The Educational Theatre Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association (ETA), is launching a partnership with the upcoming NBC-TV show RISE. The R.I.S.E America Project is a $500,000 grant opportunity for high school theater programs nationwide.

To qualify, a high school must have an existing theater program or a champion of theater arts in their teaching staff in cases where a school’s theater program was cut because of budget constraints. Eligible high schools can submit a video up to two minutes long celebrating their theater program and a 500-word essay explaining why their school should be awarded the grant and how they will use the $10,000 should they win. The final component is a letter of recommendation from a school principal or administrator endorsing the application.

The winning schools will be announced in March and will receive the grant funds to support their programs this calendar year.

Go to the R. I. S. E. America Project webpage for more information and instructions on how to apply. Applications will close on Feb. 6.