Center Stage Youth Theater

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Executive Summary

Center Stage Youth Theater is a nonprofit in Massachusetts that gives children and teens a place to act, sing, dance and build sets. After school, students ages 8 to 18 take theater classes with professional teaching artists, rehearse for two productions a year and perform for their families and neighbors. Tickets are free or pay-what-you-can, and no student is turned away because of cost.

Theater builds confidence, teamwork and creativity, and it can help shy students find their voice. Many schools have cut arts programs, and private theater classes can be costly. A student who has never been on a stage may discover a new passion, a group of friends and a sense of belonging.

With this grant we will serve about 120 students in Year 1, in classes and two productions with six performances. Each production includes actors, crew and a stage manager role for students. We pay royalties for scripts and follow the rules for performance rights. We do not promise that any student will become a professional actor. We promise to give each student a chance to try and to be part of something.

Our Year 1 budget is about $195,500, growing to about $268,500 by Year 5 as we add classes. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 3 paid staff in Year 1 and 5 by Year 4, with part-time teaching artists and volunteers.

We are asking the Bay State Arts Fund for $64,000 for our Program Director and for production costs. Schools, arts councils, businesses and donors also give, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Colleen Whitaker, the Executive Director. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Center Stage Youth Theater is a small, independent nonprofit in Massachusetts, organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity. We serve young people and families in our city and the towns around it, from a leased rehearsal and performance space.

Our mission. To give every young person a stage, a voice and a community.

What we believe. Everyone belongs in theater. We cast for growth, not talent alone, keep every role meaningful and make room for students who want to work backstage. We teach respect, preparation and kindness, and we never use shame to direct. Students come first, and the show is the way we learn together.

What we offer:
- After-school classes. Weekly classes in acting, voice, movement and technical theater by age and level.
- Two productions a year. A fall show and a spring musical, each with six performances.
- Free and pay-what-you-can tickets. Seats for families and neighbors, with a set number of free seats at every show.
- Summer workshops. Short workshops for new students and a one-week camp.

Who we serve. Children and teens ages 8 to 18, with scholarships for students whose families cannot afford fees.

What we do not do. We do not charge tuition to families who cannot pay, perform shows without the rights, ask students to do unsafe stunts or promise a professional career.

How we are run. A volunteer board of seven governs the organization. I am the Executive Director. The Program Director and Artistic Lead directs, teaches and manages the program. Teaching artists, counted as full-time equivalents, teach classes and help with shows. About 40 volunteers help with sets, costumes and the house.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from two schools and the arts council, a lease offer on a rehearsal and performance space, commitments of donated costumes and a set builder, quotes for lighting and sound and a parent permission form, performance rights plan and safety policy under review by an attorney. (Replace this with where you really are.)

Problem & Opportunity

Many young people have never been on a stage or had a chance to try theater. School arts programs have been cut in many places, and private classes can cost hundreds of dollars a term. A student who is shy or does not like sports may not find a group where they belong.

Families also struggle with the cost of costumes, tickets and travel. Some parents do not know how to find a program, or the schedule does not fit their work.

Theaters face their own challenges. Rehearsal space is costly, scripts require royalties and sets and costumes add up. Keeping a program steady from year to year takes planning and money.

For a small nonprofit, the hard parts are the cost of space and production, finding teaching artists, keeping tickets affordable and making sure every student is safe and welcome.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Youth theater is a well-loved way for young people to build confidence and skills. We will use the most recent local numbers on youth, arts access and competing programs in our final plan. We do not know exactly how many students will enroll, so our plan uses a first-year goal and will report what really happens. We do not promise any particular outcome beyond a safe, welcoming place to learn.

Products & Services

Center Stage Youth Theater will give young people a place to learn theater and a stage to share it.

How it works, step by step:
1. Sign up. A student and parent sign up online, in person or through a school, and tell us about interests and any needs.
2. Place. We place students in classes by age and experience and offer a scholarship if the family asks.
3. Classes. Weekly classes teach acting, voice, movement and basic technical skills through games and scenes.
4. Audition and casting. Productions are open to all students in the program. Roles are assigned for growth, and every student has a role onstage or backstage.
5. Rehearse. Students rehearse twice a week, learning lines, blocking and teamwork, with an adult supervising every rehearsal.
6. Build. Volunteers and students build sets, sew costumes and run lights and sound.
7. Perform. Students perform six times for families and neighbors, with free and pay-what-you-can tickets.
8. Reflect. After each show, we ask students and families what they learned and what to change.

Why this approach is strong. A real stage and an audience give students a goal. Roles for everyone and a safe, kind rehearsal room build confidence and friendships.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: children and teens ages 8 to 18 in our city and the towns around it, and their families and neighbors who come to shows.

