Funders

GAP Inc. - One of the primary ways that the GAP helps young people is by supporting youth learning programs that help kids develop self-esteem, stay in school, become inspired by dynamic teachers and visionary leaders. http://www.gap.com

While hosting a morning radio program in New York City, motivational speaker and entrepreneur Les Brown "adopted" Def Dance Jam and was one of the company's primary funders. Les has continued to provide ongoing support in various ways. http://www.lesbrown.com

Rosie O'Donnell's For All Kids Foundation was one of the early supporters of Def Dance Jam. http://rosieo.warnerbros.com/cmp/allkids/allkids.htm

The Fund for the City of New York presented the Union Square Award to Aziza and Def Dance Jam in 1999. http://www.fcny.org

The Laurent Clerc Foundation Grant has twice been awarded to Def Dance Jam by the alumni of Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. http://www.gallaudet.edu

The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council has been a consistent funder of Def Dance Jam's community based initiatives through its Fund for Creative Communities. http://www.artswire.org/downtown/indexF.html

The New York Foundation for the Arts has provided operations funding, networking opportunities and ongoing technical support to Def Dance Jam in the 1999-2000 funding cycle. http://www.nyfa.org

The Sister Fund was Def Dance Jam's first major funding source. The Sister Fund is a private women's foundation established by Board President Helen Hunt in 1992 to support programs that foster women's economic, social, political and spiritual empowerment. The Sister Fund seeks to advance national advocacy, public education, and media strategies to heighten public awareness around issues affecting women and girls. Further, The Sister Fund encourages the innovative, nontraditional approaches that spiritual empowerment often fosters. Contact The Sister Fund at SisterFund@aol.com

The Valley Inc. has served as Def Dance Jam's fiscal conduit for the last four years. Under the leadership of John Bess, CEO, the Valley has also provided rehearsal and meeting space, summer youth employment, transportation and other services to Def Dance Jam. E-mail them at TheValley@aol.com