Best Music Grants for Nonprofits in District of Columbia

Nonprofit arts and community organizations in the District of Columbia can seek support for projects, programs, or events in visual and performing arts, including symphonies and public media. Focused on arts, education, environment, and health, Stantec invites initiatives near its offices that strengthen local communities and reflect its values.

Nonprofit or government presenters of professional touring artists in the mid-Atlantic region, including the District of Columbia, can access up to US $3,000 to support jazz touring and presentation. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s Jazz Touring Network offers ongoing membership, block-booked jazz tours, and professional development for organizations presenting multiple performances each season.

Nonprofits and schools hosting community cultural or music-focused events in the District of Columbia can receive up to US $25,000 to support parades, festivals, galas, runs, and walks. American Honda Motor Co. funds events that celebrate local cultures and traditions in communities where its associates live and work across select U.S. states.

District of Columbia arts and music nonprofits can access funding through DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities to support projects, events, or festivals that engage local residents and visitors. Grants up to Up to US $20,000 can fund concerts, festivals, performances, exhibitions, and other arts and humanities activities that strengthen the city’s creative economy and cultural life.

Individual artists and humanities practitioners in the District of Columbia can receive support for their creative work, including music and related disciplines. Grants from DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities help fund practice across ten categories such as music, media arts, dance, theatre, visual arts, design, and interdisciplinary projects.

Arts, humanities, and arts education organizations in the District of Columbia can seek general operating support for single-year needs through this program, which can benefit music-focused nonprofits among others. The DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities funds a portion of an eligible organization’s annual operating budget, with one application allowed per fiscal year.

Nonprofits, schools, and neighborhood groups in the District of Columbia can apply for Capitol Hill Community Foundation’s Innovation Grants, awarding US $5,000 - US $15,000 for new, one-time projects. Eligible initiatives must expand existing work, benefit the Capitol Hill neighborhood, and may include creative music or arts programming that serves local residents.

Public K–12 schools in the District of Columbia with established, in-school music programs serving predominantly economically disadvantaged students can receive donated student-model instruments and equipment to expand music education access. Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation provides in-kind instrument grants nationwide, with a pre-qualification form, full application, and possible interview to assess program needs and district support.

Nonprofit or academic-affiliated early- and mid-career scholars in music and related humanities studying Italian Renaissance and Byzantine exchanges can receive approximately US $61,700 for a joint residential fellowship split between Florence and the District of Columbia. Villa I Tatti and Dumbarton Oaks support research on cross-cultural contacts, including music, within the late medieval and early modern Mediterranean world.

Scholars at any career stage conducting short-term research on musics of the Americas at the Library of Congress in the District of Columbia can receive up to US $1,000 to cover travel, lodging, and duplication expenses. The Wayne Shirley Fellowship from Society for American Music supports focused music research residencies that may benefit nonprofit-affiliated researchers and educators.

Young individual jazz composers ages 13–29 in the U.S., District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico can receive cash awards for an original jazz composition through the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards. With a mission to support music creators, ASCAP Foundation offers annual prizes for unpublished or published works submitted with score and recording.

College-bound music students in the District of Columbia and across the U.S. can receive up to US $3,000 for educational advancement and professional development in music performance or composition. Focused on nurturing outstanding musical talent, the Ascap Foundation’s Michael Masser Scholarship is awarded by nomination and selected by a panel of music industry professionals.

Individual U.S.-based writers and critics creating English-language books, articles, liner notes, or media about music can receive up to US $4,000 in prizes, including in the District of Columbia. Grants from Ascap Foundation help music authors and journalists whose recent work covers pop or concert music in print, recordings, or broadcast/streaming media.

Individual songwriters and lyricists creating original, socially conscious songs can apply for the ASCAP Foundation’s Jay Gorney Award, which provides US $2,500 for one winning song. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or qualifying students in the District of Columbia and other U.S. locations who meet ASCAP membership and nomination requirements.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations running literacy, children’s, arts, social justice, environmental, or music-related programs in the District of Columbia can seek project or program funding, including some general operating support. Grants from Nora Roberts Foundation typically range up to US $5,000, with a preference for organizations in nearby counties and D.C.

Individual U.S.-based songwriters and ASCAP writer members creating jazz or popular music can receive US $2,500 for original songs through this award. With a mission to support music creators, Ascap Foundation provides recognition for strong lyric writing, intelligent language use, and overall song craft; entrants in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are eligible.

Individual U.S. songwriters focused on original music lyrics can receive US $5,000 through the Sammy Cahn Award, judged on lyric quality and overall song craft. Ascap Foundation provides District of Columbia music creators with a nomination-based competition requiring an MP3, numbered lyric sheet, and application from eligible ASCAP or unaffiliated writers.

