The New York City-based Shubert Foundation has announced unrestricted grants totaling $37.9 million in support of 635 nonprofit arts organizations across the United States.

For the second consecutive year, the foundation’s grants to nonprofit theaters, dance companies, academic theater-training programs, and related service agencies represent both a record amount of funding and the largest cohort of grantees in the program’s 46-year history.

“Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion have long been central to the foundation’s decision making, as helped by our open-door policy for all applicants,” said Shubert Foundation chair Robert E. Wankel. “Coupled with the recent lowering of barriers to the smallest companies, this has expanded our reach to companies that focus on bringing professional theater and dance to underserved populations.”

“Many of [our grantees] continue to be faced with huge challenges—skyrocketing costs, still-hesitant audiences, and the end of federal relief funding being key among them,” said Diana Phillips, president of the foundation. “As the need and the merit have never been greater, we are particularly pleased we can expand our funding to a broader range of theater and dance companies than ever before.”

For a complete list of recipients, see the Shubert Foundation website.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Robert Przybysz)