Grant Guide
Which Grant Is Right For You?
General Guide
The following is a general guide to the grants and awards offered. For specific details and eligibility criteria, please visit the page for each grant or award.
Applications for Retraining and Subsistence Grants (FTS-I and FTS-II) are accepted three times per year.
Please see Grant Application Guidelines for details.
All grants are subject to financial availability.
Deadlines
Grants
| Skills Grants | Skills Grants help dancers develop skills readily transferable to any profession. Can be used as a mentorship, please use the appropriate application form. |
| Career Exploration Grants | The Career Exploration Grant helps dancers explore a second career path by taking a preliminary course or apprenticeship before committing to a retraining program. Can be used as a mentorship, please use the appropriate application form. |
| Retraining Grants | Retraining Grants help members pursue studies leading to parallel or second careers. Can be used as a mentorship, please use the appropriate application form. They may be used towards the costs of tuition, books, course supplies and travel (if necessitated by the course). |
| Subsistence Grants | Subsistence funding is available to cover basic living costs while members are in full-time retraining programs. Two options are available, depending on whether a dancer will be retiring from performance (FTS-I Grant) or continuing to perform (FTS-II Grant) at the end of their retraining program. |
Discretionary Awards and Bursaries
| Special Awards | Special Awards acknowledge academic excellence and financial need and are intended to help dancers pursue a second or subsequent year of full-time study after completing an FTS-I Grant. |
| Founder’s Award | The Founder’s Award was established to provide a dancer with some “breathing space” — the opportunity to step back, reflect and determine how to fulfill their passions in their second career. Awarded every two years. |
| IOTPD Philippe Braunschweig Grant | Due to the very nature of the profession, many dancers have international careers. Because of their scattered careers these dancers may not meet the eligibility criteria of any one country in order to receive a retraining grant through one of the established transitions centres. http://www.iotpd.org/ |
Member Service
DTRC offers regional offices across Canada for members and non-members to access referrals for counselling and to discuss any transitions they are experiencing. DTRC staff will work with grant applicants and refer counsellors as needed. All referrals are available to members and non-members.
Process & Early Planning
Members are encouraged to meet with DTRC staff or representatives periodically to discuss which DTRC grants and awards best suit their needs. Beginning the discussion early in a dance career is very beneficial. Early planning allows dancers more time and opportunity to think ahead and develop other skills, knowledge and experience.
With an emphasis on building a parallel career to support the current socio-economic conditions for a professional dance career, mentorships are also available to encourage peer to peer learning of skills, similar to collaboration.
