Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants

Yes. If you have previously received a Rauschenberg Emergency Grant, you are eligible to receive another once five years have elapsed since your first award date.

If you have not been awarded funding in the past five years, and you still meet the eligibility criteria for a future cycle, you may re-apply.

Two things: Who is eligible, and what expenses can be requested. Both programs are for artists in need, and therefore have an income ceiling for eligibility. Please see each program’s guidelines for additional details.

Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants are open to professional dancers in a dire financial emergency due to the artist’s loss or lack of current live performance work, because of circumstances outside of their control. Eligible applicants may request essential expenses such as housing, food, utilities, and medical care. Choreographers may not apply unless they also have recent and sustained activity as a professional dancer.

Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants are open to artists working in the visual arts, digital/electronic arts, video/film, and choreography. Eligible applicants may request funds for recent medical/dental/mental health emergencies. Dancers may not apply unless they also have recent and sustained activity as a choreographer.

The artist must be the sole or primary creator of the artwork, and have full and final artistic control. If you assist the primary creator, or if you interpret another artist’s work such as a dancer performing a choreographer’s work, you are not eligible.

Recent and sustained artistic activity is defined as at least one opportunity annually over the past five years (2021 to present) for the public to experience your work in an eligible discipline or disciplines. You must list multiple opportunities for the public to experience your work in your resume/bio/CV, including the year, location (city or town and venue), and title.

Eligible events/opportunities:

• Public showings of your work such as exhibitions, presentations, installations, screenings, or performances in art spaces, galleries, local businesses, art houses/film series, public art installations, public spaces, museums, fairs/festivals
• Public/community projects such as public art, murals, or community-based projects with public components
• Participation in residencies with public-facing components/presentations
• Public showings of works-in-progress are eligible
• Work being acquired for a public permanent collection (in either a nonprofit or commercial venue) can count as a public-facing activity for the year in which the purchase/acquisition took place.

Ineligible events/opportunities:

• Student exhibits, performances, and other activities while enrolled in a degree-seeking program
• Publications/papers/interviews in print or online
• Works which are intended for commercial or mass production, or are work-for-hire projects including, but not limited to: television shows, graphic and fashion design, commissions, and industrial films
• Lectures/workshops are not eligible unless they include an opportunity for participants to view your actual work (not photos/reproductions, etc.)

Please note:

• Reduced activity for a period of up to 12 months due to medical or personal reasons is acceptable if, in such cases, you are able to demonstrate public activity prior to 2021.
• Work that is created for online distribution and consumption is eligible IF it is a creative work, and was actively marketed to the public for showing at a specific date and time. If self-produced online presentations or sales of your work are your sole platform, such as Instagram or YouTube, or your work is only available on-demand, we cannot consider your application eligible.
• Portfolios/work samples are not considered and are not requested.

This program is intended for artists who work consistently and regularly in one or more of the eligible artforms, not those whose work in an eligible artform is tangential or incidental or infrequent. For example, a theater director who created movement for one or two productions as part of their direction would not be considered a choreographer.

You may apply if you work in multiple disciplines, as long as you have sustained public-facing activity in one or more of this program’s designated disciplines over at least the last five years (2021-present).

Clearly indicate on your resume that you were the choreographer, dancer, or both for each credit.

We can only consider work that is self-standing within the designated disciplines.

Recognizing the lengthy production process of many independent film/video projects, we will consider production activity within the required recent artistic history, although public screenings/showings of the artist’s work must also have taken place.

None. These applications are reviewed for Demonstrated Need only, so no work samples and portfolios are necessary.

No, please feel free to submit your full resume. One, because we don’t want you to have to create a new resume for this application; and two, because seeing your complete artistic history is helpful contextual information. However, if you do want to submit just the last five years’ activity, be sure that it runs from 2021 to the present.

Yes, this program is only open to artists in financial need, with an averaged adjusted gross income (from your two most recent federal tax returns) of $80,000 or less; $160,000 or less if you file jointly.

A one-time, unexpected, non-chronic condition as a result of illness, violence, an accident or triggering event, or sudden medical event, that requires treatment to ensure your health or life, and which without treatment has extreme impact on your daily life and ability to carry out/return to your creative practice.

No, funds can only be used for a one-time, unexpected health-related condition. We do not cover expenses for treatment, prescriptions, or other expenses related to a chronic condition. Extenuating circumstances which cause an unexpected and severe worsening of the condition may be considered at the discretion of the panel. Example: A recent traumatic incident triggered a flareup of an existing mental health condition.

If you have recently been diagnosed with a condition which requires long-term treatment, such as cancer or multiple sclerosis, you may apply for the expenses of your initial exams/diagnosis, any emergency surgery, and other urgently-needed treatment to stabilize your condition.

Grant funds can be requested for expenses directly related to the emergency for up to 12 months following the date it occurred (a series of treatments to resolve the problem, physical therapy, etc.).

