grants

Tag: grants

What is Grant Writing?

By Lauren A. James-Spielman

Have you ever wondered how nonprofits and charities get the funds they need to complete their projects? Grants are given to these organizations by donors to support their missions of activism and social change. Grant Writers, therefore, play a vital role in the nonprofit and local community realm, using clear and specific language to persuade the reader of a grant application to provide the funds needed for potentially life-changing projects to come to fruition. Because of the wide range of programs, those who decide to pursue the path of grant writing can work in fields that are meaningful to them, including immigration, housing, food inequity, social justice, and more.

Grant writing is no easy task, but it does typically follow the same format. Those providing the grant (Grantmakers) will have specific rules that may differ from one another, but they will always want to see the following:

  • A short summary of your proposal that lays out the problem you are solving
  • The plan for the work you intend to carry out
  • A broad outline of the budget, distinguishing direct and indirect costs
  • The qualifications and experience of those carrying out this project

Despite the job title, there’s more to grant writing than just writing. In order to begin the process of developing a grant, extensive research is necessary to make your proposal as comprehensive as possible. This includes researching the impact of your project, the projects of adjacent organizations, related grants that have been accepted in recent years, and that only scratches the surface. It doesn’t just end with the grant itself, either. Tracking the progress and success of a grant makes it possible for other grants to be made for both your own organization and for others in the field who hope to also receive funding.

If you’re interested in becoming a grant writer, you’re already off to a great start if you’re enrolled here at Lawrence! Most positions require a bachelor’ degree, and majoring in a relevant field like English, creative writing, or any major that helps develop your writing skills can lay a strong foundation. However, the best way to begin grant writing is to get experience. Many organizations are looking for volunteers to help with their grant writing, so researching your local nonprofits can help you begin your journey and develop valuable connections.

Works Cited:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/professional_technical_writing/grant_writing/index.html

https://www.gcu.edu/blog/language-communication/what-grant-writer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_writing

Music Grants and Scholarships

Aaron Copland Fund
Amount: $1,000-$20,000
Qualifications: NA
Approximate Deadline: late-June

Academy of Country Music
Amount: $5,000-10,000
Qualifications: music educators or therapists
Approximate Deadline: late-October

Against the Grain
Amount: $1,000
Qualifications: at least 25% Asian and/or Pacific Islander
Approximate Deadline: early-May
Amateur Chamber Music Players
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies
Approximate Deadline: Varies

Associated Male Choruses of America Scholarship
Amount: $1,000-$1,200
Qualifications: NA
Approximate Deadline: early-March

American Music Therapy Association Scholarships
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies
Approximate Deadline: Varies

American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers
Amount: NA
Qualifications: students studying music composition and/or arranging
Approximate Deadline: early-October

ASCAP Foundation
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies
Approximate Deadline: Varies

BMI Foundation
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies
Approximate Deadline: Varies

Colburn-Pledge Music Scholarship
Amount: NA
Qualifications: Texas resident
Approximate Deadline: late-April
Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Qualifications: instrumental music ed major
Approximate Deadline: early-November
JEN (Jazz Education Network)
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: involvement in jazz
Approximate Deadline: mid-September

Keys + Kids Grant from VH1 Save the Music
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies
Approximate Deadline: VariesKllipsch Audio Engineering Scholarship
Amount: $2,000
Qualifications: anyone, but aimed at audio engineers
Approximate Deadline: mid-January
Margaret Blackburn Biennial Composition Competition
Amount: $1,000
Qualifications: female composition students
Approximate Deadline: NA

Mockingbird Foundation
Amount: $100-$1,000
Qualifications: NA
Approximate Deadline: early-August

Music Performance Trust Fund
Amount: NA
Qualifications: NA
Approximate Deadline: NA

NAMM Gard Scholarship Fund
Amount: $2,000
Qualifications: employed by NAMM member company
Approximate Deadline: late-July
National Federation of Music Clubs
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies
Approximate Deadline: Varies

NewMusic USA GrantsAmount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies
Approximate Deadline: Varies

Percussive Arts Society
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Percussionist
Approximate Deadline: Varies

Ray Charles Foundation Grants
Amount: NA
Qualifications: NA
Approximate Deadline: late-September

Ruth K. Jacobs Memorial Scholarship
Amount: $1,500
Qualifications: music major with emphasis on choral church music
Approximate Deadline: early-February

Sinfonia Educational Foundation (SEF) Scholarships
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: Varies Approximate Deadline: Varies

Top of the Rock Peggy Gram Scholarship
Amount: NA
Qualifications: women involved in Music Education or Vocal Performance Education
Approximate Deadline: mid-March

Women Band Directors International
Amount: Varies
Qualifications: women music ed majors planning to be a band director
Approximate Deadline: NA

Zildjian Concert Scholarship
Amount: $3,000
Qualifications: for percussionists
Approximate Deadline: NA


Other General Grant and Scholarship Websites (not specifically for music)

https://www.aauw.org/

https://about.bankofamerica.com/en-us/what-guides-us/find-grants-sponsorships.html#fbid=QzsQBsLRhvj

https://www.advertisemint.com/scholarship/

https://barronprize.org/

https://bostitchoffice.com/classroom-grant

http://www.ciee.org/

http://www.collegescholarships.org/grants/101-grants.htm

http://www.fastweb.com/  (United States and Canada only)

http://www.evaleeschwarztrust.org/index.html

https://fundforeducationabroad.org/eligibility/

http://www.fundsnetservices.com/

https://www.goldenkey.org/scholarships-awards/listing/

https://www.accessandequity.org/goodcall-scholarship-search-website/

https://grantspace.org/resources/knowledge-base/funding-for-musicians/

http://www.iefa.org/

http://www.iie.org/  

https://www.kidguard.com/nonprofits/scholarship/

https://www.kinf.org/acmoore/

https://musicbiz.org/about/scholarship-foundation/

http://www.nafsa.org/

https://www.panhellenicsf.org/scholarships/

https://www.redfin.com/resources/scholarship

http://www.scholarships.com

http://www.scholarshipsandgrants.us/

http://www.studentscholarships.org

https://www.unigo.com/scholarships#/fromscholarshipexperts

https://www.usbank.com/community/financial-education/scholarship-application-form.html