Recent Grants Awarded
The Ghostlight Stage Company is a newer nonprofit arts organization, but we have earned recognition early-on with our forward thinking ideas and outlook on the future of Cincinnati arts. Some of our recent grant awards are listed below.
2026 YP Grant -
ArtsWave
ArtsWave YP Grants support programs that engage young professionals in the Cincinnati region. Grants are made possible by the donations of young professionals to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. We are grateful to have received this grant for the third year in a row to support this innovative educational series!
We utilized this year's grant to fund our 25/26 Shining a Light Workshop and Lecture Series. This series is an arts workshop and lecture series for young professional in the Cincinnati region. This series utilizes the arts to expand knowledge to support career growth for both professional artists and young professionals who don't work in arts fields. Topics for the 25/26 season included: "Finding Vocal Agency," "Creating Art From a Personal Story," "Improv and It's "Real World" Applications" and "Producing Your Own Work."
Photo by Mack Mettey Photography.
2025 ArtsRISE Grant
ArtsRISE is designed to support organizations working to expand access to activities to a broad range of participants, address accessibility and other aspects of welcoming program design, present arts programming of culturally specific* or ethnic organizations, and support meaningful engagement with other constituent groups.
The Ghostlight Stage Company's 2025 One Act Double Feature was partially funded with this grant so that we were able to expand the project to have two performances instead of just one. Additionally this year's event centered work created by Black playwrights. This was all made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
2026 ArtSTART Grant
The ArtSTART program provides flexible, accessible funding to help organizations complete short-term projects addressing a wide variety of goals and objectives. Most awards support the programming of new or emerging organizations, including first-time OAC applicants, as well as new or established organizations in areas not served by other arts providers.
The Ghostlight Stage Company's upcoming production of Motherhood, the Musical is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
Photo is by Angie Lipscomb Photography.
2026 ArtsNEXT Grant
The ArtsNEXT program provides competitive funding for innovative and experimental projects. Awards support big ideas that push boundaries, engage participants in unexpected ways, pilot new solutions to challenging problems, improve program design with calculated risk-taking, or result in the creation of new work. These forward-looking projects help define Ohio as an exciting, cutting-edge place to make, consume, and experience the arts.
The Ghostlight Stage Company's upcoming 72 Hour Arts Festival (as part of our 25/26 season) is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
Photo is by Angie Lipscomb Photography.
2025 Gift - Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation
In the summer of 2025 The Ghostlight Stage Company received a generous gift from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation to support organizational sustainability, strategic planning, or staff training and development. The Ghostlight is utilizing these funds specifically to help compensate different contractors and staff who are working on achieving goals in our current Strategic Plan.
Photo is by Angie Lipscomb Photography.
2025 Grant from Joint Women's Collaborative of Wyoming
JWC of Wyoming gives out several grants every year to different nonprofits doing work for the Greater Cincinnati community. We are grateful to be supported by JWC for a second year in a row!
We are utilizing this grant to pay for the fees of the ASL Interpreters and Live Audio Describers for our upcoming event: "2025 One Act Double Feature." This grant covers the entirety of their fees, helping us to make our event more accessible for all.
Photo by Angie Lipscomb Photography.
2025 Catalyzing Impact Grant - ArtsWave
Catalyzing Impact grants are awarded to new or expanded projects that support the goals of ArtsWave’s Blueprint for Collective Action and are funded by the community with support in part from the National Endowment of the Arts. We are grateful to be receiving this grant for a second time in a row!
We are utilizing this year's grant to present a collaborative interdisciplinary arts event that uplifts World AIDS Day in partnership with Caracole. This free community event has a mission to bring awareness through artistic expression and stop the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. This innovative devised art piece will include original monologues, dance pieces, live painting and more, all inspired by the true stories. All happening on 2025 World AIDS Day: December 1, 2025.
2025 Capacity Building Grant - Ohio Arts Council
The Capacity Building program supports organizations’ efforts to engage outside expertise to improve business practices or add new knowledge and skills that forward organizations’ missions.