• Provide as much detail on your own as you can
• Find typical expenses in your area
• Request the maximum likely amount
• If you are awarded a grant, you can discuss receiving funds ahead of time to allow you to pay for exams/diagnosis.

Submit what you have, and we encourage you to estimate the highest likely amount up to the maximum of $5,000. If you receive a grant, you will ultimately only receive funding in the amount of your documented costs.

A PDF of no more than 15 pages providing as much specific information as possible about your diagnosis/condition, and your out-of-pocket expenses. Your PDF attachment(s) can include:

• Diagnosis/results from your medical provider, confirming your emergency condition
• Invoice(s) from hospital/doctor/dentist/clinic listing your out-of-pocket expenses
• Receipt(s) for prescriptions and/or transportation to/from treatment
• A treatment plan for future care, listing your projected out-of-pocket expenses
• Statement from your provider or insurance company with estimates of what insurance will cover and what you will owe
• If this request is for, or includes, future treatment, if possible attach a letter (on letterhead/email from the provider), describing the type, number, frequency of future treatment(s), schedule of treatment(s), and the projected cost to you. 
• If you do not yet have documentation, you can provide your own estimate of treatment costs in your local area.

Do not submit images such as detailed lab reports, photos, or x-rays.

Provide information on the primary condition/diagnosis and the expense. Staff will reach out to you for more information if your application moves forward in the panel process.

Artists who are otherwise eligible, but whose direct medical expenses are covered by Medicare/Medicaid, often struggle with covering living expenses while they are ill/injured/recovering and unable to work. These artists may apply for up to $5,000 in documented living expenses in lieu of medical expenses.

Eligible expenses:

• Rent/utilities/phone/wifi
• Food/food delivery
• Laundry/laundry services
• Toiletries/personal items
• Transportation
• Over the counter medications/medical supplies
• Non-medical insurance premiums (dental, liability, property)

Expenses must be documented via bills/invoices/receipts. Only expenses incurred during the documented treatment/recovery period are eligible. 

Ineligible expenses:

• Art supplies/equipment
• Credit card debt
• Student loan debt
• Mortgage/HOA payments
• Other non-essential-living expenses

In such cases, artists must submit documentation of Medicare/Medicaid coverage, a budget of requested expenses, and documentation of medical/dental/mental health emergency within the application form.

Our deadlines are firm. If the only item you are missing is the medical documentation, and you expect to receive it shortly, go ahead and apply. If your application moves to the next stage of the process, staff will reach out to you for material. Otherwise, plan to apply in the next cycle if your emergency occurred during the eligible time window.

We recommend that in selecting which emergency to apply for, you consider which:

• Has the highest eligible expenses up to $5,000
• Meets our definition of emergency
• Has the most solid documentation

If all other requirements are met, you may apply for expenses related to both.

Yes, you may request funds for expenses you have already paid and/or expenses not yet paid or incurred.

Yes, if it is prescribed by a medical professional, limited in scope and is vital to recovery from the emergency cited.

Yes, if they are prescribed by a medical professional and are vital to recovery from the emergency cited and not ongoing in nature.

Yes, if it is prescribed by a medical professional and is vital to recovery from the emergency cited and not ongoing in nature.

Yes, if this is appropriate for your condition. Online providers must be based in the U.S.

No, these are generally not eligible expenses.

Yes, if it is prescribed by a medical professional and is vital to recovery from the emergency cited and not ongoing in nature.

If you can demonstrate your condition is at a point where treatment is urgently necessary to protect your life or health, you can apply. For example:

• A broken tooth wasn’t repaired and it is now infected
• An injury from a past fall wasn’t treated and has recently gotten much worse, requiring treatment

Elective or pre-planned treatment is not eligible.

This program can only accept applications for the emergency medical expenses of the artist themselves.

Only artists who are otherwise eligible, but whose direct medical expenses are covered by Medicare/Medicaid, may request funds for living expenses while they are ill/injured/recovering and unable to work. These artists may apply for up to $5,000 in documented living expenses in lieu of medical expenses.

Eligible expenses:

• Rent/utilities/phone/wifi
• Food/food delivery
• Laundry/laundry services
• Toiletries/personal items
• Transportation
• Over the counter medications/medical supplies
• Non-medical insurance premiums (dental, liability, property)

Expenses must be documented via bills/invoices/receipts. Only expenses incurred during the documented treatment/recovery period are eligible. 

Ineligible expenses:

• Art supplies/equipment
• Credit card debt
• Student loan debt
• Mortgage/HOA payments
• Other non-essential-living expenses

In such cases, artists must submit documentation of Medicare/Medicaid coverage, a budget of requested expenses, and documentation of medical/dental/mental health emergency within the application form.

For all other applicants, only out-of-pocket emergency medical expenses are eligible.

