Forward Theater Receives Grant From Madison Community Foundation

As Forward Theater Company (FTC) approaches their 10th anniversary and expands their 2018-19 season to four mainstage productions, they are the proud recipient of a two year, capacity-building grant from the Madison Community Foundation. Madison Community Foundation's mission is to enhance the common good through philanthropy. Established as a community trust in 1942, Madison Community Foundation, together with donors, awards some $10 million every year to strengthen causes and communities in Dane County and around the world.

To raise the needed increase in annual revenue for a four-production season, FTC launched a 4 for FORWARD fundraising campaign last fall. Through the enthusiastic support of individual donors to date, we're two-thirds of the way to our goal. To bridge the gap during our capacity building period, FTC applied to The Madison Community Foundation Community Impact Fund that promotes long-term growth of community assets.

The Madison Community Foundation generously awarded FTC a $20,000 grant over the next two years, with an additional $10,000 offered as a matching grant for new gifts and the increased portion of donations from current donors now through May 31, 2018. FTC is encouraging potential donors to visit forwardtheater.com for details.

"Our 10th season budget has a steep increase in expenses with the addition of a fourth mainstage production and the extra staffing capacity needed to sustain it. This grant funding from the Madison Community Foundation helps us stay financially strong during this transition period," gratefully acknowledged FTC Artistic Director Jennifer Uphoff Gray.

Over the past eight years, FTC has become a vital community resource - supporting arts patrons, area artists, the local nonprofit ecosystem and the civic economy. They have produced plays that engage their audiences with the most pressing topics facing our community, and have invested significant resources to support other nonprofit organizations. Their careful, strategic plans to grow our programming will allow them to do even more on all the above fronts.

"It's hard to believe it's only been ten years since Forward Theater burst onto the stage with wonderful, inspiring performing arts," says Tom Linfield, Vice President of Community Impact, Madison Community Foundation. "We're thrilled to support their efforts to grow and sustain their good work so artists can continue to inspire and delight and audiences can continue to enjoy and appreciate Forward's artistic excellence."

About Forward Theater Company

Founded in 2009, FTC creates a home base for Wisconsin theater professionals and audiences that expands the cultural and economic life of the greater Madison area. It is a resident company of Overture Center for the Arts, performing in the Playhouse Theater. FTC employs around 100 Wisconsin-based theater professionals each season, and has an annual audience of over 14,000.

 

---

Join Team BroadwayWorld

Are you an avid theatergoer? We're looking for people like you to share your thoughts and insights with our readers. Team BroadwayWorld members get access to shows to review, conduct interviews with artists, and the opportunity to meet and network with fellow theatre lovers and arts workers.

Interested? Learn more here.

---