Responding to one of SAS's early comments about TCG-style grants in DC... There is the Artist Fellowship grant from the DC commision on the Arts and Humanities. It's $5000 and no where near like a full year salary but it's still a good chunk of change and there's no strings attached. They offer it for Theatre every other year and you can get it as a playwright, director or actor. I can't remember if design is included. The DC Commision offers a lot of small grants... I would say that is where to start if we are looking to create grants for artists.