The Ghostlight Stage Company's accessibility initiatives for the second half of our 24/25 season were made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. These accessibility initiatives included: ASL interpretation by GhostLight Artistic Interpreting (Angelique is one of their interpreters / founders - pictured here) and Live Audio Description by Tin Can Productions for Cabaret on the Runway and Late, A Cowboy Song by Sarah Ruhl, the purchase of an iPad to be used for access programming at our check-in station at all events moving forward, and the creation of ASL Interpreted video to make our patron greeting process and online platforms more accessible and welcoming for all community members.
Photo by Angie Lipscomb Photography.
2025 YP Grant -
ArtsWave
ArtsWave YP Grants support programs that engage young professionals in the Cincinnati region. Grants are made possible by the donations of young professionals to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. We are grateful to have received this grant for a second year in a row to support this innovative educational series!
We utilized this year's grant to fund our 2025 Shining a Light Workshop and Lecture Series. This series is an arts workshop and lecture series for young professional artists in the Cincinnati region that aims to train artists and arts administrators while providing a community for learning and connecting. Topics for the 24/25 season included: "Taxes for Artists," "Intimacy Direction, Dramaturgy, and Cultural Sensitivity," "Teaching Transitioning Voices" and "Casting Beyond the Binary."
Photo by Mack Mettey Photography.
2025 Pride Grant -
ArtsWave
The purpose of the ArtsWave Pride Grant Program is to promote, celebrate, and create inclusive arts experiences that may appeal to or have relevance to the broader LGBTQIA community. ArtWave Pride grants will provide funding for arts or cultural heritage projects that advance Cincinnati’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive community through the arts.
We utilized this grant to present Late, A Cowboy Song by Sarah Ruhl and partnered with PFLAG Cincinnati and TreeHouse Cincinnati to host a post-show mixer after our Saturday evening performance.
2024 Gift -
the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation
During the fall of 2024 and winter 2025, The Ghostlight Stage Company worked with Skystone Partners to create our first ever Strategic Plan. This project was funded by a generous gift we have received from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation.
You can learn more about this Strategic Plan HERE.
2024 Grant -
Queen City Charities
Queen City Charities supports impactful organizations in the Greater Cincinnati LGBTQ+ community through financial grants. Their mission is to facilitate positive change in our hometown by directing funds where they can make the most significant impact.
We utilized this grant to partially fund our second annual One Act Double Feature, which featured "Esther Made Me Do It," by Nell Adkins and Elizabeth Sacktor, and "Artists & Vandals," by Erin K. Considine. This free community event presented two brand new plays that uplifted diverse queer stories and had creative teams made up of primarily queer artists. This innovative event pulled back the curtain and let the audience into the process of new play creation.
Photo by Angie Lipscomb Photography.
2024 Catalyzing Impact Grant - ArtsWave
Catalyzing Impact grants are awarded to new or expanded projects that support the goals of ArtsWave’s Blueprint for Collective Action and are funded by the community with support in part from the National Endowment of the Arts.
We utilized this grant to present, "Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood" by Ken Ludwig at Keehner Amphitheater Park in West Chester May 16-19, 2024. This free community event featured a classic story with a modern spin, with familiar characters like Little John, Friar Tuck and Maid Marian. "Sherwood" tells the enduring story of a hero of the people who takes on the ruthless powers that be. Refreshments, face painting, archery lessons and more were available at the park along with the show.
Photo by Angie Lipscomb Photography.
2024 Grant from Joint Women's Collaborative of Wyoming
JWC of Wyoming gives out several grants every year to different nonprofits doing work for the Greater Cincinnati community.
We utilized this grant to pay for the fees of the ASL Interpreters we hired for our production of, "Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood." This grant covered the entirety of their fees, helping us to make our production more accessible for all.
Photo by Randall Ulangca.
2024 Young Professionals Grant - ArtsWave
ArtsWave YP Grants support programs that engage young professionals in the Cincinnati region. Grants are made possible by the donations of young professionals to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.
We utilized this grant to fund the pilot season of our Shining a Light Workshop and Lecture Series. This series is an arts workshop and lecture series for young professional artists in the Cincinnati region that aims to train artists and arts administrators while providing a community for learning and connecting. Topics for this first season included: "Financial Literacy for Artists," "Making the Arts Accessible," "Contemporary Theatre and the Fat Body" and "Anti-Racism in the Arts."