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About the MGP

Now in its 19th year, the Musical Grant Program remains steadfast in its mission to promote the production and presentation of small ensemble music, including live performances, professional recordings, new work commissions for small ensembles, and multidisciplinary collaborations. The grant is open to Bay Area-based individuals, and arts and culture organizations, and welcomes emerging and established music-makers to apply.

timeline MGP

important dates

Application Opens: Friday, January 23, 2026

Application Deadline: Friday, March 20, 2026, 11:59 PM PDT

Panel Review: April 2026

Funding Notification: May 2026

Receipt of Funds: June 2026

Grant Activity Period: June 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027

Final Grant Report Deadline: January 31, 2028

mgp workshop + info session

MGP Info Session: Thursday, February 12

Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM PST

Location: 135 Main Street, SF + Online via Zoom

Eligibility MGP

Overview

The Musical Grant Program is an annual funding opportunity open to Bay Area-based individuals, artistic entities, and arts and culture organizations seeking funding for presenting or producing small ensemble music projects.

Annual grant awards are made in the range of $2,000-$4,000.

The MGP aims to promote musical activities through the support of small ensembles, instrumental and vocal performers, composers, concert presenters, arts and culture organizations, and artistic collaborations. The grant is open to projects that involve the participation of at least one small ensemble*.

*InterMusic SF defines a small ensemble as one or more musical performers, instrumentalists, and/or vocalists. Ensembles should not exceed 25 members.

are you eligible?

Eligible Applicants

All Applicants

Must have an annual operational budget of under $150,000
Be at least 18 years of age
Be a U.S. citizen or a legal resident
Reside and present the project in one of the following nine Greater San Francisco Bay Area counties:
- Alameda
- Contra Costa
- Marin
- Napa
- San Francisco
- San Mateo
- Santa Clara
- Solano
- Sonoma

Eligible Applicant Types

Small Ensembles
Guest Artist(s) + Small Ensemble Collaborations
Composer + Small Ensemble Collaborations
Concert and/or Festival Presenters Featuring Small Ensembles
Arts & Culture Organizations

Eligible Applicants Details

Small Ensembles

Ensemble of 1-25 instrumental and/or vocal members
Ensemble with consistent membership and collective history of public performance
Ensemble created for a specific performance project and each individual member demonstrates a history of public performance

Guest Artist(s)

Instrumentalist, vocalist, multimedia artist, or artist from another discipline that does not reside in one of the nine eligible Bay Area counties, in collaboration with an eligible small ensemble

Composers

Composer in collaboration with an eligible small ensemble;
Composer AND performing member of collaborating eligible small ensemble;

Concert and/or Festival Presenters

Presenter of an ongoing concert series with a history of presenting music performances to the public in collaboration with an eligible small ensemble
Presenter of a short-duration festival, with a history of presenting music performances to the public in collaboration with an eligible small ensemble

Arts & Culture Organizations

Organization with or without nonprofit tax-exempt status
Organization that promotes the creation and presentation of small ensemble music through program initiatives

Applicant Exclusions

The MGP does not provide consecutive years of funding. (i.e., 2025 MGP awardees are NOT eligible to apply in the 2026 MGP application cycle.)
Awardees of MGP cycles prior to 2025 (2024 and earlier) are eligible to apply in the 2026 grant cycle ONLY if all final grant reports for MGP awards have been submitted by February 5, 2026.
Organizations / Individual Artists can only submit one application per cycle.

what we fund

eligible projects

Live performances and concerts
Commissions of new work
Professional studio recordings
Presentation of short-duration festivals

Project Requirements

All projects must include the involvement of at least one eligible small ensemble
All applicants must list a main contact
Project activities must occur between June 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027. Final reports are due January 31, 2028.

what we don't fund

Entire seasons of concerts
Events and activities closed to the general public (e.g., educational outreach at schools, etc.)
General operating expenses
Fundraising activities
Purchasing of equipment
Debt reduction

apply MGP

I: ELIGIBILITY

BE SURE YOU’RE ELIGIBLE

All applicants should thoroughly review the eligibility requirements and application guidelines provided BEFORE preparing an application.

II: Application Templates

MGP APPLICATION OVERVIEW

Applicants are encouraged to download MGP application and Common App templates and draft responses before completing the proposal on the application platform, Award Force.

