IRCF Awards Ballet Vero Beach $30,000
Ballet Vero Beach (BVB) strives to promote the art of dance as a universal language in Indian River County and beyond. Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded Ballet Vero Beach $30,000 from the Community Enrichment Fund to support their programs for school aged children.
In Indian River County, the number of students are satisfactory or higher in third grade English has increased from 58% in 2023 to 63% in 2024. This significant increase is due to organizations like Ballet Vero Beach who are determined to make a difference. Ballet Vero Beach's Stage to Page program helps increase 3rd grade reading proficiency through high quality arts exposure, arts integration, and arts literacy techniques. Ballet Vero Beach continues to partner with The Learning Alliance, a nationally recognized literacy services organization, for the Stage to Page program.
Each grade level served by Stage to Page receives a preliminary engagement workshop, a custom read aloud video with accompanying anchor text specific to each production (anchor texts are produced by Ballet Vero Beach and The Learning Alliance as stand-alone age-appropriate children’s books). Each grade level also attends the actual performance of the ballet (digital versions are offered in case of issues with transport or illness), and schools receive follow up engagement workshops to reinforce concepts, test retention, and assess outcomes. Each season BVB provides three free student matinee performances to 1st, 3rd, and 4th graders in Indian River County.
Additionally, Stage to Page ballets are performed annually as part of Ballet Vero Beach’s Accessible/Family Friendly Series programming. This series provides subsidized professional level arts experiences to both differently abled individuals in our area and families with young children. BVB is the only arts organization in Indian River County to present a full Accessible/Family Friendly Series.
Click here to see Stage to Page in action!
Indian River Community Foundation’s discretionary grantmaking is aligned with a vision of a more healthy, prosperous, and generous Indian River County community. Grantmaking priorities are informed by the findings of the most recent community needs assessment and the most current data and information collected on Indian River Indicators. Grants from the Community Enrichment fund are reviewed by a Grants Committee comprised of volunteers Suzanne Bertman, Pat Brier, Toni Hamner, Wanda Lincoln, Dawn Michael, and Angelia Perry.
IRCF is holding informational sessions for nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving Indian River County who are interested in applying for a competitive grant. If interested, please call 772.492.1407 or email Brooke Sauserman to reserve your spot. Please read our Guidelines before registering.