Expand, Educate, Empower
We aim to Expand outreach and diversity of the SAFD by connecting underserved theatre artists to stage combat professionals, Provide free access to stage combat Education, and Empower a more diverse cohort of theatre professionals.
2026 Cycle
The 2026 Partner Application Cycle closed on April 15th, 2026, with the 2027 Application Cycle to be announced towards the beginning of next year.
Microgrants
The SAFD is proud to introduce the EEE microgrant program as a pilot in 2026. This program is designed to assist organizations for whom a full SPT might not be feasible or necessary at this time, but could still use help bringing stage combat education to their community.
Organizations are invited to apply for up to $500 to assist in creating a stage combat educational opportunity. This money may be used for:
- Space Rental
- Weapons Rental, at a rate not to exceed $15/week per weapon
- Instructor pay, at a rate of no more than $50/hr. The instructor must be an SAFD member in good standing of either Advanced Actor Combatant rank or Certified Teacher rank.
- Other incidentals which come with hosting a stage combat class
The money may not be used to hire a fight director for an individual project, but must instead be used for an educational experience that will benefit a broader community.
Students in the class offered may not be charged for their participation in the opportunity offered.
In order to be eligible for a EEE Microgrant, applying organizations must:
- Be incorporated as a non-profit, or partner with a non-profit entity to whom the funds might be released.
- Provide a student body for the education experience of no less than 10 students and no more than 18.
- Provide assurance that students will not be charged for the class they run with EEE microgrant funds.
- Have a plan for creating the educational experience. The SAFD will not provide hiring support for microgrant recipients.
- Provide proof of insurance that covers the students and the instructor(s) of the class.
Applications may be submitted by organizations, or by instructors affiliated with organizations.
For the pilot program, receipt of a EEE microgrant will not impact an organization’s eligibility for future EEE grant consideration. Current EEE grant recipients (i.e., organizations who are receiving a full EEE program in the 2026/2027 cycle) are not eligible for a microgrant in the same cycle
To apply for the EEE microgrant, please send the following to EEE coordinator Danielle
Rosvally as one PDF via e-mail:
- A letter of intent that briefly (in 1-2 pages) describes the hosting organization, its values, and its need for the EEE microgrant.
- A class plan that describes what, precisely, the microgrant will be used for. The class plan should include details as to:
- what kind of class will be run
- how many times and how often it will meet
- where it will meet
- when it will meet. The class must occur in the fiscal year the microgrant is awarded.
- and who will teach the class. The instructor must be an SAFD member in good standing of either Advanced Actor Combatant Rank or Certified Teacher rank.
- Proof of insurance that covers the students of the class and the instructors of the class.
- Assurance that students will not be charged for any class run with EEE microgrant funds.
Microgrants will be awarded on a rolling basis by the EEE coordinator until the pot of microgrant funding is expended.
After the program’s completion, organizations will be asked to provide a reconciled budget showing how the funds were spent, and a completed feedback form detailing how the program went. EEE will provide this form to successful applicants.