FAQs

Music by composers with U.S. citizenship, wherever they may live, as well as non-citizen composers who have lived and worked in the U.S. and its territories for a significant period.

Yes, the Fund considers American jazz music composed within the last 40 years. (For more information, please review program guidelines.)

No, but pops and holiday concerts will not have an adverse effect on your application if there is sufficient eligible contemporary concert music activity throughout your season.

No, Broadway-style musical theater projects are generally not supported. Opera and dance projects involving live performances of contemporary concert music are supported.

Yes, provided you obtain fiscal sponsorship from a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status. Be sure to review program guidelines and application instructions to submit proper documentation.

Fiscally sponsored individuals may apply for support in the Recording Program only; the Fund does not accept applications from individuals (fiscally sponsored or otherwise) for the Performance Program or Supplemental Program.

Individuals may find other grant opportunities on Candid.

The Performance and Supplemental Programs provide funding for programming that occurs between September of the current year through August of next year. The current programs provide funding for programming between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024. Activity that occurs before this period is no longer eligible. Activity that occurs after this period should be submitted as part of a future application.

The Recording Program provides funding for recordings that have not been released prior to the application deadline. The next Recording Program deadline is March 31, 2024. Recordings that will have been released before that date will no longer be eligible.

Yes! Non-profit and fiscally sponsored organizations with eligible activity throughout the United States and internationally will be considered for funding from the Fund. Please note that organizations based outside the United States are only eligible for funding of works by American composers.

No, educational institutions and organizations seeking funding for educational outreach may not apply for activities involving school-age students, student ensembles, or credit-bearing university activities. Such organizations may apply for performances or other eligible projects that involve professional musicians (including faculty).

Youth choruses that perform contemporary concert music specifically composed for children’s voices may be considered. Please inquire with the grants manager.

No. Due to the competitive nature of the Fund’s grant programs, community, volunteer, and amateur ensembles are generally not competitive for support. For specific inquiries, please inquire with the Grants Manager.

No, the Fund does not provide grants for commissioning fees.

Possibly. Please contact the Grants Manager with your specific inquiry.

Yes! Performing organizations (e.g. orchestras, choirs, chamber music groups, opera and dance companies, etc.) that are seeking funding for live performances should apply to the Performing Program. Applicants seeking funding for commercial recordings should apply to the Recording Program. Applicants seeking funding for non-performing activities should apply to the Supplemental Program.

NOTE: Performing organizations may also apply to the Supplemental Program only if they operate a discrete and substantial standalone program that qualifies for eligibility, and only with permission from the grants manager.

Commercial recording companies may submit up to three proposals per grant round. All other applicants are limited to one proposal per grant round.

No. Please submit an application at a future date once the piece has been completed.

If your organization has a history of substantial commitment to contemporary American concert music or jazz and plans to continue that commitment, you should apply for general operating support.

If your organization plans to present contemporary concert music or jazz as part of more eclectic programming or will be presenting a discrete program featuring eligible activity, you should apply for project support.

Grant awards generally range from $1,000 to $20,000. The Fund advises project support applicants not to ask for more than 50% of the total project cost. 

Note: Grant awards do not exceed the total requested amount.

Not technically, no. The text boxes have unlimited capacity, despite the limitations indicated in the application. But the panelists strongly prefer brevity, so we recommend that you make your answers as concise as possible while still making the case for your application.

A proposal narrative should be a general description of your organization’s activities, plans for the upcoming season, and any other significant points to make your case for support.

Note: this applies only to applicants submitting for project support: This should be a brief, yet detailed, description of the project such as information about the performers, repertoire, venue(s), timeframe, and audiences served. For non-concert projects, applicants should supply details about the personnel and participants involved, timeframe for completion, and end goal of a proposed project.

No. You may submit video in addition to uploading audio files, but the Fund requires that all organizations that request funding for performance activity submit audio files as specified in the guidelines.

No. The system only supports MP3 files. Each upload may not exceed 32 MB.

Yes, you must use the template we have provided as it incorporates the format and level of detail we wish to see.

Organizational budgets refer to revenue and expense statements. The Fund requires that each applicant submit the following using the budget template provided: 

• the actual statement from the preceding fiscal year;
• a projected statement (budget) for the current fiscal year; and
• a projected statement (budget) for the fiscal year for which support is requested.

Financial statements are generally prepared by an accountant, and sometimes audited, and reflect a more complete picture of an organization's financial details, including statements of activity, cash flow, balance sheets, and accompanying notes.

While it is not required, if your organization has an audited financial statement for any of the past three fiscal years, please submit the most recent one.
 
Note: Please check your local laws to determine whether you are required to have audited financial statements.

Generally speaking, donations of services, including volunteer time and performances, are not legally considered in-kind donations, so they should not be reflected in your organizational or project budgets. Should you receive donations of material goods (e.g. physical scores, stage props, etc.) that are relevant to your application, please include them in the appropriate category.

Pro bono contributions of time or expertise can be included in the Notes section of the budget template if you feel this will improve your application.

In general, grants will range between $1,000 and $20,000, although larger grants may be awarded to larger performing organizations with an extraordinary commitment to contemporary concert music or a particularly significant project. See lists of grantees from previous rounds.

The Fund’s employs guest panelists for the Performance and Recording programs. The Supplemental Program panel is made up of a combination of members of the Fund’s Board of Directors and guest panelists from the contemporary concert music field.

Our programs are very competitive. Unfortunately, each year many worthy projects cannot be funded simply because they exceed our available resources. Please contact the Grants Manager if you wish to schedule a feedback session about how your proposal could be improved in the future. Please note that application feedback cannot be shared via email.

Click on "My Account" on the upper-right hand corner of the page, then click "Username & Password" to update your information. Fund staff do not have access to your password but can help you change it if necessary.

Both Foundations fund contemporary concert music, use the same grant application software, and contract the same support staff. They are otherwise discrete organizations with different leadership and different funding priorities.