Our primary group is students who are interested in theater or want to try something new, especially students whose families cannot afford private classes. Our secondary group is audiences of families, neighbors and school groups. We will use the most recent local numbers on youth, arts access and competing programs in our final plan.

How we sized our plan. We plan to serve about 120 students in classes and two productions in Year 1, with six performances. We grow to about 150 students in Year 2, 190 in Year 3, 230 in Year 4 and about 270 students in Year 5, with three productions by Year 5. Our Year 1 budget is about $195,500 and our Year 5 budget is about $268,500.

Demand data. Letters of support from two schools and the arts council, a waiting list from a pilot workshop and a strong response to a community reading show a clear need. We do not count on any one partner.

We do not serve everyone. We refer students who want advanced pre-professional training to other programs, and we limit class sizes so that each student has room to take part.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for young people and families, and what makes us different.

- School drama clubs. They are good for students at that school. We offer a community program open to students from many schools.
- Private theater schools and studios. They offer high-quality training for those who can pay. We offer scholarships and free tickets.
- Community theaters. Some have youth programs. We focus on young people and offer more classes.
- Dance and music studios. They offer related arts. We offer acting and the full experience of a production.
- Summer camps and festivals. They offer short, intense experiences. We offer a year-round community and the chance to build skills over time.
- Staying home with screens. Many young people do. We offer a place to belong.

What makes us different.
- A role for every student, onstage or backstage.
- Professional teaching artists and a kind, structured rehearsal room.
- Free and pay-what-you-can tickets.
- Scholarships so no family is turned away.

What we do not claim. We are new. Larger theaters have bigger stages and a longer record. We plan to earn our audience one show at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach the people we serve.

Schools and arts partners. We will meet teachers, counselors and arts council staff, give them flyers and offer a free workshop at their school.

Families. A flyer in English and Spanish goes to libraries, community centers and churches. We hold a free open house and a first-class trial.

Audiences. We will promote shows with posters, school announcements, local news and social media, and invite groups such as scouts and senior centers.

Businesses and donors. We will invite businesses and individuals to sponsor a show, a scholarship or a costume.

Online. A simple website with class sign-up, ticket reservations and a donation page, and a newsletter.

Cost to the family. Fees are on a sliding scale, with scholarships for families who need them. No student is turned away because of cost.

Keeping students. We will call a family after a missed rehearsal, help with rides and invite students to take a backstage role if an onstage role does not fit, so that a student does not drop out for a small reason.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1 (August to July):
- Months 1 and 2 (late summer): Sign the space lease and school partnerships, buy equipment, hire teaching artists, open sign-ups and choose the fall show.
- Months 3 to 5 (fall): Run classes, rehearse and perform the fall show.
- Months 6 to 10 (winter and spring): Run classes, rehearse and perform the spring musical.
- Months 11 and 12 (summer): Hold summer workshops, survey students and families, report to funders and plan Year 2.

Space. A leased space of about 2,500 square feet with a small stage and a rehearsal room. Rent is $16,000 a year in Year 1.

Equipment. We buy about $18,000 of equipment once at the start: a portable stage lighting set and a control board ($7,500), a sound system, wireless microphones and speakers ($5,000), rehearsal risers, costume racks and storage ($3,500) and a laptop and ticketing tablet ($2,000). Later years replace or add a few items.

Staffing. In Year 1, I serve as Executive Director. The Program Director and Artistic Lead, paid $46,000 a year, directs and manages the program. Teaching artists, counted as full-time equivalents and paid $30,000 a year each, are one in Year 1, growing to three by Year 5.

Safety. Every adult passes a background check, no adult is alone with a student and a parent or staff member is present at every rehearsal. We check rigging, tools and electrical equipment, keep a first aid kit and a written plan for emergencies and fire, including calling 911, and follow the venue's occupancy rules.

Rights. We license every script and pay royalties, and we keep a record of performance dates.

Quality and learning. After each show and term we ask students, parents and teachers what worked and adjust classes and casting.

Costs. Production costs, including sets, costumes, scripts and royalties, are about $18,000 in Year 1, transportation and student supplies about $4,000, marketing and ticketing about $4,000 and administration and insurance about $11,000.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the project.

Colleen Whitaker, Executive Director. Fourteen years of nonprofit and arts work, including eight years managing a youth theater. She oversees the program, partnerships, fundraising and finances. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Program Director and Artistic Lead (from Year 1). Directs shows, leads classes and manages the teaching artists.

Teaching artists (part-time, from Year 1). Actors, singers and technicians who teach students.

