Signal Grant Program

We all know 2020 has irrevocably changed the theatre industry in Chicago. When speaking with theatres this year, we heard that one of the biggest fears coming was the cash flow crisis around the start of a production. We hope to alleviate some of the stress of ticket pre-sales, hiring and paying artists and technicians, and acquiring the materials needed to bring a production to life.

We are awarding 12 companies a one-time grant of $25,000 to defray the mounting costs for a live, multi-week production for an in-person audience in the 2021-22 Season.

Signal Grant applications for 2021 are closed.

Successful applicants will be contacted by the end of June. If you have any questions or would like to be notified about grant news, please contact BaylessFamilyFoundation@gmail.com

Chiara Mangiameli and Rick Bayless in Lookingglass Theatre Company’s production of Cascabel, 2014. Photo by Liz Lauren.

2021 Signal Grant Application:

** We know this year has been extremely unpredictable.  For questions that ask you to estimate or ask about your plans, we won’t penalize anyone for not correctly predicting the future.  We want to understand your current plans and expectations for reopening. **
Organizational Information:
Name of Organization
Your Name 
Email 
Mailing Address (Street Address, City, State, Zip Code)
Is this address also your performance space? 
Are you an Itinerant company?
Performance Venue Address (if different from mailing address) (Street Address, City, State, Zip Code)
Do you present a season of theatre productions in the Chicago area? 
Has your company been in continuous operation of the above for at least 5 years? 
What year were you founded? 
What is your organization’s mission statement?
Total number of full-time salaried staff:
Total number of Part-Time staff:
Total number of stipend staff:
Total number of volunteers (exclusive of The Saints):
What has been your business strategy during the pandemic?
How do you anticipate your business strategy shifting in the next 6-12 months? 
Production Information:
Has this production opened, performed in previews, or was the production part of a previously announced season? If Yes, please elaborate.
From your current vantage point, when do you anticipate this production opening?
Please tell us about the production.
How many weeks of the production are planned to run?
How many performances are planned per week?
What is the estimated mounting cost for this production?
What is the estimated weekly running cost?
Production Pay Information:
Total number of paid designers
Total number of paid actors (total)
Total number of AEA contracts
Total number of paid musicians
Total number of paid technicians
Total number of paid FOH staff
Total number of paid persons not yet counted 
(Please explain the positions held by these other paid persons.)
If persons included in these production totals are being financially supported by the company in another capacity (company member, administrative staff, etc.), please describe. 
Excluding those in the previous answer who are supported in another capacity: 
-        What is the highest stipend you pay, and what is the lowest stipend?  
-        What is the highest hourly rate you pay, and what is the lowest hourly rate?
How are you committed to serving and supporting Chicago artists with this production?
Please upload the most recent three years of audited financial statements.  In the case you do not have audited documents, please submit your most recent 990PF documents.

Grant Announcement Letter