Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is an American nonprofit organization that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States, headquartered in New York City. It is the theatre community's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, BC/EFA has raised over $300 million for critically needed services for people with AIDS, HIV, and other critical illnesses since its founding in 1988. The organization awards annual grants to over 450 AIDS and family service organizations across all 50 states, Puerto Rico & Washington D.C., and is the single largest financial supporter of the social service programs of The Actors Fund.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS was originally two separate organizations. In October 1987, the Council of Actors' Equity Association founded Equity Fights AIDS, and in February 1988, The Producers' Group founded Broadway Cares, both in response to the growing AIDS epidemic. The groups merged in May 1992, to form Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The new organization was established as a not-for-profit fundraiser and took on the missions of the previous organizations.

At the 47th Tony Awards in 1993, it was awarded a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre.

Tom Viola has run the organization as its executive director since 1996, but has been involved since its inception in 1988. In honor of his exceptional work at Broadway Cares, Viola was awarded a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre at the 64th Tony Awards in 2010. Viola attributes the growth of the leading organization to the establishment of the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative in 1996.

The organization's grant-making has two emphases. The first is Actors' Fund of America. Broadway Cares supports seven major social service programs at The Fund, each of which provides direct assistance to entertainment industry professionals and performing artists who are dealing with a variety of problems, including AIDS, HIV, and HIV-related issues. These seven social service programs are the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, the Actors Health Insurance Resource Center, the Actors Fund Work Program, the Stage Managers' Project and The Dancers' Resource. Since 1988, Broadway Cares has given $101 million to The Actors Fund.

The second major grant-making effort is the National Grants Program, through which the organization makes grants twice a year to more than 450 community-based AIDS Service organizations across the country in all 50 states. These grants total more than $10 million annually. Since 1988, more than $82 million has been given by BC/EFA to AIDS and family service organizations.

These ASOs include:

Broadway Cares has two major fundraising periods, The Easter Bonnet Competition (in the spring) and The Red Bucket Follies Competition (previously known as The Gypsy of the Year Competition) in the Fall. Over six weeks of fund-raising shows on and Off-Broadway engage in a friendly competition to see which show can raise the most money for BC/EFA. Awards are presented to the shows raising the most money and to the winning presentation.