No, the fund only covers medical, dental, or mental health expenses, no other damages or loss of property.

No.

No, funds can only be used for medical emergencies as outlined above. Please refer to NYFA’s website for other kinds of emergency or financial support.

No. Available funds are limited and the demand for emergency funding is high.

Yes, you may ask for any amount up to $5,000.

Our support is to help grantees to recover and return to their creative practice. Therefore, grants are generally awarded at the maximum amount of eligible expenses, up to $5,000 (sometimes these are less than the actual requested amount). NYFA reserves the right to determine eligible and reasonable expenses to support through this grant program.

We anticipate notifying applicants of their status within seven weeks of the application deadline. For those receiving grants, additional documentation is required, and payment processing can take a minimum of up to 30 business days after all paperwork is submitted. These processing times are subject to change.

All eligible applications are reviewed at the same time by the panel, so there is no advantage to applying quickly or early. We recommend you take your time to submit a strong and complete application by the deadline.

Yes. If you are awarded a grant, you will need to provide copies of bills/receipts/invoices from the care provider which include documentation of treatment received for the emergency expenses described in your application. Documentation must include:

• Date of service
• Type of service
• Name and location of care provider (doctor/dentist, hospital, clinic, etc.)
• Amount paid/payable by applicant, or other demonstration of the applicant’s financial responsibility

We classify these as emergency grants, and you will not receive a 1099 for these funds.

Grant funds are only sent to the artist, not a medical provider, unless there is a specific reason to do otherwise, with pre-approval from NYFA. Grant awards are routinely paid via direct deposit.

A pool of funds is allocated for each cycle. Cycles will occur bi-monthly through at least June 2026. If you are an unsuccessful applicant, and continue to meet eligibility requirements (including the date of your emergency), you may reapply with a new application in a future cycle.

To receive your grant, you will need to sign a Letter of Agreement and provide other formal documentation including copies of your medical bills/invoices and your government-issued ID. NYFA reserves the right to undertake additional steps to verify information prior to making grant awards and payments.

Yes. We understand that certain medical conditions may make it necessary for a proxy to complete the application, but the funds will only be released to the artist who has experienced the emergency.

We do accept applications completed and submitted by a proxy; if the grant is awarded, the artist themself will need to legally accept the grant.

Applicants must certify that they have read and met the eligibility requirements stated in the Rauschenberg Emergency Grant guidelines and that all information provided in this application is true and correct to the best of their knowledge. They must further acknowledge that the New York Foundation for the Arts is not liable for damage or loss of materials submitted. At any time, if NYFA determines that an application is false, misleading, improperly submitted, or fails to further the Rauschenberg Emergency Grant Program objectives, NYFA may, at its sole discretion, suspend or demand the return of funds. Applicants agree not to sue the New York Foundation for the Arts if NYFA suspends payment or demands repayment.

Yes. We understand that under certain conditions, it may be easier for an artist to submit a paper application. If this is of interest, please email [email protected] or call 212- 366-6900 ext. 239 to speak with the program coordinator.

If you have MS Office, and you have the files as Word, you should have Adobe Acrobat on your computer or you can download it for free, and you can save the doc or an email from your provider as an Adobe pdf file.

For medical documentation, the best choice is to scan up to 15 pages and have them saved as one PDF. If you don’t have a scanner, if you have a friend or relative close by with a scanner, or can get to a FedEx-type shop, that’s best. If not, you can contact the program coordinator at [email protected] to make arrangements.

Step-by-step guidance for using the Submittable platform and setting up a free account is available here.

Yes. To save your application as a draft, scroll to the bottom of your working application and select “Save Draft.” Sign in to your submittable account to view your draft applications. You can’t also sign in via the direct link to saved drafts here.

We highly suggest using a laptop or desktop computer to complete your application on the platform, rather than a mobile device or tablet. Free access to these types of computers are available at most public library branches, including those throughout New York City. For a smoother performance, we recommend using either Firefox or Chrome as your browser. If you’re already using Chrome, please clear the browser cache and cookies. Additionally, please make sure you are using the most up to date version of your browser.

If you are still running into technical issues, you can reach out to Submittable’s Support team directly via the contact form, Submitter Support, or via the support email address [email protected] so that they can troubleshoot directly.

To preview your submitted application, please sign in to your Submittable account. If you continue having issues viewing your submission, please reach out to [email protected] for further assistance.

Note: Submitted applications should only be previewed using the link above; you may not be able to preview your submitted application by signing in through the same portal link you used to apply.

By completing this information you are helping NYFA secure future funding, collect general information about our audience, and properly assess our effectiveness in serving the creative community. Your responses will remain anonymous and any personally identifying data will be removed prior to sharing the demographic data with third parties.

NYFA is committed to supporting individuals from all backgrounds and disciplines and will continue to work towards values of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility across all programs.