July, 0000

July 1, 2009: Dance Alive National Ballet has received a $25,000 Florida Arts Recovery Program grant. Funded through the Federal American Reinvestment Recovery Act of 2009 and the National Endowment for the Arts, the program is designed to preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector.

DANB was one of 18 grant recipients in Florida chosen from among 273 eligible applicants in the state. 8 of the 18 were from Miami/Dade County.

During 3 days of panel hearings, each organization was judged by a panel of their peers. Applicants were judged based on criteria issued by the NEA. Judges analyzed the applicant's fiscal condition, how the positions related to and impacted the applicant's artistic mission, and how the applicant served underprivileged populations.

"It's a very big deal to receive this award. It's very competitive", said Jennifer Hoesing, public information officer at the Florida Divison of Cultural Affairs.

This grant award is extremely important for DANB. The company has lost 4 positions in the past year and is looking at a $200,000 difference in budget from 2007-2008 to 2009-2010. A large part of DANB's budget has been based on touring and the State Touring Program, which DANB has been on for 33 years, has been cancelled for the coming year. Additionally, all county funding for arts education in 2009-2020 has been dropped, arts education grants through the state have been put on hiatus, and a general support grant from the state which was scheduled to run through 2010 has been cancelled.

ALL grants programs from Florida's Division of Cultural Affairs are currently on hold. Instead, ALL nonprofit organizations will be applying for one grant - Culture Builds Florida's Future. The state has 2.5 million that will be allocated for this grant program; funding approximately 100 organizations at $25,000.