About the Fund
The Doll House Fund is a small, community-rooted fund of €5000 to support ballroom community members exploring their femininity through ballroom.
Getting ready for a ball? Want to try something new?
The Doll House Fund helps cover the things dolls need to show up to functions feeling affirmed and confident, like MUA services, wig installs, nails, outfits, and styling.
This fund is for trans, queer, and gay people in the Dutch ballroom scene, especially those who face financial, social, and systemic barriers to feminine, gender-affirming expression. Applicants must be previous participants in our Doll House workshops or T4T Spaces events.
Instead of giving direct cash, The Doll House Fund offers up to €200 vouchers for high-quality services and products from trusted fem queen-owned businesses. Through these partnerships, the fund supports both the dolls receiving care and those providing it.
Applicants can select their preferred services according to their needs or be matched with beauty professionals.
The Doll House Fund currently partners with these businesses:
Wig Installs & Styling
Makeup Services
Ballroom offers a unique space to experiment with gender expression, discover new parts of our identity, and embrace femininity. The Doll House Fund is here to make sure more of us get to experience that.
Application Procedure
- Submit – Fill in this short form with your contact details, connection to ballroom, and preferred services/products.
- Review – Community panel reviews anonymized applications on a rolling basis and sends application decisions within 2 weeks.
- Express – Selected applicants receive the voucher(s), contact their service provider, and use the service from one of our fem queen-owned business partners.
- Follow-up – We may ask for a photo and reflection of your experience receiving the services to help us improve the fund’s impact.
FAQ
What’s covered?
The vouchers are used for gender affirming expression including:
Services
- Makeup appointments
- Wig installs
- Styling or outfit assistance
Products
- Wigs
- Makeup
- Gender-affirming undergarments
- Padding and accessories
What’s not covered?
- Rent or bills
- Cash grants or funds for needs like groceries
- Debt relief
- Medical transition
- Travel and tickets to/from balls and ballroom classes
- General financial aid
We know these are real needs. But this fund was created with a specific goal: to support the exploration of gender, identity, and femininity in our ballroom community.
Who can apply?
The Doll House Fund is open to people who want to explore their feminine expression through ballroom. This includes trans femmes, fem queens, gay men, and non-binary or gender-fluid people based in the Netherlands who want more access and experience with beauty and styling services. We only accept applicants who previously participated in our Doll House or T4T Spaces workshops.
Can I nominate someone else?
Yes, if you know someone who could use this support, you’re welcome to nominate them. Just make sure you have their consent.
Why vouchers and how do they work?
This fund provides vouchers for services from fem queen-owned businesses to make sure the support goes to gender expression and also reinvests in our community by paying queer and trans artists for their work. Each person can receive a voucher of up to €200 per application. This can be for one product/service or split across multiple products/services, depending on your needs.
How is the fund paid for?
The Doll House Fund is made possible by the Ballroom Works Foundation and Gemeente Utrecht.
I offer services like makeup or wig installs. Can I be part of the network?
We’re always open to collaborate with businesses owned by fem queens (trans women). Send us a message at utrecht.ballroom@gmail.com if you’d like to join our list of service providers.
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