Best Music Grants for Nonprofits in Northern Mariana Islands

With a mission to support contemporary American classical concert music, the Alice M. Ditson Fund provides Northern Mariana Islands music nonprofits and professional ensembles with general operating or project support. Eligible applicants include orchestras, opera companies, chamber groups, dance companies, and institutions presenting works by younger or under-recognized living American composers, often via a U.S. 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.

Professional U.S.-based jazz artists planning multi-stop tours can receive up to US $15,000 to support performances, travel, lodging, and related expenses in rural and other communities, including the Northern Mariana Islands. South Arts’ Jazz Road Tours program backs public jazz performances in a wide range of venues and helps artists build sustainable touring careers.

Performing organizations, institutions, summer music festivals, and conferences presenting contemporary American classical concert music can apply for organizational support from the Alice M. Ditson Fund. Eligible projects in the Northern Mariana Islands and beyond that feature works by younger or under-recognized living American composers may receive funding, including those using a U.S. 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.

Individual music creators developing new work or collaborative projects in the Northern Mariana Islands can seek support for performer fees, project-specific equipment, R&D, and related creative costs. New Music Usa’s New Music Creator Fund serves experienced, U.S.-based composers and artists in any genre who are shaping the future of new music.

Northern Mariana Islands nonprofits, schools, and local governments promoting recycling at public music or cultural events can apply for Can'd Aid's Crush It Crusade grants, awarding US $3,000 - US $8,000 to launch or expand aluminum recycling programs. Eligible applicants should show active volunteers, inclusive outreach, and strong or growing event attendance.

Nonprofit opera, symphony, and similar civic music organizations in the Northern Mariana Islands can access funding through the T.S. & K.D. Glide Foundation for specific capital purchases. Grants, up to US $50,000, support 501(c)(3) or 170(c) entities with at least two years of effective service; California-based groups receive priority but U.S. organizations may apply.

Nonprofit cultural institutions in the U.S. offering arts, music, opera, symphony, museum, or arts education programming can seek more than US $100,000 for program, capital, or limited general support. Grants from William Randolph Hearst Foundation help organizations, including those serving Northern Mariana Islands, engage young people and nurture artistic talent in impactful, sustainable ways.

Music students planning to teach piano, voice, or orchestral music in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties can apply for scholarship support through the Loene Pooler Guthrie Scholarship Fund. Focused on music education, Benton Community Foundation invites eligible students, including recent and past high school graduates now in college, to seek assistance for their studies.

Graduating high school seniors involved in classical orchestra or music performance, or planning to study music, can apply for this scholarship supporting music education. Focused on music, Central Kentucky Community Foundation invites eligible students to pursue higher education in the arts, which may interest organizations supporting youth music pathways in Northern Mariana Islands.

Northern Mariana Islands music students pursuing higher education can access funding through Legacy Foundation’s Highland Orchestra Scholarship for accredited 2- or 4-year colleges. This US $500 award supports full-time undergraduate study in orchestra-related fields and is paid directly to the school or used for book reimbursement.

Individual students pursuing college-level music degrees with a focus on orchestral strings can receive scholarship support, including those from the Northern Mariana Islands who meet residency and other criteria. Berks County Community Foundation’s Jim and Margie Fegley Orchestral String Scholarship Fund supports academically strong participants in school or community music programs working toward specified music degrees.

Individual singing actors ages 19–32 in the Northern Mariana Islands and worldwide can apply for the Kurt Weill Foundation’s Lotte Lenya Competition, awarding US $750 - US $25,000 for outstanding vocal and acting performances in lyric theater. This international music, theater, and opera competition supports emerging and advanced performers through multiple prize levels.

Graduating high school seniors pursuing music- or science-related degrees can receive US $1,500 for tuition, fees, and required equipment at accredited colleges or universities. The Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County awards this scholarship based on academics, activities, and financial need; nonprofits in the Northern Mariana Islands may share this opportunity with eligible students.

Graduating high school seniors in the U.S. pursuing visual or performing arts, including music and related fields, can receive $1,000 to $5,000 to support undergraduate study. Grants from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People help aspiring artists, including those in the Northern Mariana Islands, who are NAACP members with a 3.0+ GPA attend accredited colleges or universities.

Full-time doctoral students in opera studies at North American universities can apply for the American Musicological Society’s William F. Holmes / Frank D’Accone Dissertation Fellowship, which awards US $25,000 for a year of dissertation research and completion. Music-focused scholars, including those connected to nonprofits in Northern Mariana Islands, may benefit if their work centers on opera.

Focused on music festivals, Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation invites Northern Mariana Islands nonprofits to apply for support to present free outdoor live music events. U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations planning 2026 festivals may be eligible for up to US $5,000 to activate underused outdoor spaces and build community through performances.

Northern Mariana Islands music and opera nonprofits supporting young operatic vocalists may be eligible for up to US $12,000 in unrestricted funding for career-launch expenses. Northern Mariana Islands music organizations can access funding through Community Foundation for Southern Arizona’s Igor Gorin Memorial Award, which supports gifted vocalists connected to select U.S. opera training and audition programs.