PLEASE NOTE: Submissions of the Common App will NOT be considered for MGP funding. You must submit your completed MGP application via Award Force.

MGP + COMMON APP TEMPLATES

MGP + THE COMMON APP

The Musical Grant Program application is integrated with the Common Application for the Arts and may be used in completing this application. The Common App is a tool created in 2023 by a consortium of Bay Area grantmakers to streamline the application process and save grantseeking artists and arts and culture organizations time and resources.

The Common App is meant to be completed first and then used to populate applications of Bay Area funders currently integrating this tool. The 2026 MGP application integrates roughly 90% of the questions found on the Common App.

**PLEASE NOTE: There are several required questions UNIQUE to the MGP application. Be sure to review the complete MGP application for all required questions.**

Steps to using the common app

Download the proposal and budget templates using the links above.
Enter your responses to the questions.
Go to the individual grantmakers’ website to access their grant application platform and copy + paste your responses into the corresponding questions of their application forms, ahead of their upcoming grant deadlines.
Submit your proposals to individual funders as grant cycles open.

PLEASE NOTE: Submissions of the Common App will NOT be considered for MGP funding. You must submit your MGP application via Award Force.

To learn more about the Common App, and how to use it when applying for upcoming grants, visit commonappartsbayarea.org.

grantmakers utilizing the common app

III: how to submit your application

submit on award force

If you are using a template to complete your proposal, you will still need to submit your application using Award Force.

We do not accept Word and/or PDF submissions. You must submit your application via Award Force.

Submit Your Proposal on Award Force Following these steps:

Navigate to the Award Force portal: https://intermusicsfsubmissionportal.awardsplatform.com/
Login to Award Force or create a new user account
Complete all required fields of the 2026 MGP application
Upload your project budget sheet as a spreadsheet (.csv or .xlsx are accepted)
Submit links to your work samples and/or upload media files following the work sample guidelines. Name all files clearly, including applicant name, work sample number, and additional details as necessary
Save your progress to return to your work at a later time
Submit your proposal once complete
You will receive confirmation of your submission and a copy of your proposal, as we have received it

Contact Mark Clifford at [email protected] if you experience any technical difficulties.

PLEASE NOTE

As we approach the MARCH 20, 2026 deadline, and applicant activity increases, our capacity to answer inquiries will diminish. Please submit your proposal as soon as possible to ensure our team can provide any assistance needed in a timely manner.

IV: video resources

Musical Grant Program 2026: WORKSHOP + INFO SESSION

Hosted by Crystal Pascucci-Clifford of InterMusic SF

Budget Crafting: 2026 Workshop Series for Musicians

Hosted by Suki O’Kane of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund

InterMusic SF Award Force Submission Platform Tutorial 2026

common app quick-guide

Using the Common App + Navigating Digital Workspaces

Hosted by Margot Melcon of Zellerbach Family Foundation Crystal Pascucci-Clifford of InterMusic SF

INTERMUSIC SF WORKSHOP SERIES 2024

USING THE COMMON APP

An Introduction to The Common App for the Arts

Hosted by

with Margot Melcon of Zellerbach Family Foundation + David Blazevich of
Fleishhacker Foundation

V: Application Guidelines

PART 1: ORGANIZATION OR INDIVIDUAL ARTIST INFORMATION

ORGANIZATION VS. INDIVIDUAL ARTIST

In the performing arts, we understand that most projects are inherently collaborative. While most artistic entities can be described as organizations, we realize there are cases where an applicant may want to center their personal work in providing details about artistic merit, capacity, and process.

When choosing to apply as an ‘organization’ or as an ‘individual artist,’ we encourage you to consider the following:

In regards to your artistic and executive teams, are you the sole decision-maker/producer, or do you share core leadership roles
with others? If you, the applicant, are the main producer of the project (i.e., are responsible for all executive leadership roles) and are the sole artistic director, then you may consider applying as an individual artist.
As an ‘individual artist,’ you will provide narrative responses about your artistic contributions across the artistic ecosystem,
describe your artistic bio and achievements, and provide information on the team you intend on collaborating with for your proposed project.
As an ‘organization,’ you will provide narrative responses about your artistic entities’ artistic contributions, the collectives’ bio and achievements, and provide information on any other leadership and/or community partners that will be involved in your proposed project.

