related application statements are due in December.
- When audited financial statements are required, theatre application statements are due in February.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 1,957 grants to organisations were $35,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation especially values professional resident theatre and dance companies developing and producing new American work.
- Theatre requests are assessed individually, allowing for differences in size and resources, and considering the organisation's operation and contribution to the field.
- Artistic activity, community service, fiscal responsibility and the development of new work contribute to theatre evaluations.
- Arts-related applicants are assessed on their work and impact, administrative strength and fiscal stability.
- Interested MFA programmes should contact the Foundation to determine eligibility before applying.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 15%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 25%
- The largest single recipient received 1% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations The Shubert Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 671 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $40,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Fund for Public Schools · For shubert leader and teacher development$371,0002024 tax year
- Fund for Public Schools · For shubert-mti broadway junior project$363,0002024 tax year
- New York Shakespeare Festival · General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$350,0002024 tax year
- Chicago Theatre Group · General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$350,0002024 tax year
- Vivian Beaumont Theater · General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$325,0002024 tax year
- Playwrights Horizons · General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$325,0002024 tax year
- Washington Drama Society · General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$325,0002024 tax year
- Steppenwolf Theater Company · General operating support for theatrical productions and activities$300,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Robert E Wankel — Chairman
- Vicki Reiss — Assistant Secretary / Executive Director
- Gilbert Hoover IV — Secretary
- Juan Calvo — Assistant Treasurer
- Elliot H Greene — Treasurer
- Laura Forese — Director
- Stuart Subotnick — Director
- Lee J Seidler — Director
- Richard J Poccia — Director
- Pamela Newkirk — Director
- Wyche Fowler Jr — Director
- Diana Phillips — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $43,925,896 | $37,900,000 | $821,323,073 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $46,683,477 | $40,071,000 | $913,110,286 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $48,775,272 | $42,004,000 | $952,361,789 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Shubert Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (212) 944-3777
- New York, NY
- shubertfoundation.org
Applying to The Shubert Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (212) 944-3777
- New York, NY
- shubertfoundation.org