Best Music Grants for Nonprofits in California

Utah Division of Arts & Museums

As the first and oldest state arts agency in the nation, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (UA&M) celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2025.

UA&M Mission: Our agency enhances Utah’s quality of life. We champion opportunities to experience culture by investing in arts and museums, offering professional development, facilitating connections, and providing direct services.

Creative West - TourWest Grant

Creative West’s TourWest grant program, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, provides funding to presenters and presenting organizations to bring touring performers and literary artists to communities throughout the Western region.

Regional touring is defined as:

• Programming that brings out-of-state touring artists to your venue, or
• In-state artists traveling at least 50 miles from their home base

TourWest focuses on expanding access to the performing arts, especially in underserved communities. To support this goal:

• Creative West encourages working closely with local individuals and groups to understand and meet community needs.
• Applicants are urged to include community engagement or educational outreach activities in their projects.
• Collaboration with artists, agents, and community partners is highly encouraged, along with strategies like block booking and using presenter networks to reduce costs and maximize impact.

A 1:1 cash match using non-federal funds is required. This match requirement is waived for organizations based in the Pacific Jurisdictions, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.

Bay Area culturally rooted artist teams running or launching music-focused businesses in California can receive US $5,000 - US $50,000 in unrestricted funding, plus mentorship and education support. Grants from ZooLabs help creative entrepreneurs at critical growth points build sustainable music ventures that generate jobs, preserve cultural expression, and strengthen local communities.

Focused on music and visual arts facilities and programs, Hind Foundation invites California 501(c)(3) nonprofits to seek project funding that creates lasting community benefits. Eligible organizations must be locally supported, non-advocacy groups with California-based projects, working in areas such as music facilities, arts spaces, or related conservation and preservation efforts.

Nonprofit charities in California running music or broader cultural, educational, environmental, or humanitarian projects may be eligible for philanthropic support. La Roche prioritizes innovative, high-quality initiatives that promote sustainable development, engage employees in contemporary arts and social activities, and allow use of its expertise and logistics, with local affiliate offices funding organizations based and operating in their country.

California 501(c)(3) nonprofits seeking support for music and visual arts programs, performances, scholarships, or educational materials can apply for Hind Foundation’s Supplemental Grant, with awards up to US $2,500. Funding supports community-based projects within the foundation’s areas of funding, including music and visual arts, that provide lasting benefits to local communities.

California cultural nonprofits offering arts, music, opera, symphony, or museum programs can access funding through William Randolph Hearst Foundation for program, capital, and limited general or endowment support, with typical awards of More than US $100,000. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations must be U.S.-based, have audited expenses over $2 million, and demonstrate broad, lasting impact, especially for youth and underserved communities.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) music organizations in California seeking capital funding for opera, symphony, or similar civic programs can apply for support from the T.S. & K.D. Glide Foundation. With a mission to aid animal protection, land and wildlife conservation, agriculture, and civic arts, it prioritizes California-based applicants and awards up to US $50,000 for specific capital items.

California 501(c)(3) nonprofits offering music, performing arts, or music education programs can seek US $5,000 - US $20,000 from the Adams-Mastrovich Family Foundation. Funding supports arts, education, health, human services, and religion, with priority for social service programs serving women, including those experiencing domestic violence or mental illness, in Los Angeles County and South Dakota.

Nonprofit charities in California’s Orange County producing, performing, or supporting music or music education can seek support for youth-focused programs through the Orange County Community Foundation. Grants may favor projects involving string instruments, tuition for music camps or workshops, purchasing instruments for promising students, or musical performances reaching new or under-served communities.

Individual students pursuing orchestral string music degrees can receive scholarship support to further their education; applicants must be Berks County residents, not organizations in California. With a mission to help donors achieve charitable goals, Berks County Community Foundation provides scholarships for accredited music study, including performance and music education programs.

Nonprofit arts, education, environmental, and health organizations in California can apply for Stantec’s Community Engagement Grant to support community projects or events. Funding may benefit music, symphony, and other performing arts programs located near Stantec offices, as well as related initiatives that strengthen local communities in these focus areas.

Music students planning to teach piano, voice, or orchestral music in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties can receive scholarship support for their education. Focused on music education, Benton Community Foundation invites eligible students, including California nonprofits’ local beneficiaries with ties to these Oregon counties, to apply through the Linn-Benton Chapter of the Oregon Music Teachers Association.

