The Distracted Globe Foundation is a mission-driven arts funder that prioritizes contemporary and experimental performing arts, playwright development, and small-to-mid-sized theater companies—especially in New York City—while also supporting youth arts and select international cultural projects. They favor flexible general support, artist fellowships, festival underwriting, and occasional capital support for cultural justice or building campaigns. Their grants often enable production, programming, and development work rather than strictly service-delivery or philanthropy infrastructure.
Distracted Globe Foundation’s recent giving is anchored in contemporary and experimental performance, with repeated support for New York theater organizations and artist-development programs. A clear example is the 2025 pattern around La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, which received multiple grants, including general support, alongside awards to Clubbed Thumb for the Stillwright Writer’s Retreat and to The Tank for Under the Radar. The foundation also backs production and presentation infrastructure: Under the Radar Festival received general support in 2025, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. received support in both 2024 and 2025. Its grants also reach beyond New York into other performing-arts hubs and culturally specific institutions. Ubuntu Theater Project in Oakland received a 2025 capital campaign grant, while Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice in New Orleans received capital campaign support. In addition to theater, the foundation has funded dance and interdisciplinary work through Monica Bill Barnes & Company, and artist-centered programs such as Freshgrass Public Foundation’s project with William Kentridge. The overall pattern points to a funder that supports creation, development, presentation, and organizational capacity across the performing arts.
The foundation gives across a few closely linked arts categories. In experimental theater, it supported Talking Band Inc with $50,000 for general support in 2024, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. with $30,000 in both 2024 and 2025. For playwright and director development, it backed Clubbed Thumb Inc with $20,000 for the Stillwright Writer’s Retreat led by Erik Ehn. Youth arts also appears in the grant list. Commonweal in Bolinas received $20,000 in 2023 for general support and the Power of Hope Camp, then $25,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for summer camps. The foundation also supports festivals and interdisciplinary presentation through The Tank Ltd, which received $30,000 in 2024 for Under the Radar 24, and Under the Radar Festival in Brooklyn, which received $30,000 in 2025 for general support.
Typical grants cluster in the middle range: p25 is $7,500, median is $10,000, and p75 is $20,000. The recent list also shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including 52nd Street Project Inc, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club Inc, Commonweal, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. That suggests recurring relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation is structured as a private grantmaker with annual grants of $1,456,078 and total assets of $26,163, and it also funds individuals. Recent grants include general support, fellowships, capital campaign support, scholarships, and project-specific awards.
$1.2M
$17.4M
$18.6M
$1.2M
Most grants fall between $8K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
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Concentrated arts giving with frequent repeat support to core grantees; mid-sized awards (typically $20k–$120k) directed toward program/general support, fellowships, festival underwriting, and occasional capital grants. Geographic focus is NYC but with selective national and international cultural investments.
Notable grantees: 52nd Street Project, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, Clubbed Thumb, Fractured Atlas
Grantmaking is regional and heavily concentrated in the United States, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. New York dominates the distribution: 63% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Within the recent list, New York City and Brooklyn appear often, alongside Oakland, Washington, DC, Bolinas, New Orleans, Douglas, and Mill Valley. Outside New York, California recurs through recipients in Oakland, Bolinas, San Francisco, and Mill Valley, showing activity in both coasts and a few additional arts hubs.
The foundation most often funds contemporary and experimental performing arts organizations, especially theater companies and festivals. Recent examples include La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club Inc, Talking Band Inc, Under the Radar Festival, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co., and Clubbed Thumb Inc. It also supports youth arts and some culturally specific performing-arts institutions.
Typical awards are modest to mid-sized: the 25th percentile is $7,500, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $20,000. Recent grants also show larger awards at $30,000, $40,000, $45,000, and $50,000 for selected organizations and projects.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including 52nd Street Project Inc, Commonweal, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club Inc, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. Some organizations also received more than one grant in the same year, such as La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club Inc in 2025.