Middle and high school musical theatre teachers in the U.S., including the District of Columbia, can receive recognition and a US $5,000 prize for outstanding music education work. The ASCAP Foundation’s Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award honors exemplary teaching impact through a written nomination, short video, and two recommendation letters.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations using music to support addiction recovery in the District of Columbia and other eligible U.S. locations can receive US $5,000 for their programming through the Mariana & Paul Williams “Sunlight of the Spirit” Award. The ASCAP Foundation recognizes groups with a strong mission, history, and therapeutic use of music in healing.

High school seniors planning to major in music and pursue original songwriting can receive tuition assistance through the Leiber & Stoller Scholarship, including students from District of Columbia. With a mission to support music creators, Ascap Foundation provides up to US $10,000 for U.S.-based aspiring songwriters, musicians, or vocalists entering four-year college programs.

The Hearst Foundation: Culture Grant aims to support outstanding nonprofits that enhance cultural engagement and artistic talent in the U.S. With a focus on programs that reach young people, the grant prioritizes organizations that create lasting impacts in the arts and sciences. The Foundation allocates 25% of its funding to cultural initiatives, favoring established organizations with a history of significant results. Eligible nonprofits must encourage inclusivity and sustainability in their programs.

The Thornton S. Glide, Jr. and Katrina D. Glide Foundation provides grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations in California that focus on animal protection, land conservancy, agriculture, and civic endeavors. Established in 1995, the foundation prioritizes grants for specific capital acquisitions and does not support operational costs or direct aid to individuals. Emphasizing local impact, California-based organizations are favored over out-of-state counterparts.

Loene Pooler Guthrie Scholarship Fund

The Loene P. Guthrie Scholarship fund benefits music students in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties who plan to engage in the teaching of piano, voice, and orchestral music.

This scholarship fund promotes the teaching of piano, voice and orchestral music by aiding music students in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln Counties who plan to engage in the teaching of piano, voice, and orchestral music. Students who will graduate from Linn, Benton, or Lincoln County high schools or graduates of those high schools currently studying music at an institution of higher learning may apply. The Linn-Benton Chapter of the Oregon Music Teachers Association reviews the applications and selects individuals to perform at an audition open to the public.

About Legacy Foundation

Legacy Foundation is the community foundation for Lake County, Indiana. We connect people, knowledge, and funding to build an equitable, accessible, and inclusive Lake County, now and for generations to come.

Legacy Foundation is supported by a broad base of individuals, families, and businesses connected by the desire to improve Lake County, Indiana. With a growing portfolio of over 300 funds and approximately $80 million in assets, Legacy Foundation is a trusted source for philanthropic giving in the region.

For over 30 years, Legacy Foundation has been empowering people, providing strategic leadership, and impactful philanthropic support to create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Mission Statement

Transforming Lake County by providing strategic leadership and impactful philanthropic support to ensure equitable opportunity for all communities that we serve.

Vision Statement

Create an equitable Lake County where all people thrive.

Highland Orchestra Scholarship

Use the chart below to see which scholarships are the best fit for you! You must complete the Legacy Universal Application to apply.

Scholarship eligibility requires students to attend an accredited 2 or 4 year public or private institution of higher learning. All scholarships are for full-time students, unless otherwise noted. Renewable awards are for 4 years of undergraduate study and cannot be used for post graduate coursework; all awards are paid directly to the school or may be used for book reimbursement.

The Michael R. Priddy Music Scholarship, offered by the Central Kentucky Community Foundation, aims to support graduating high school seniors from Hardin County Schools, specifically Elizabethtown and LaRue County High Schools. This scholarship is intended for students who have demonstrated involvement in classical orchestra or music performance, or who plan to pursue music studies, thereby fostering musical education in the community.

The Jim and Margie Fegley Orchestral String Scholarship Fund, established in 2013 by Marjorie Fegley, honors her late husband, James E. Fegley. This fund supports Berks County residents pursuing music education, particularly in orchestral strings. Applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have participated in music programs. The Berks County Community Foundation manages this fund, which contributes significantly to the local arts and education landscape, fostering musical talent in the community.

The Lotte Lenya Competition, established in 1998 by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, honors the legacy of renowned actress Lotte Lenya. This unique contest blends acting and vocal skills, targeting performers aged 19-32 from diverse backgrounds. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023, the competition has increased its prize offerings, with over $1.6 million awarded to more than 800 singers. It's a prestigious platform that has propelled many winners to successful careers in musical theater and opera.