The Fender Music Foundation — Grant Information
Grant Support Limitations
Does your program qualify for a grant?
The Fender Music Foundation awards grants to 501c3 and governmental
organizations. Qualifying applicants are established, ongoing and sustainable music programs in the United States, which provide music instruction
for people of any age who would not otherwise have the opportunity to make music.
The intent of the program must be music instruction, not music appreciation or entertainment, and the participants/students cannot be professional or career
musicians. Participants cannot be denied participation based on their musical abilities, and they cannot be asked to pay a normal music instruction fee.
Almost all of the selected programs, to which we award grants, fall into the following categories:
- In-school music classes, in which the students make music
- After-school music programs that are not run by the school
- Music therapy programs, in which the participants make the music
How to apply for a grant
Our grant process will be reopening in July of 2012. Please check back then for more details and access to the questions and grant candidate form.
What The Fender Music Foundation donates
The Fender Music Foundation collects playable instruments and equipment, which are lightly used, blemished or otherwise imperfect, from manufacturers and
retailers. We then inspect them and ensure their playability. Primarily these items are traditional musical instruments and the equipment necessary to play
them.
We also award signed music memorabilia, which the program can sell or auction to raise money to
purchase traditional musical instruments or equipment. Please note that qualification restrictions still apply to memorabilia.
Are you still unsure if your program qualifies?
As follows is how The Fender Music Foundation defines the terms used above:
- Governmental: Many of our governmental qualifying grant recipients are public schools
- Established: The organization must have been running a functioning music program for at least one year.
- Ongoing: Each participant must be able to participate in the applicant music program for at least 30 minutes
per week for six months per year. Camps and workshops are not eligible.
- Sustainable: With or without a grant from The Fender Music Foundation, the organization is confident that the
program will exist for at least five more years.
- Music instruction: Participants are learning how to make music in the applicant music program.
- Traditional musical instruments: String instruments, woodwind instruments, brass instruments, percussion instruments,
keyboards and voice. DJ equipment and computers are not considered traditional instruments.
Frequently Asked Questions - Please click here for clarification of our grants.
OTHER RESOURCES
Q: Where can I find affordable online music lessons?
A: Discover, Learn, and Play Music, a resource of the Dallas School of Music, offers online music lessons to organizations for $39.99 per month for all of the organization's members.
Q: Who should I contact if I want to start a band program at my school?
A: The Paul Effman Music Service
Q: Who should I contact if I want to bring music into my elementary school?
A: Guitars in the Classroom
Q: Who should I contact if I live in the New England area and need a music scholarship or a sponsor for an event?
A: Music Drives Us
Q: Where can I find another organization that might be a better fit to help my music program?
A: Give the Gift of Music
