Middle School Music Grant

PURPOSE – FUNDS - GUIDELINES – CONDITIONS

PURPOSE

The Purpose of the Middle School Music Grant is to provide students with impressionable performance experiences with engaging, informal audiences where the world of music comes to life for them.  Through the blending of their hearts and imaginations, this opportunity will inspire the students to grow as musicians and compassionate members of their community.

THE MUSIC GRANT FUNDS

Based upon the meaningful needs of a music program, a music teacher can apply for a Grant for any amount up to a maximum of $1,850.00.  The Grant funds can only be used for:

• Instruments, instrument repair, and accessories.
• Student transportation to the senior facilities (up to 3 trips).
• Music & curriculum, workbooks, consumables, classroom supplies.
• Performance equipment materials and attire.

Please note:  Nationwide, many hundreds of Grant Requests are received and awarded annually by the Foundation.  To include some of the teachers who may otherwise be denied a Grant due to the Foundations’ budgetary constraints, all applying teachers are encouraged to limit their funding requests to meaningful needs only.

GUIDELINES AND CONDITIONS

1. The Grant is available to public middle school music teachers (grades 5 – 9) in the United States who teach a music class consisting of a minimum of 15 students.
2. Only Public Middle School Music Teachers may apply for this Grant, to apply personally and exclusively of AI and other interventions.
3. Grant funds are intended to enhance the teacher/student resources which benefit both current and future students. The use of Grant funds for food, entertainment, awards of varying types, unrelated off-campus activities, private lessons, scholarships, adjudications, registration fees, tuitions, personal expenses, commissioned pieces, tutors, coaches, clinicians, guest presenters, accompanists, chaperones, instructors and any other item not stated in the “The Music Grant Funds” section is prohibited.
4. Grants are limited to one per school per school academic year.
5. The Grantee (music teacher) and their middle school students (grades 5 – 9 only) must provide a minimum of three (3) musical performances AND visitation engagements with senior audiences during the current school year. At least two (2) of the engagements must take place at senior facilities (retirement communities, senior centers, care facilities, VA/VFW halls) while one (1) event may be held at another venue (such as a veteran’s event at a school).  Every event must include an interpersonal post-performance student/senior visitation.
6. When/where possible, every student should participate in at least one senior event as a performer or observer. The primary element of the visitation is the interpersonal engagement with the seniors, not the musical performance.
7. Grantees are encouraged to communicate the Purpose of this Grant to the Activities Director of each senior facility and encourage them to prepare the seniors to actively engage with the students.
8. All Foundation communications with the Grantee will be via email. Grantees must promptly acknowledge the automated confirmation email.  Failure to respond promptly may result in the Grant Request being denied.
9. The Foundation reserves the right to review purchase records, to require reimbursement of unauthorized expenditures, and to adjust the terms of this Music Grant Program without advanced notice.
10. The FAQ page of this website provides additional Guidelines of influence.
11. The Grantee is to obtain photographs of each student/senior engagement to be shared with the Foundation within the year-end Grant Performance Report. (Video’s optional.)

YEAR-END GRANT PERFORMANCE REPORT

At or near the end of the school year, the Grantee is to complete and submit a “Activities Report” provided by the Foundation.  The Report provides the Foundation with a vision of the Grantees activities, and which includes photographs of each student/senior engagement.

MUSIC GRANT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Before completing this Grant Request Form, all applicants are encouraged to read the “Music Grant Reviews” (and FAQ’s) on this website and the Foundation’s Facebook page where numerous teachers share their past achievements and performance diversities of this Grant Program.  These accomplished music teachers, who comprise the Foundation’s de facto “Music Grant Advisory Committee”, repeatedly affirm that the in-person student/senior interpersonal visitation is of utmost importance to the development of the students as musicians and compassionate members of their community.

IMPORTANT DATES AND NOTES

• Music Grant Request Forms are accepted by the Foundation between July 1^st and January 31^st.
• The Foundation will notify the Grant Applicant via email if their Grant Request has been approved. Within 21 days of approval, a check will be issued in trust for the Grantee and mailed to the address provided by the Grantee.
• Performances taking place prior to the Grant Award date do not qualify as a required performance.
• All performances and the year-end Grant Performance Report must be completed by the end of the current academic year, or by June 15^th – whichever occurs first.