Volunteers. About 40 volunteers who build sets, sew costumes, run the box office and help in the house.

Board and advisors. Seven volunteer board members, including a school drama teacher, a business owner and a parent, who meet every quarter. An attorney reviews our performance rights and safety policies.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: Executive Director $55,000, Program Director and Artistic Lead $46,000 and teaching artist $30,000 per full-time equivalent. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Serve about 120 students in classes and two productions with six performances. A balanced budget of about $195,500, with a small surplus of about $7,900. About 3 paid staff.
- Year 2: Serve about 150 students and add a teen leadership group. A balanced budget of about $213,500, with a small surplus of about $7,900. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 3: Serve about 190 students and add a second class night. A balanced budget of about $231,500, with a small surplus of about $7,900. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 4: Serve about 230 students and add a student-written short play festival. A balanced budget of about $250,000, with a small surplus of about $7,900. About 5 paid staff.
- Year 5: Serve about 270 students with three productions and share our curriculum with other programs. A balanced budget of about $268,500, with a small surplus of about $8,100. About 5 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Students enrolled and students who finish the term.
- Productions and performances held.
- Audience size and free tickets given.
- Students who say they feel more confident.
- Scholarships awarded.
- Family and school feedback.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews enrollment and attendance every month. Twice a year, staff and the board review all results and share them with funders and partners. If a class has low attendance, we meet with families and change the time or the plan. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $64,000 from the Bay State Arts Fund for a Program Director and production costs for two shows, for August 2027 through July 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Program Director and Artistic Lead salary, $46,000.
- Other: Production costs for two shows, $18,000.

Other money in the program. This request is about 47% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $195,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $7,900 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $137,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), school and arts council partner support $26,000, businesses, sponsors and individual donations $32,000. Year 1 costs: executive director $55,000; program director and artistic lead $46,000; teaching artists $30,000; production costs (sets, costumes, scripts and royalties) about $18,000; theater and rehearsal space about $16,000; transportation and student supplies about $4,000; marketing and ticketing about $4,000; administration and insurance about $11,000; about $5,400 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $26,100 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $7,500 for portable stage lighting set and a control board; $5,000 for sound system, wireless microphones and speakers; $3,500 for rehearsal risers, costume racks and storage; $2,000 for laptop and ticketing tablet; $2,500 for opening stock of costumes, props and makeup; $2,400 for attorney review of the performance rights, parent permission and safety policy; $1,400 for banners, posters and a simple website; $1,800 for background checks and first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($26,100), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $46,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. The cash used before it balances and the cushion come to about $46,000. In all, that comes to $72,500. We start with $15,000 of our own savings and $60,000 in startup support from a local arts foundation and our board, $75,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $195,500 in Year 1 to about $268,500 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $137,500, $143,500, $149,500, $156,000 and $162,500 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows: school and arts council partner support from $26,000 to $50,000 and businesses, sponsors and individual donations from $32,000 to $56,000. We add teaching artists and classes as the program grows. Grants fall from about 70% of our income in Year 1 to about 61% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $62,600, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $5,865 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Schools, the arts council, businesses, ticket donations and individual donors grow every year, so grants become a smaller share of our budget. Students and families share their stories, and sponsors can underwrite a production or a scholarship by name.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A safety incident. We follow a written plan, supervise rehearsals and check equipment.
- A show loses its rights or a script. We license early and keep a back-up.
- Low ticket sales. We promote early and offer group rates.
- A teaching artist leaves. We keep a list of qualified substitutes.
- A grant ends. We keep savings and grow partner and donor support each year.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: one class night, one production a year and a donated rehearsal space, tracked carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Signed letters of support from schools and the arts council.
- Your lease or letter of intent.
- Your performance rights plan.
- Your parent permission form and safety policy.
- Your background check policy.
- Quotes for lighting and sound.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and key staff.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $137,500 in Year 1, then $143,500, $149,500, $156,000 and $162,500.
- School and Arts Council Partner Support: $26,000 in Year 1, growing to $50,000.
- Businesses, Sponsors and Individual Donations: $32,000 in Year 1, growing to $56,000.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive director $55,000, program director and artistic lead $46,000, teaching artists (part-time) $30,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: production costs (sets, costumes, scripts and royalties) $18,000, theater and rehearsal space $16,000, transportation and student supplies $4,000, marketing and ticketing $4,000, administration and insurance $11,000. These grow between 4% and 6% a year.
- Equipment: $18,000 at the start, then $2,000 to $3,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $26,100, paid once from $75,000 in startup money.
- Students served: about 120 in Year 1, growing to about 270 in Year 5. Productions: two a year, growing to three by Year 5.
- About 3% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs