The Actors' Fund of America

What The Actors' Fund of America does

The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors' Fund of America, is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit human services organization founded in 1882 that delivers financial, health, housing, and career services to performing arts and entertainment professionals. Its service portfolio spans more than 30 programs organized into eight functional areas: social services and emergency financial assistance, mental health and addiction recovery, older adult care, career development and transitions (including specialized dancer support), health care and insurance counseling, affordable housing, financial wellness, and youth performer support. Physical infrastructure includes offices in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles; six named housing facilities (The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residence, The Schermerhorn, The Hollywood Arts Collective, The Palm View, Rialto West, and the Actors Fund Home senior living facility); and The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts.

The organization operates without proprietary technology platforms — its core delivery is human-delivered case management, counseling, and direct service provision, supported by a member portal for benefits access (e.g., the Broadway House Seat Program) and standard nonprofit marketing infrastructure (website, email, social channels across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok). Programs are offered at no cost or reduced cost to eligible entertainment industry professionals.

The revenue model is predominantly donations-based, with diversification across one-time gifts, planned/legacy gifts, cryptocurrency donations, IRA charitable distributions, stock gifts, donor-advised funds, and corporate/foundation giving. Supplementary revenue streams include a membership program with Broadway house seat access, special events and performances (galas, screenings), and in-kind corporate sponsorships (e.g., United Airlines as Official Airline partner, Marriott Marquis NYC as Official Hotel partner). The organization's wholly-owned subsidiary, Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation, holds and develops affordable housing assets serving the beneficiary population.

Name

The Actors' Fund of America

Legal name

The Actors' Fund of America

Website

https://actorsfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1882

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors' Fund of America) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1882 that delivers financial assistance, affordable housing, health care, and career services to performing arts and entertainment professionals across offices in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services Nonprofit

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Senior/Accessibility Concierge & Companion Errands (HSACAIAO), Saving & Emergency Funds (EDAAAJAB)

Keywords

• Human services nonprofit
• Affordable housing services
• Emergency financial assistance
• Career transition programs
• Entertainment industry support

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization relies on public donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The website features prominent donate CTAs and multiple giving options including one-time gifts, planned gifts, cryptocurrency donations, IRA charitable distributions, and stock gifts.
2. Membership Program: The organization offers membership with benefits including access to Broadway house seats through the Broadway House Seat Program.
3. Events and Performances: The organization hosts special events and performances including gala events, movie screenings, and Broadway show performances that generate revenue through ticket sales.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Actors' Fund of America (now doing business as Entertainment Community Fund) delivers a portfolio of human services to entertainment industry professionals, including emergency financial assistance, affordable housing, health care and insurance counseling, career development and transition support, mental health services, addiction recovery, and older adult care. Services are delivered through offices in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, supported by dedicated housing residences, a performing arts health center, and a membership program.

Product overview

The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors' Fund of America) is a national nonprofit human services organization founded in 1882 that provides a comprehensive portfolio of social services to entertainment industry professionals. The organization operates as a multi-service program rather than a single product, offering emergency financial assistance, affordable housing (including dedicated residences like The Dorothy Ross Friedman Residence and Actors Fund Home), health care and insurance counseling (including The Friedman Health Center), career development programs (such as Career Transition For Dancers and the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Creative Entrepreneur Program), mental health services, and specialized support for older adults, young performers, and those with disabilities. The portfolio includes membership programs with benefits like Broadway House Seat access, and housing developments across multiple cities. Services are delivered through regional offices in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Social Services & Financial Assistance

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• United AirlinesminorOthersUnited Airlines serves as the Official Airline partner of the Entertainment Community Fund, providing travel support for the organization's operations and events.
• Marriott Marquis New YorkminorOthersThe Marriott Marquis New York serves as the Official New York City Hotel partner, likely providing accommodations for events and visiting program participants.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• IATSE: International union representing behind-the-scenes entertainment workers (stagehands, costume designers, etc.). Provides member benefits, training, and welfare support; adjacent rather than directly competing, but a key industry partner/peer in serving entertainment professionals.

Direct peers

• Sweet Relief Musicians Fund: Provides financial assistance to musicians and music industry professionals facing illness, disability, or hardship. Comparable mission, donor base, and grant-based emergency aid model, though narrower in scope (musicians only).
• The Dramatists Guild Foundation: Provides financial assistance, emergency grants, and support programs to playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Directly comparable nonprofit model serving a distinct creative sub-segment of the entertainment industry.
• Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation: Offers career development, emergency relief, and health support to stage directors and choreographers. Highly comparable nonprofit serving the same Broadway/theater community with adjacent program categories.
• SAG-AFTRA Foundation: The charitable arm of SAG-AFTRA, providing emergency financial assistance, health coverage support, and senior programs to performers and media professionals. Most direct peer given overlapping mission, beneficiary base, and program mix in entertainment human services.
• MusiCares: MusiCares, the safety-net charity of the Recording Academy, provides health, financial, and rehabilitation services to music professionals. Closely analogous operating model to the Actors' Fund but specialized to the music community.

Broad incumbents

• BMI Foundation: Nonprofit arm of BMI supporting songwriters, composers, and music education. Operates as a broader grantmaker and program incubator across the music industry, more diffuse in mission but overlapping in serving entertainment creators.
• The Recording Academy (Grammy Foundation): Parent organization of MusiCares and the Grammy Foundation, supporting music professionals and music education. Comparable in operating human-services programming (via MusiCares) as part of a larger industry membership body.

Regional players

• Help Musicians: UK-based independent charity providing health, welfare, and financial support to professional musicians. Functionally similar comprehensive-service model but focused on the UK market, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.
• The Actors Centre: London-based membership organization supporting actors with training, career development, and welfare services. Mirrors parts of the Actors' Fund's career and member-benefit model but operates in the UK market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/alifeinthearts
• Facebookfacebook.com/alifeinthearts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alifeinthearts
• Instagraminstagram.com/alifeinthearts
• TikToktiktok.com/@alifeinthearts

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Actors' Fund of America