How the Entertainment Community Fund Can Help You in 2025

The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) is a national human services organization that helps address the specific needs of actors and other entertainment professionals — with a unique understanding of the challenges involved with a life in the arts and the knowledge of what it takes to thrive in an often-unpredictable industry.

With 2025 here, you may be thinking about goals for the new year and where to turn for support as you work toward achieving them. Whether that’s exploring new career opportunities, finding a sense of balance, better managing your money, enrolling in a new health insurance plan or finding community, it can be challenging to know where to turn when you need help. However, the Entertainment Community Fund is here to ensure you’re never alone on your journey in this line of work.

Here are some ways the Entertainment Community Fund can support you in the new year and beyond.

The Career Center 

Navigating the episodic nature of work in the industry is a central challenge for many performing arts and entertainment professionals. Whether seeking freelance opportunities, meaningful industry-adjacent work, or exploring the idea of transitioning to a new career, if you’re looking to meet new career goals in 2025, the Entertainment Community Fund’s Career Center offers a comprehensive suite of workshops, counseling and programs to help you develop and manage your goals. Begin with attending a Career Center orientation to learn how the Career Center can support you throughout your career journey.

Financial Wellness

Do you want to get a better grasp on your finances in 2025? If you want to create a budget and build financial stability this year, the ECF’s Financial Wellness Program can help! By participating in workshops like Intro to Financial Wellness and Managing Debt and Credit, you can learn how to budget your income, manage debt, and learn tools and strategies to support your lifelong financial health and stability.

Health Insurance

If you’re seeking enrollment in a health insurance plan in 2025, the Fund’s Artists Health Insurance Resource Center has you covered. If you need guidance selecting a plan or help finding out if you’re eligible for free insurance or subsidies to reduce the cost of coverage, join Every Artist Insured. Led by experienced navigators, this free online workshop offers unbiased and comprehensive information about finding a plan that best suits your needs.

Social Services

Is finding a sense of balance a priority for you in the new year? The Entertainment Community Fund has a variety of workshops to help bring you a sense of peace. Whether that’s daily Mindfulness Meditation, or monthly workshops like Anxiety Toolbox and Guide to Personal Wellness, the Fund is here to help you find ways to better manage daily stress and anxiety. Additionally, the Entertainment Community Fund offers free short-term supportive counseling and referrals for ongoing care.

Support Groups

A life in the arts has its own unique set of challenges. However, you’re never alone with the Entertainment Community Fund. Alongside the many workshops the Fund offers, multiple support groups convene throughout the year to help you build a sense of community with your peers and provide and receive support. Some of the Fund’s offerings include Mind Body Spirit: A Group for Black Women in Entertainment, Gendertainers: From Safety to Celebration and Self-Care to Give Care: Caregiver Support Group.
These workshops, groups and more are available to all members of SAG-AFTRA and accessible via the Entertainment Community Fund’s Portal.