Best Music Grants for Nonprofits in Arizona

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.

Arizona music and arts education providers in K–12 settings can seek funding to establish or expand community learning centers offering academic enrichment and music-related activities during non-school hours in Arizona. Focused on after-school and summer programs, the Arizona Department of Education invites eligible entities serving Title I–eligible school sites to provide tutoring, arts, music, youth development, and family engagement opportunities.

Arizona music nonprofits and accredited charities can seek funding for innovative, high-quality projects that promote sustainable development and engage communities through cultural, educational, and social activities. Roche supports music and performing arts within broader humanitarian, science education, community, and contemporary arts initiatives, with local affiliate offices managing giving for organizations operating in Arizona.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) and 170(c) organizations seeking capital items for opera, symphony, or similar civic programs in the U.S., including Arizona, may be eligible for this grant. With a mission to support animal welfare, land conservation, agriculture, and civic arts, T.S. & K.D. Glide Foundation offers awards up to US $50,000, prioritizing California-based groups.

Arizona cultural nonprofits offering arts, science, or music-related programming can access funding through the William Randolph Hearst Foundation for program, capital, and limited general or endowment support. U.S.-based 501(c)(3) institutions such as symphonies, operas, performing arts centers, museums, and arts schools may be eligible for awards of more than US $100,000, especially those serving large audiences and youth.

Music students planning careers teaching piano, voice, or orchestral music can receive scholarship support for their studies through the Loene Pooler Guthrie Scholarship Fund. Focused on music education, Benton Community Foundation invites eligible students from Benton, Linn, and Lincoln County high schools, or their graduates currently studying music, to apply.

Music students pursuing orchestral string degrees can receive scholarship support through the Jim and Margie Fegley Orchestral String Scholarship Fund, benefiting Berks County residents. With a mission to help individuals pursue education, Berks County Community Foundation provides funding for students active in music programs who maintain at least a 3.0 GPA; Arizona music nonprofits may share this with eligible students.

Nonprofit organizations running arts, education, environmental, or health and wellness projects in Arizona can apply for Stantec’s Community Engagement Grant to support community initiatives or events. Programs near Stantec office locations, including visual and performing arts, symphonies, museums, and art education, may be prioritized for funding or other types of support.

Arizona high school music students pursuing accredited 2- or 4-year colleges can apply for the Highland Orchestra Scholarship to support full-time undergraduate study in orchestra-related fields. Awards of US $500 from Legacy Foundation are paid directly to schools or may be used for book reimbursement through its universal scholarship application.

Graduating high school seniors planning to study or perform music, especially those involved in classical orchestra, may be eligible for the Michael R. Priddy Music Scholarship, which supports music education. Central Kentucky Community Foundation provides this opportunity, and Arizona students pursuing higher education in music may benefit if they meet the stated criteria.

Individual singing actors ages 19–32 in Arizona and worldwide can apply for the Lotte Lenya Competition, which awards US $750 - US $25,000 for outstanding lyric theater performance. Grants from Kurt Weill Foundation for Music help emerging and established vocal performers in music, theater, and opera gain recognition and financial support.

Focused on contemporary classical music, the Alice M. Ditson Fund invites Arizona performing ensembles, dance companies, and music institutions to seek general operating or project support. Nonprofits and fiscally sponsored groups presenting works by younger or under-recognized living American composers may be eligible, including organizations based outside the U.S. with an American 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.

Women opera composers developing new works can apply for OPERA America’s Discovery Grants, which fund activities like libretto readings, workshops, and working performances in the U.S., including Arizona. These music-focused grants support exploration of opera as an artistic medium and aim to increase gender parity and diversity in the operatic field, with awards up to US $15,000.

Arizona performing organizations, summer music festivals, conferences, and contemporary music institutions can access funding through the Alice M. Ditson Fund to present works by younger and relatively unknown, living American classical composers. Nonprofits and fiscally sponsored groups, including those outside the U.S. with an American sponsor, may be eligible for support focused on professional performers and contemporary concert music.

Individual young opera vocalists connected to select Western-region programs can receive up to US $12,000 to cover coaching, travel, living, clothing, and audition expenses in Arizona and beyond. The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona’s Igor Gorin Memorial Award offers unrestricted support to gifted singers at the start of their operatic careers.

Arizona 501(c)(3) nonprofits presenting free outdoor music festivals can receive support for 2026 programming through the Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation. Focused on live music in underused outdoor spaces, this national grant offers up to US $5,000 to U.S.-based organizations, which may include Arizona music nonprofits planning inclusive, community-centered festivals.

Full-time doctoral students in opera studies at North American universities can receive funding to support dissertation research and completion. American Musicological Society provides Arizona and other North American music scholars with a year-long US $25,000 stipend through the William F. Holmes / Frank D’Accone Dissertation Fellowship in Opera Studies, awarded based on academic merit.

Graduating high school seniors pursuing music- or science-related degrees can receive US $1,500 for tuition and required college expenses through the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County. Students in Jefferson County, Indiana with strong academics, activities, and financial need may be eligible; Arizona music nonprofits may share this with qualifying local students.

Professional jazz artists and artist-led groups planning multi-stop U.S. tours can receive up to US $15,000 to support performance fees, travel, lodging, and other touring costs. Grants from South Arts help artists, including those reaching Arizona communities, bring jazz to rural and underserved areas through public performances in a variety of venues.

Arizona high school seniors pursuing visual or performing arts degrees can receive US $1,000 - US $5,000 to support undergraduate study through this scholarship. The National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People provides U.S. student members with non-renewable awards, and music-focused students and related arts fields may benefit from this opportunity.

The American Musicological Society (AMS) offers publication subventions to individuals for music studies-related works. With an annual funding of approximately $80,000, the AMS supports authors and editors in covering costs such as illustrations, translations, and copy-editing. Eligible applicants must be AMS members and can request up to $2,500, provided they haven't received funding in the last three years. This initiative promotes scholarly contributions and embraces innovative projects across all career stages.

The American Musicological Society (AMS) provides publication subventions to support music scholarship. With an annual budget of approximately $80,000, these funds assist institutions and individuals, particularly those in the Coalition of Music Organizations, in covering publication costs and enhancing accessibility. Grants are available for various formats including books and articles, promoting diversity in music studies and ensuring that scholarly works can reach a wider audience.

Arizona Sweet Adelines quartets can access funding through a Pat Ostrander 4-Star Collection Quartet Scholarship to attend Sweet Adelines-sponsored educational events. Sweet Adelines International provides US $1,600 per selected quartet to cover registration, lodging, meals, and some travel for the 2026 A Cappella Academy or the 2026 International Convention and Competition.

The Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship, established by Sweet Adelines International, aims to support young singers pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Pedagogy, Music Education, or Music Composition. Named after a cherished former president, this scholarship provides $5,000 USD to assist with tuition and fees. Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to barbershop music, maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA, and provide letters of reference. This initiative reflects the organization's dedication to fostering musical talent and education within the community.

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.

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.

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.