This distinction is a matter of the applicant’s discretion. You should choose the option that best suits your particular position within your artistic collaboration and proposed project.

Eligibility

Please see the eligibility guidelines for detailed information.

MISSION STATEMENT / ARTIST STATEMENT

Share the core motivational element(s) that drive your musical activities.
Competitive applicants will strongly align with the Musical Grant Program’s mission to promote the production and presentation of small ensemble music, including live performances, professional recordings, new work commissions for small ensembles, and multidisciplinary collaborations.

HISTORY + PROGRAMS / ACCOMPLISHMENTS

ORGANIZATIONS:

Share a brief history of your organization’s / ensemble’s founding, shared values, expertise of leadership / members.
Share details of significant past events, performances, and programming that demonstrate your level of artistic expertise and capacity to produce the proposed project.

INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS:

Share your key achievements and accolades as a list or narrative, like a standard artist bio. You will also have the opportunity to submit an Artist CV as a separate file. If you would like to default to only submitting your Artist CV, simply respond to this prompt with “See submitted Artist CV.”
A strong applicant will:
- demonstrate a compelling history of significant musical activity (e.g., performances, commissions, major collaborations, career highlights, formal recognition or awards, festival appearances, concert presentation of past and/or upcoming programming, organizational programming, etc.)
- demonstrate expertise or strong capacity to fill designated roles within the project.
- show capacity to successfully complete the project as outlined.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Share who you engage with, communities you are rooted in and identify with, and serve. This is where you can share your commitments to serving Bay Area communities and why and how your artistic contributions function in those partnerships.

PART 2: Project Proposal

TIMELINE

Outline a plan for the proposed project production. This can include artistic activities: rehearsals, workshops, recording dates, etc.; production activities: engagement with collaborating artists, venues, contractors (e.g., graphic designers, audio engineers); key marketing announcements; fundraising activities.
Strong proposals will include reasonable time frames with regard to scope and capacity.

Art-space partners

Share who your venue / workspace partners are, and if they are long-standing include that info, too.
Strong proposals involve and acknowledge multiple collaborations with members of the musical ecosystem and provide increased engagement / opportunities for compensated artist labor, community-wide.

Project Overview

In the clearest way possible, provide a high-level summary of your project that is driven by a list or brief description of activities. SEE EXAMPLE BELOW
Your narrative does not need to be a list, but clarity is necessary for our panel to know how the funds will be used.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have a date range in mind, but it’s not certain, please include your projection (e.g. Fall 2026). This applies to venue info as well.

EXAMPLE:
“Funding provided by the Musical Grant Program will go to support:
- [Ensemble name]’s commissioning of [Composer] to write one, three-movement piece.
- Rehearsals and development of the work over a three-month period in collaboration with the composer.
- A world-premiere of the composition, as a part of a full concert program at [Venue] in December 2026.”

Narrative

Once you have clearly defined the project, please provide details on your vision and reasons for undertaking the project at this time.

promotion

Share a detailed promotional plan and/or schedule.
A strong proposal will include a promotional plan that
- supports successful project completion;
- provides a history of successful publicity campaigns and/or measures of success.

audience

If you are intending to engage and/or serve a distinct community, share how your publicity, marketing, and promotional efforts demonstrate the ability to reach the intended audience.

PART 3: BUDGET + FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Show all income sources, including personal donations to your own project and in-kind donations of skilled labor.
Show all direct project expenses.
Be sure your expenses match the activities outlined in your project narrative.
A strong budget plan will include sufficient secured / pending financial resources to successfully complete the project.

PART 4: WORK SAMPLES

Please provide up to 3 work samples.
Your submitted audio/visual materials should not exceed 5 minutes.
VERY IMPORTANT! Include timestamps/cues if you would like only a portion of the submitted material reviewed.
Use the prompt to describe how the sample relates to your proposal and anything you would like the reviewers to know about the sample.

tips FOR PREPARING YOUR APPLICATION

Download the MGP application and/or Common App template file and complete your narrative responses using a word processor app (like Google Docs)
Attend the MGP Workshop + Info Session on February 12
Build your project budget and be sure it’s balanced (i.e., your income is = to your expenses)
Gather high-quality work samples that best represent your proposed project
Create your Award Force account, the application submission platform
Leave plenty of time to submit your materials, in case you encounter technical difficulties

VI: Final grant reports

2025 MGP AWARDED PROJECTS

FINAL REPORT DEADLINE: January 31, 2027

2026 MGP AWARDED PROJECTS

FINAL REPORT DEADLINE: January 31, 2028

MGP FINAL REPORT TEMPLATE

To review the final report questions in advance, please reference the MGP Final Grant Report Template .

Review process MGP

Panel Composition

An independent panel of four Bay Area-based artists, of diverse cultural backgrounds and areas of musical expertise, will review the 2026 Musical Grant Program applications. Their identities will remain anonymous. The decisions of the panel are final. Below is the criteria the panelists will use to evaluate your project.

scoring rubric

Coming soon!

Panelist Feedback

If you would like more information regarding the 2025 MGP cycle panel results, please email [email protected].

FAQ

Is 501(c)(3) status required for eligible applicants?

No. 501(c)(3) status is not required to apply.

Are applicants required to have fiscal sponsorship to apply?

No. Fiscal sponsorship is not required to apply.

I am a member of several ensembles. Can I be included in more than one application?

Individuals can be included in more than one application; however, they can only serve as the main contact for ONE application per cycle. Be sure to thoroughly review the eligibility requirements before beginning your application.

I would like to apply for funding to support a commission. I am the composer for an ensemble that I also perform in. Which type of application proposal should I submit?

This is up to you! There are no criteria to meet in order to apply as an organization or as an individual. It’s your choice how you would like to frame your mission / history / accomplishments.

Are educational institutions eligible to apply as lead applicants or project partners?

Yes. If the educational institution meets all eligibility requirements and the project includes publicly accessible programming, then the institution would be eligible to apply.

If I’m proposing a project that collaborates with a recent MGP recipient, can I include them in a 2026 MGP application?

Yes. There is only ONE applicant per proposal. We do not monitor project partners or bar them from being included in consecutive years’ applications, even if awarded in the previous year.

If I’ve received an MGP grant in 2025, can I apply for the 2026 MGP grant cycle?

No. Awarded applicants cannot apply for consecutive years of funding. All previous awardees of MGP cycles 2024 and earlier, are eligible to apply for the 2026 MGP grant cycle IF they have completed their project and submitted a Final Grant Report on or before February 5, 2025.

I do not reside in one of the nine eligible counties listed in the eligibility guidelines, but my project will take place in one of the counties listed. Am I eligible to apply for the Musical Grant Program?

No. Applicants must reside and present their projects in one of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area counties listed in the guidelines to be eligible to apply. If there are special circumstances that you believe would affect your eligibility, please contact [email protected] prior to completing an application.

I’m a member of a small ensemble producing a concert in the Bay Area. We want to include a guest musician. All of the core members of our ensemble all live and present work in eligible Bay Area counties, but our guest musician does not. Are we still eligible to apply to the MGP?

Yes, an application may include guest artists or substitute players from outside the nine counties listed in the eligibility guidelines. Please Note: Eligible projects must take place in one of the nine counties listed.

How many guest musicians from outside the Bay Area can I include in my application?

the majority (51% or more) of artists included in the project reside and present work in one or more of the nine eligible counties;
the project budget identifies sources of funding that are only available for out-of-town guest artist related expenses;
The applicant can demonstrate that the inclusion of the guest artist will benefit local musicians and audiences.

I’m not sure how to answer the different sections of the Artist Overview portion of the proposal. Can you provide any additional guidance on how to frame my answers?

Mission / Artist Statement: WHY do you engage in musical activity in the Bay Area?

Artist History: HOW does your history demonstrate a commitment to fulfilling your mission?

Artist Bio: Include a list or narrative of key achievements / accolades (submitting your CV is OK!)

If I am including an audio/video compositional work sample, do I also need to include the score for the work?

No. It is not required to include a score, but it is highly encouraged to do so. Scores should only be included when they correlate to audio/video samples provided.

How many grants are awarded each cycle?

The number of grants awarded in any given cycle will depend on the number of applications received, as well as available funding support for the Musical Grant Program from local government sources, corporations, private foundations, and individual donors. We anticipate awarding 20-22 grants for the upcoming 2026 cycle.

Where can I view previously awarded projects?

Past Awarded Projects

about

timeline

eligibility

review

FAQ