Northern Mariana Islands music nonprofits developing new operas by women composers can access funding through OPERA America for activities like libretto readings, workshops, and work-in-progress performances. Eligible U.S.-based projects may receive up to US $15,000 to help women explore opera as an artistic medium and expand diverse voices in the field.

About Us

Mission Statement

The Westfield Center for Historical Keyboard Studies offers a unique environment for the study, appreciation, use, and promotion of a wide range of keyboard instruments. To serve an increasingly diverse audience, the Center presents keyboard-related conferences, workshops, concerts, masterclasses, educational programs, and publishes scholarly work at regular intervals; longstanding priorities have included the intersections of historical practices and technologies with larger social and artistic developments. In its activities and governance, the Center seeks to foster inclusion and equity among artists, builders, scholars, educators, students, enthusiasts, and partner organizations.

Since its founding in 1979, the Center has sponsored over one hundred events, including workshops, research conferences and symposia, tours to historic instruments, solo recitals and early music concerts, and educational programs designed to interest the general public in keyboard instruments and their repertoire.

Members include highly acclaimed artists, noted scholars, some of the world’s greatest instrument builders, and music lovers.

The Barbara Owen Research Grant

A lifelong member of the Westfield Center, Barbara Owen made immense contributions to our understanding of the organ and its music. She was especially known for her scholarship on the American organ and organists, and she co-wrote the Grove Dictionary article on the organ, a standard reference work. To honor her memory, the Westfield Center will award a $2000 grant for research into historical keyboard instruments (organ, harpsichord, clavichord, fortepiano). The research may culminate in a scholarly article or other format for presenting the information.

The Joanie Bostic Memorial Senior Pirate Spirit Award, established by the Decatur County Community Foundation, honors Joanie Bostic's passion for youth and Greensburg athletics. This scholarship recognizes a senior who exemplifies outstanding school spirit through participation in or support of athletics or music. Eligible candidates must be graduating seniors from Greensburg Community High School and submit a statement detailing their school experience and encouragement of Pirate spirit.

The Dr. Alice M. Hudder- Richard T. Molder Post-Secondary Scholarship Fund, established by Richard Molder, supports Erie County high school seniors pursuing post-secondary education. In 2023, the Erie Community Foundation awarded over $800,000 in scholarships to deserving students. Two awards will be granted: one for students focusing on science, math, or business, and another for those studying art or music, emphasizing financial need and a strong work ethic.

Stark Community Foundation is one of the area’s major sources of college scholarship support— thanks to the generosity of caring individuals, families and businesses that have created scholarship funds.

The Foundation currently manages more than 100 scholarship funds that support hundreds of deserving students each year from Stark and Carroll counties. In 2025, more than $1,000,000 was awarded to local students to help them achieve their educational dreams.

The Velma Shotwell Griffin Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Velma Shotwell Griffin Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to assist graduates of Conotton Valley or Carrollton High Schools planning to enroll, or currently enrolled, at an accredited college or university to pursue further education in the following fields: History, Writing (not limited to, English, Journalism, Language Arts, Communications and programs in Mass Media), Graphic Arts, Music (which shall include but not limited to, vocal music, instrumental music, music history, music education, and music performance) and any other program or field of study approved by the Selection Committee. 

Amount:

• Varies. Minimum $500.

Renewable:

• Yes

The H. Lyman Mooney Music Scholarship, offered by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, provides a $450 scholarship to a graduating senior from Marshfield High School pursuing music studies. Applicants must submit their transcripts, demonstrate financial need through FAFSA-SAI, and provide a letter of recommendation from their music teacher. The scholarship application period will reopen on January 1, 2026, for the 2026–27 academic year, aiming to support students in achieving their educational goals.

Community Foundation for Northern Virginia

Founded in 1978, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is a tax-exempt trusted public charity that advances equity through philanthropy and community leadership. Its work is guided by a strategic plan that advances four key priorities for the region:

• Social and Economic Mobility
• Opportunities for All
• Inclusive Systems of Economic Growth
• Community Resilience

Leslie Richardson Memorial Swan & Sparrow Scholarship Fund

The Leslie Richardson Memorial Swan & Sparrow Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to benefit students studying musical performance, jazz studies or choral conducting at a historically or predominantly black college or university (HBCU).

The ACFM Project Support Program offers funding between $2,000 and $20,000 for special projects that enhance public appreciation of contemporary American concert music and jazz. Eligible applicants include performing ensembles and music organizations with a minimum of two years of programming history. Projects must focus on contemporary works by American composers and can involve live performances, recordings, or educational initiatives. This support is pivotal for fostering innovation and creativity in the American music scene.

What is Emergency Assistance Fund

Emergency Financial Assistance is available to eligible performing arts and entertainment professionals:

• In times of unexpected critical need.
• To assist towards basic living expenses, such as health care, housing and utilities to prevent eviction or shut-offs.

Hunter Brown Emergency Assistance Fund

The Hunter Brown Emergency Assistance Fund offers emergency financial assistance to current or former employees of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

The ACFM General Support Program provides funding ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 for organizations committed to contemporary American concert music and jazz. It supports performing ensembles, presenters, and music service organizations that enhance public appreciation of these genres. Eligible applicants must have a minimum of two years of programming history and a professional operational level. Activities must occur within the specified support year of September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027.