Grants
Apply for a grant from CMSA
Grant Program
The goal of the CMSA Grant Program is to further our mission to promote and support the art of classical mandolin playing in North America. The program is currently budgeted to award up to $5,000 in total grants per calendar year.
CMSA members in good standing are eligible to submit grant proposals. We are eager to attract strong, worthwhile proposals and encourage people to be creative! If you have an idea for a project and are not sure if it is suitable for a CMSA grant or want to check the latest timetable, please contact us.
Proposals will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Extent to which the project advances the mission of CMSA
- Quality of the project description
- Carefully prepared and well-justified budget
Please note that, under the Grant Program, funds cannot be allocated to cover ongoing operating expenses of individual performers or ensembles, such as salary, office or rehearsal space rent, website maintenance, or purchase of sheet music or commissioning of new musical works for public performance (not a complete list). Please contact the CMSA before applying if you have any doubts about the eligibility of your proposal for funding.
Grant proposals must be submitted using the online form following by July 1 to be considered for a given year’s cycle. Proposals will be reviewed and voted on by the CMSA board of directors at its annual meeting. Approved awards will be disbursed on or about January 1 of the following calendar year. If the grant is awarded, the grantee is expected to submit a brief final report to CMSA no later than 90 days after the end period for publication in the CMSA Mandolin Journal.
Examples of projects that CMSA would consider funding (not an exhaustive list)
- A proposal to subsidize the purchase of mandolin family and related (e.g. guitar, bass) instruments for a new or established youth ensemble
- A proposal to subsidize start-up costs (e.g. purchase of sheet music or a necessary instrument) for a new adult mandolin orchestra
- A proposal to subsidize an educational outreach program, with the aim of recruiting new players of mandolin-family and related instruments, in a local community
- A proposal to subsidize expenses of acquiring and distributing instructional material for mandolin-family and related instruments to a new or established youth ensemble or adult mandolin orchestra, or a local school program
- A proposal to subsidize expenses associated with a visit by a recognized instructor of a mandolin-family or related instrument to a new or established youth ensemble or adult mandolin orchestra, with the aim of improving playing skills and/or recruiting new players
- A proposal to subsidize expenses associated with the preservation and distribution of historically important mandolin music to CMSA members not otherwise available through our website or other sources, subject to US copyright law
- A proposal to subsidize expenses (e.g. travel to an archive or library, manuscript copying costs, required journal submission or publication fees) associated with a scholarly research project on classical mandolin in North America
- A proposal to subsidize travel of an individual or group to an international conference or festival as a delegated representative of CMSA
To apply for a CMSA grant, complete and submit the following online grant application. Please be sure to fill out all required (*) information.