Grantmaking is regional and stays within the United States. New York is the main recipient state, with 63% of grants going to recipients there. The recent list also includes recipients in California, Washington, DC, Louisiana, and Alaska.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARTEQUITY COMMUNITY | PASADENA, CA | $153,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ZACCHO S F | WASHINGTON, DC | $120,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAFE SPACE PICTURES FOUNDATION | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | CLOSE UP INITIATIVE |
| 52ND STREET PROJECT INC | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DEEP MEDICINE CIRCLE | OAKLAND, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELEPHANT CIRCLE | PALISADE, CO | $40,500 | 2026 | THRIVING BIRTH WORKER'S OF NORTH CAROLINA |
| WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE CO | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TEACH WITH AFRICA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NOTCH THEATRE COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| POWERCORPSPHL | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PUBLIC TRUST | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $20,000 | 2026 | BLACK SPATIAL RELICS REGRANTING FOR THE CONJURE FUND 2025/2026 COHORT |
| BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | FOR: MAHABHARATA SCREENING |
| CLUBBED THUMB INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | STILLWRIGHT WRITER'S RETREAT LED BY ERIK EHN |
| PERSEVERANCE THEATRE INCORPORATED | DOUGLAS, AK | $20,000 | 2026 | FOR BLACK ALASKAN ART MATTERS AND CONSORTIUM OF ASIAN AMERICAN THEATERS AND ARTISTS |
| LA MAMA EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE CLUB INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | LA MAMA UMBRIA |
| BARENBOIM-SAID FOUNDATION USA | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | BARENBOIM-SAID CENTER FOR MUSIC IN RAMALLAH |
| FRESHGRASS PUBLIC FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | HAUS OF CODEC EMERGENCY SHELTER |
| ORFEO ENSEMBLE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MABOU MINES DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP INC | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ONE ART COMMUNITY CENTER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $15,000 | 2026 | SACRED SEEDS |
| HOME FOR CONTEMPORARY THEATRE AND ART LTD | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR UPOR/LONDON'S LESSONS IN RESISTANCE PROJECT |
| PRODUCER HUB INC | PRINCETON, NJ | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR: THE WHOLE OF TIME |
| NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TIBET FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPACE ON THE FARM INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR: FAMILY RESIDENCY AT COLORADO LODGE |
| BRAZIL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR: INSTITUTO AUGUSTO BOAL FUND |
| BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHAPEL & YORK US FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | THIS GRANT IS FOR : GOOD CHANCE THEATRE |
| CLUBBED THUMB INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | DIRECTOR'S FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM |
| JUDSON MEMORIAL CHURCH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR: LA MAMA UMBRIA |
| BREAD & PUPPET THEATRE INC | GLOVER, VT | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DOUBLE EDGE THEATRE PRODUCTIONS INCORPORATED | ASHFIELD, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PICK UP PERFORMANCE COMPANY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR: THE LGBTQ+ ARTISTS ARCHIVE |
| THE GRADUATE CENTER FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR : THE DOWN TO EARTH FESTIVAL @ THE SEGAL THEATER CENTER |
| THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW DRAMATISTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INTERNATIONAL THEATRE DEVELOPMENT INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2026 | FOR : MALPASO DANCE COMPANY OF CUBA |
| SEVENTH REGIMENT ARMORY CONSERVANCY INC DBA PARK AVENUE ARMORY | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PAINTED BRIDE ART CENTER INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | THE COLORED GIRLS MUSEUM |
| SIGNATURE THEATRE COMPANY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATRE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | BOLD ACCESS PROGRAM |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | LA FIRES |
| RAFT FOUNDATION INC | ALBANY, NY | $7,500 | 2026 | SOLIDARITY FESTIVAL, THEATER WORKERS FOR A CEASEFIRE |
| NOOR THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JOYCE THEATER FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOLINAS MUSEUM | BOLINAS, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LA MAMA EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE CLUB INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
ZACCHO S F
$120,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAFE SPACE PICTURES FOUNDATION
$100,000CLOSE UP INITIATIVE
52ND STREET PROJECT INC
$60,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THRIVING BIRTH WORKER'S OF NORTH CAROLINA
TEACH WITH AFRICA
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NOTCH THEATRE COMPANY
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
POWERCORPSPHL
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL INC
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PUBLIC TRUST
$20,000BLACK SPATIAL RELICS REGRANTING FOR THE CONJURE FUND 2025/2026 COHORT
FOR BLACK ALASKAN ART MATTERS AND CONSORTIUM OF ASIAN AMERICAN THEATERS AND ARTISTS
ORFEO ENSEMBLE INC
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MABOU MINES DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION INC
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ONE ART COMMUNITY CENTER
$15,000SACRED SEEDS
FOR UPOR/LONDON'S LESSONS IN RESISTANCE PROJECT
SPACE ON THE FARM INC
$10,000FOR: FAMILY RESIDENCY AT COLORADO LODGE
JUDSON MEMORIAL CHURCH INC
$10,000FOR: LA MAMA UMBRIA
BREAD & PUPPET THEATRE INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PICK UP PERFORMANCE COMPANY INC
$10,000FOR: THE LGBTQ+ ARTISTS ARCHIVE
FOR : THE DOWN TO EARTH FESTIVAL @ THE SEGAL THEATER CENTER
INTERNATIONAL THEATRE DEVELOPMENT INC
$10,000FOR : MALPASO DANCE COMPANY OF CUBA
GENERAL SUPPORT
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED
$10,000LA FIRES
RAFT FOUNDATION INC
$7,500SOLIDARITY FESTIVAL, THEATER WORKERS FOR A CEASEFIRE
NOOR THEATRE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT