Fred Ebb Foundation

The Fred Ebb Foundation operates on one of the most precisely scoped philanthropic mandates in American arts funding: its giving is almost entirely predetermined by its founding documents. Grant seekers must understand the two-channel architecture that governs all foundation activity before investing time in an approach.

The dominant channel — roughly 90% of total grants paid — flows to a single long-term institutional partner: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA). This relationship is codified in the foundation's governing documents as a primary purpose under IRC Section 4942, with BC/EFA receiving approximately $2.4 million annually in general support. Four documented grants to BC/EFA total $10.2 million in available records. This channel is completely closed to outside applications; no other organization can access this funding stream.

The foundation's only competitive, open-application program is the annual Fred Ebb Award: a $60,000 prize for an emerging musical theatre composer, lyricist, or songwriting team who has not yet achieved significant commercial success. With total assets of $69.26 million in FY2024 and royalty-driven revenue from Fred Ebb's celebrated catalog — which includes *Cabaret*, *Chicago*, and *New York, New York* — the foundation is well-capitalized and stable, but the award size has remained consistent at $60,000.

This is not a proposal-based foundation. There is no letter of inquiry, no program officer to cultivate, no site visits, and no multi-year support. One discretionary gift of $25,000 to Vineyard Theatre appears in grantee data, but this is not an accessible program — it reflects isolated trustee judgment, not an open grants process.

The sole trustee, Mitchell S. Bernard, chairs the annual selection panel alongside three to four rotating arts professionals — typically a blend of actors and musical directors with Broadway or off-Broadway experience. In 2025, the panel included actors Jonathan Burke and Maria-Christine Oliveras alongside music director David Loud.

First-time applicants should approach the Fred Ebb Award as a blind merit competition — more like a prize audition than a traditional grant. No relationship with the trustee, no cover letters emphasizing mission alignment, and no organizational credentials play any role. The submitted work is the entire argument. Organizations, theaters, nonprofits, and educational institutions are not eligible through any documented competitive process.

The Fred Ebb Foundation's grantmaking reveals a highly concentrated, stable pattern anchored by two permanent commitments. Annual 990 data from FY2020 through FY2023 shows grants paid holding steady in the $2.52M–$2.685M range, with minimal year-to-year variance.

Annual grants paid: FY2020 — $2.52M; FY2021 — $2.66M; FY2022 — $2.685M; FY2023 — $2.66M. Total giving (including all program-related expenditures) ran slightly higher: $2.81M (FY2020), $2.90M (FY2021), $2.98M (FY2022), and $3.04M (FY2023).

Grantee concentration: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS accounts for 4 grants totaling $10.2 million in available data — an average of $2.55 million per grant. This single recipient absorbs approximately 90% of total annual grantmaking. Program expense disclosures confirm the annual BC/EFA contribution is approximately $2.4 million.

The Fred Ebb Award ($60,000 annually) represents roughly 2–3% of total grants paid. Award amounts in grantee records show $60,000 for solo winners — Julia Riew ($60,000) and Michael R. Jackson ($60,000) — and $30,000 each for two-person teams: Isabella Dawis + Tidtaya Sinutoke, Benjamin Bonnema + Christopher Staskel, and Freya Geary Smith + Jack Williams. The 2025 winners Sophie Boyce and Veronica Mansour received the standard $60,000 prize.

Outlier grant: A $25,000 general support gift to Vineyard Theatre (New York off-Broadway institution) appears in grantee data. This appears to be a one-time discretionary action rather than an accessible program.

Geographic distribution: Nine of 13 documented grants went to New York-based recipients, one to North Carolina, one to Minnesota — reflecting the New York-centric nature of professional musical theatre and the BC/EFA headquarters location.

Asset trajectory: Foundation assets grew from $56.08M (FY2020) to $50.01M (FY2022 — a down year for investment returns), then recovered strongly to $60.05M (FY2023) and $69.26M (FY2024) — a 38% two-year gain. Revenue surged to $8.56M in FY2024, well above the $3.06M–$3.68M range of prior years, suggesting accelerated royalty income. Net investment income in FY2023 was $1.28M. The foundation received zero external contributions across all documented fiscal years — Fred Ebb's ongoing royalties and investment returns are the sole financial engine.

The following table compares the Fred Ebb Foundation to four database-matched peers — all private foundations categorized under Philanthropy & Grantmaking with assets near $69 million — to contextualize its giving rate, focus, and accessibility.

*Peer annual giving estimated at the IRS 5% minimum distribution requirement where actuals are unavailable.*

The Fred Ebb Foundation's ~$3.0M in FY2023 total giving represents a payout rate of approximately 5.0% on its $60M asset base that year — essentially at the IRS private foundation minimum. This is consistent with a foundation that has fixed institutional commitments rather than expansive discretionary programs.

What most sharply distinguishes the Fred Ebb Foundation from its asset-matched peers is extreme mission specificity combined with extreme grantee concentration. While foundations like Kozmetsky or Cape Fear Memorial fund dozens of organizations across multiple program areas, the Fred Ebb Foundation channels 90%+ of its giving to a single institutional partner annually. This makes it an outlier: a highly stable, highly concentrated vehicle rather than a broad-access community funder. The only pathway in for external applicants is the annual songwriting award — a narrower access point than any comparable $69M foundation in the peer set.

The most significant recent milestone is the 21st Annual Fred Ebb Award, presented on December 1, 2025, at 54 Below in New York City. Winners Sophie Boyce and Veronica Mansour received $60,000 for their musical *The Dark Lady*, which explores the theory that 17th-century poet Emilia Bassano was the true author of Shakespeare's works. The award was presented by actor Christopher Sieber at an invitation-only reception held 6–8pm.

The 2025 selection panel comprised trustee Mitchell S. Bernard alongside actor Jonathan Burke, music director David Loud, and actor Maria-Christine Oliveras.

2024 winners (20th annual): Cheeyang Ng and Eric Sorrels.

Other recent award recipients in grantee data: Julia Riew ($60,000 solo); Michael R. Jackson ($60,000 solo); Tidtaya Sinutoke and Isabella Dawis ($30,000 each, 2022 — covered by American Theatre magazine in April 2022); Benjamin Bonnema and Christopher Staskel ($30,000 each); Freya Geary Smith and Jack Williams ($30,000 each).

On the institutional side, the foundation's cumulative gifts to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS have exceeded $18 million since 2005 — a figure cited by BC/EFA in fundraising communications. Four documented grants total $10.2 million in available 990 data, with the most recent at approximately $2.4 million annually.

Asset growth has been notable: from $50M in FY2022 to $69.26M in FY2024, a 38% increase in two years. Revenue in FY2024 reached $8.56M — more than double the prior-year figure — suggesting significant royalty activity. No leadership changes have been announced; Mitchell S. Bernard remains the sole trustee with zero compensation. The foundation has not publicly announced new program areas or expanded eligibility criteria.

Applying for the Fred Ebb Award requires a fundamentally different mindset than most grant applications. This is a blind merit competition — not a relationship-driven grant process. Every element of the application must be optimized for anonymous evaluation by a panel of working theatre professionals.

Honor the exact submission window without exception. Applications are accepted only from June 1 through June 30 annually. There are no extensions, no rolling admissions, and no exceptions for late submissions. Begin preparing materials in May — do not rush.

Anonymity is the cardinal rule and a disqualifier if violated. The entire review is blind. Never include applicant names in audio file names, Dropbox folder names, lyric sheets, or dramatic context documents. Names belong only on the Application Form. A single identifying detail embedded in a file name can invalidate an otherwise outstanding submission.

Choose songs that demonstrate dramatic craft, not just musical skill. Up to four songs from one or more musical theatre pieces are permitted. The panel consistently includes music directors alongside actors who evaluate how songs function dramatically — how they reveal character, advance narrative, and serve the theatrical moment. Show compositional range: pair a ballad with an uptempo number, or submit work from musicals with distinctly different emotional registers.

Write strong dramatic context paragraphs. Each submitted song requires a typewritten lyric sheet and a separate dramatic context paragraph explaining the song's narrative and theatrical function. This context is part of the evaluation — it demonstrates your dramaturgical thinking, not just your compositional output.

Audio quality affects evaluation directly. Avoid live recordings with significant audience noise. MP3, M4A, and ZIP files are preferred. Dropbox links must remain fully accessible — with no expiration date — through at least November, when winners are notified approximately five months after submission.

Understand the eligibility threshold precisely. Recent winners held Dramatist Guild Fellowships, Richard Rodgers Awards, and Jonathan Larson Grants — strong emerging-career credentials — but not Broadway production credits or major commercial work. The disqualifying threshold is "significant commercial success," not any professional experience.

Expect no acknowledgment or feedback. Due to application volume, only finalists receive contact. The foundation does not confirm receipt, provide status updates, or offer feedback on non-finalist submissions. Submit to fredebbfound@gmail.com and trust the process.