California music-focused nonprofits should note this is a Michael R. Priddy Music Scholarship for individual students pursuing music, not organizational funding. Central Kentucky Community Foundation provides support to graduating high school seniors from specific Kentucky schools involved in classical orchestra or music performance, or planning to study music.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving Monterey County residents and seeking capital support for facilities or special projects may be eligible for the Robert and Virginia Stanton Endowment Grant in California. Community Foundation for Monterey County prioritizes arts and cultural institutions, including symphony and orchestra organizations, with awards of US $5,000 - US $50,000 for one-time or capital needs.

California music students pursuing higher education can access funding through Legacy Foundation’s Highland Orchestra Scholarship, which supports full-time study in accredited 2- or 4-year colleges. Awards of US $500 are paid directly to schools or may reimburse books, and may benefit those involved in orchestra or other music programs.

Nonprofits, fiscally sponsored groups, schools, and government agencies offering music programs in California’s San Diego County can apply for grants supporting community concerts, youth performances, classroom music programs, and low-cost instruments and choral equipment. Grants from The San Diego Foundation prioritize North County San Diego initiatives that promote music appreciation and access.

Grants from Kurt Weill Foundation help California music and theater performers worldwide access US $750 - US $25,000 in prize funding through the Lotte Lenya Competition. Individual singing actors ages 19–32 who can present a four-selection lyric theater program may be eligible, with multiple awards from preliminary through finals rounds.

Nonprofit arts and culture organizations and fiscally sponsored artists in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco Counties can apply for Zellerbach Family Foundation’s Community Arts Program, awarding US $5,000 - US $15,000 in general operating support. Music and other performing, visual, and literary arts projects that engage Bay Area communities may be eligible.

California public and private schools and the City of Gilroy can seek approximately US $10,000 to support performing arts programs such as music, dance, theatre, opera, and stagecraft. Gilroy Foundation prioritizes 501(c)(3) organizations serving South Santa Clara County that demonstrate strong fiscal management, volunteer support, and potential for programs to become self-sustaining.

The Pasadena Community Foundation's Arts & Culture Grants support local nonprofits that enrich the community through arts and culture. Established in 2023, this program focuses on ongoing needs and responses to the Eaton Fire, emphasizing innovation, technology, audience engagement, and collaboration. Eligible organizations must be located within the Pasadena Unified School District and have a record of effective service. Applications are prioritized based on their potential to foster community impact and inclusivity.

The Alice M. Ditson Fund provides organizational support for professional performing ensembles and institutions committed to advancing the work of younger and relatively unknown living American composers. Grants are available for general operating or project support, emphasizing contemporary American classical concert music. Eligibility includes organizations without non-profit status if sponsored by a 501(c)(3) entity, while projects featuring American music are prioritized. This funding opportunity encourages innovative performances and fosters greater recognition of emerging talents in the classical music sphere.

The Alice M. Ditson Fund offers organizational support for summer festivals and conferences focused on contemporary American classical music. This funding opportunity encourages the appreciation of works by younger, relatively unknown American composers. Eligible applicants include performing organizations and institutions that promote artistic excellence. The Fund emphasizes supporting living composers at various career stages, ensuring a broader recognition of their contributions to classical concert music. It is crucial for applicants to align their projects with the Fund's mission of enhancing public knowledge and appreciation.

Graduating high school seniors in California pursuing visual or performing arts degrees can receive US $1,000 - US $5,000 for undergraduate study through the NAACP x Society Awards Scholarship. NAACP provides U.S. student members with non-renewable support that may benefit those focused on music, dance, film, journalism, or related creative fields.

About Levitt

The Levitt Family Foundation exists to strengthen the social fabric of America. We partner with communities to activate underused outdoor spaces, creating welcoming, inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together and invigorates community life.

Festival Grants

The Levitt Foundation is offering grants of up to $5,000 to U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits presenting free outdoor music festivals in 2026. 

Graduating high school seniors planning to study science or music at accredited colleges can receive US $1,500 for tuition, fees, and required equipment through the Kenneth E. & Mary Lou Dunbar Scholarship, including students from California. Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County considers academics, activities, and financial need when awarding this scholarship.

Honda’s Community Event Sponsorship aims to support local, regional, and national events that enhance community engagement and celebrate diverse cultures. Organizations must be U.S.-based and tax-exempt, focusing on projects that serve communities where Honda associates are active. Eligible events include parades, festivals, and educational initiatives. Honda evaluates requests based on community needs and available funding, reinforcing its commitment to social responsibility and community enhancement.

Jazz Road Tours Grants provide financial support for emerging and mid-career jazz artists to develop tours across communities in the U.S. Grants up to $15,000 facilitate three-to-six site tours, focusing on underserved areas. This program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Mellon Foundation, aims to enhance artists' income opportunities while promoting jazz in diverse venues. Applications are encouraged from individual artists, with deadlines throughout 2024 and 2025 for various tour periods.