Anatomy of Melancholy by Pamella O'Connor Photo by Steve Mann

Since we began awarding grants in 1982, there has been astonishing growth in both the quantity and quality of puppet theater in this country. This has made it increasingly difficult to narrow the applicant pool, so we have instituted a new policy that we hope will more evenly distribute our funds among the many artists worthy of support. Artists who received a grant in the previous year are no longer eligible to submit a proposal in the current year. Artists who received a seed grant in the previous year are eligible to apply in the current year, but only for a project grant to further develop the previously funded piece.

Grants are made only for the development of new works of live puppet theater. The Foundation does not award funds for the presentation or remounting of existing work. Grants cannot be applied retroactively; substantial portions of a proposed project must take place after the funds are awarded. We do not fund publications, parades, pageants, exhibitions, film or television projects, projects for school credit, workshops, or any other types of education or outreach activities.

We would like to emphasize that live puppet performance needs to be an integral element of any proposed project. While we will consider productions that utilize other media and genres, a substantial portion of the piece must feature puppetry that is well-executed in both design and performance.

Awards can be made only to IRS tax-exempt organizations. We welcome applications from individual artists, but those without 501(c)(3) status must apply through a fiscal sponsor. Applications for international collaborations are accepted, but the primary artist and fiscal sponsor must be American. Projects that will only take place outside of the Unites States are not eligible for funding.

Letters of Intent

If you would like to be considered for a grant, the first step is to submit a letter of intent postmarked on or before April 16, 2010 .

The letter of intent must not exceed one page and should include your complete contact information and a clear description of the planned project. Please include information on any upcoming performances as well. The letter must be accompanied by a one-page sketch, photograph (no slides), or other one-page visual relevant to the proposed project and must be no larger than 8 1/2" x 11". Puppetry is a visual medium, the image which you submit is essential to the letter of intent phase of the process. Please indicate which category of grant you intend to apply for - seed, project or children's grant. Please do not submit a cover letter or any other additional materials. Letters of intent are accepted only via postal mail or in-person drop off.

Approximately half of the applicants submitting letters of intent will be asked to submit full proposals. Letters of intent will be reviewed at the Spring board meeting, and applicants will be notified of the board's decision by June 11, 2010.

Application Instructions

If you are invited to submit a full proposal, your application must be postmarked on or before September 13, 2010 . Late applications are not accepted, and materials are not accepted by fax or email. Applications will be reviewed at the Fall board meeting, and applicants will be notified of the board's decision by December 31st.

Please read the application instructions carefully. All materials, including photographs and other visuals, must be submitted on standard letter-size paper (8½ x 11). Please do not staple or bind applications. Materials that exceed page limits will not be reviewed. Applications must include the following information:

• application cover sheet
  Available by mail or on our web site. Do not include any additional cover letter.

• a one-page project description
  Describe the technique you will use and the concept of the piece, including content and execution.

• a one-page project budget, including both income and expense
  Submit a budget for the entire project - not just a budget for how Foundation funds would be spent.

• a one-page artist bio
  If more than one artist is included in the application, all bios should be combined on one page.

• a one-page company or organization description (only if needed)
  Include only if substantially different from the artist bio.

• a maximum of two pages of reviews and/or letters of support
  Note that this is two pages total, not two reviews and/or letters.

• a copy of IRS 501(c)3 determination letter
  If you are using a fiscal sponsor, you must also include a letter from the organization stating that they agree to serve as your fiscal sponsor for the project.

• Photographs, sketches or other visuals relevant to the proposed project
  Each grant application is required to submit no more than two pages of color images in the form of prints or color copies; slides are not accepted. If the applicant would like to submit additional visuals, they may do so by including a CD-Rom with up to three more images. Print visuals should be captioned with a brief description of the work on the same side as the image, descriptions and captions included on the back of the image will not be accepted.  Additional digital visuals should also be captioned with a brief description of the work.  We strongly prefer visuals that pertain to the proposed project, rather than examples of past work. It is not necessarily helpful to submit work samples that we have seen in past applications. If we are not yet familiar with your work and you do not have samples from the proposed piece, then it is helpful to send samples from past works.

• Video Footage
  Video Footage is now a requirement for all applicants. If you are applying for a Project or Children's Grant the video needs to be of the project that you are applying for. Exceptions can be made on a case by case basis. Seed Grant applicants may submit video of a past performance if they do not have video of the piece they are applying for. Please submit a DVD no longer than four minutes in length.  If you include more than four minutes, only the first four minutes will be viewed.  Please be sure to label your DVD with your Company/Artists Name and the name of the show you are applying for.  Also please be sure to submit a DVD-R, and double check that it will play in a DVD player before including it in your application.

Mailing Instructions

Please send letters of intent and applications by regular mail to:

The Jim Henson Foundation
Attn: Belinda Batson Brown, Grants Manager
37-18 Northern Blvd., Suite 400
Long Island City, NY 11101

Please do not send materials by Federal Express, certified mail, or any other means requiring a signature. If you would like to confirm receipt of your materials, please send email to belinda[at]hensonfoundation.org.

If you wish to deliver your letter of intent or application to our office by hand, it must be received no later than 5 pm on the day of the postmark deadline. Materials left at our office after 5 pm will not be accepted.

Any Questions?

If you have a question about our guidelines, you may be able to find the answer on our list of Frequently Asked Questions. You can also reach us at 212.439.7504 or info[at]hensonfoundation.org. It is best to contact us with any questions well in advance of the application deadlines.