I recently received an inquiry from a Savvy Reader about where to find grant opportunities for musicians and/or musical groups. Luckily, I had already been researching music funding and had a few bits of information at my fingertips. Hopefully this is helpful to other Savvy Readers!There are a couple of easy ways to start looking for music grants if you are not in the nonprofit world or familiar with the proposal process:
· Google it. Seriously. It works and it’s free. You may need to research your results to determine their credibility, but more likely than not you’ll find a few leads by searching for grant funding by subject/topic (i.e. Music Grants for Small Bands, Music Grants for Indie Bands, Fellowships for Guitar Music, etc., etc.
· Look at corporations in the music realm. Guitar Center, Fender, etc., all have corporate giving programs that usually wrap around music education or bringing music into underserved schools or communities. Your “project” may or may not qualify for some, but you’ll be able to see what they are looking for from the groups they give funding to throughout the year. Could you partner with another group, musician or organization to qualify for funding?
· Consider fellowships, scholarships or guest musician funding through universities and music education organizations. An example of this is the McKnight Artist Fellowships for PerformingMusicians. You may need to keep certain residency requirements and make an impact locally for fellowships or scholarships, but it is a creative way for smaller (or younger) group to serve a community need and get paid to play music.
- One of my favorite jazz artists, Regina Carter, is currently touring partly because of a fellowship she received. She provides workshops/teaching sessions in nearly every community she visits and then reports back to the funder (in simplest terms).
- If there is a new genre, instrument, or style you want to learn more about and/or teach to others, scholarship funding is worth researching.
· Many times, grants are limited to nonprofit organizations. So, consider approaching a local arts or music group with a project that could provide you with some money and help them serve their mission. Together you can apply for a grant that has a specific project goal and measurable outcomes that can be overseen by the nonprofit. Funders LOVE collaboration!
Where can I find grants for musicians? A great link to an online guide via the GrantSpace and the Foundation Center (the keeper of all grant seeking knowledge):
What other music funders or foundations are out there? This is a fantastic list of music funders and foundations across the United States. At the very least it will give you a feeling of what is out there and what funders expect from grantees—individuals, groups or organizations.
Who are some well-known funders that have an interest in music-related projects?
Nothing beats keeping your eyes and ears open. Look at where other musicians are getting funding or how they are engaging in projects—can you do something similar or collaborate? Some of my best grant leads come from reading websites, newsletters and the newspaper.
Finally, consider hiring a freelance grant writer to help you form a needs statement, to refine your project idea, to create a budget and to get your thoughts down on paper. Expert guidance and advice will help you hit the right note (I know, I know...) when approaching a prospective funder.
~Cheers!
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