FAQ

Everything You Need to Know

Below is a section of frequently asked questions regarding the Musical Grant Program. If you don’t see the answer for your questions below, please send an email to [email protected].

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. Please read more about applicant eligibility here.

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?

Composers looking to be commissioned by an ensemble they also perform in should apply as a Collaboration: Composer + Small Ensemble

Lead Applicant, Main Contact is [COMPOSER]

Project Partner, [INSERT ENSEMBLE NAME], Main Contact is [COMPOSER]

In this case, the composer can serve as the main contact for both the Lead Applicant and the Project Partner.

My project is a professional studio recording. I have a contract with a record label to produce the recording. Is the record label considered a project partner?

No. Music publishers and labels are not considered project partners for professional recording projects.

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 a lead applicant with a project featuring a new collaboration with a previous MGP recipient, can I include them in a 2024 MGP cycle application?

Yes. If the MGP recipient was awarded before the 2023 grant cycle and has successfully submitted a Final Grant Report, they can be included in a project proposal for the 2024 MGP cycle.

If I’ve received an MGP grant in 2022, can I apply for the 2024 MGP grant cycle?

All previous awardees of MGP cycles, 2022 and earlier, are eligible to apply for the 2024 MGP grant cycle IF they have completed their project and submitted a Final Grant Report on or before January 31, 2024.

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?

Eligible applications would include projects with a substantial number of guest artists if:

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 long should my work samples be?

Please limit audio and video work samples to 3 – 5 minutes in length. If your sample is longer than this, use timestamps to specify the 3 – 5 minute segment you would like the panel to review.

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 2024 cycle.

Can you provide examples of the types of projects that could be supported by the Musical Grant Program?

Past Awarded Projects

How to Apply

Eligibility Screening is now closed for the 2023 cycle

• Maximum Award: $3,000, and up to $4,000 for projects involving commissioning
• Notification: Awards will be announced in late May 2023
• Grant Period: Projects must be executed and completed between May 1, 2023 and June 30, 2025

Eligibility Screening Deadline: March 27, 2023
Application Deadline: April 3, 2023, 11:59 PM
Begin the MGP application process by reviewing "Who Can Apply "& "What Do We Fund?" and then complete the required Eligibility Screening"

The InterMusic SF Musical Grant Program (MGP) is made possible through support from the Clarence E. Heller Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the generous support of InterMusic SF’s individual donors. In the past fourteen cycles since 2008, InterMusicSF has awarded more than $1,024,000 to help support 339 projects in the Greater Bay Area.

Who Can Apply

The Musical Grant Program awards grants to support the creative musical activity of Bay Area performers, composers, and presenters whose projects focus specifically on music for the small ensemble.

Applicants may propose projects as performers, composers, and/or presenters, from genres representing early music, classical music, new music and/or jazz. Projects must involve the participation of one or more small ensembles.

PLEASE NOTE: InterMusic SF defines a small ensemble as a group of two or more musical performers – instrumentalists or singers, interacting in real time, each playing one on a part, usually without a conductor.

PERFORMER

A PERFORMER applicant can apply as an:
• Ensemble with consistent membership and a collective history of public performance.
• Ensemble created by an individual for a specific performance project in which each ensemble member demonstrates a history of public performance.
• Ensemble in collaboration with an eligible project partner, including a composer, guest performer, or additional ensemble.

COMPOSER

A COMPOSER applicant can apply as a:
• Composer of a new work in partnership with an eligible ensemble.
• Composer who is a lead performing artist of an ensemble performing their original composition(s).

A composer applicant MUST include at least one project partner.

PRESENTER

A PRESENTER applicant can apply as a:
• Presenter of an ongoing concert series, with a history of presenting professional music performances to the public, in partnership with one eligible ensemble.
• Presenter of a short-duration festival, with a history of presenting professional music performances to the public, in partnership with one or more eligible ensembles.

A presenter applicant MUST include at least one project partner.

Please Note: Any presenter, ensemble, or composer may only appear on ONE MGP application per cycle. Individual performing musicians may appear on more than one application as members of different ensembles as long as the ensembles have separate and distinct identities. The primary contact/applicant for a project may only submit one application per cycle.

Project Partners

A project partner is defined as an individual or ensemble that collaborates with the lead applicant for a project. The project partner must satisfy all MGP eligibility requirements.

Eligibility

All applicants must confirm their eligibility and the eligibility of any project partner(s) with InterMusic SF. Please complete the required MGP ELIGIBILITY SCREENING. InterMusic SF will reply as soon as possible if further clarification about your project is needed. For questions, please contact: [email protected].

Applicants and project partners must:

Be at least 18 years of age.
Be a U.S. citizen or a legal resident.
Reside in and plan to present their project in one of the nine counties of the greater San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma).
Have an annual organizational budget of under $150,000 (If applying as an organization and not an individual, the organization must have an annual budget of under $150,000).

Past MGP Awardees

Those who received an MGP award in 2022 are NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY in 2023, but will be eligible to apply for the MGP 2024 cycle if your project is completed and you have submitted your Final Report by January 31, 2024. Past MGP awardees (2021 and earlier) must have submitted a Final Report for their completed project by January 31, 2023. This restriction also applies to all project partners who were part of previous projects.

What Do We Fund?

The MGP is a music project-based grant opportunity. Eligible expenses include:

Artist, rehearsal and/or performance fees.
Direct production costs (e.g. sound and video recording, sound engineering, instrument rental, instrument tuning, etc.
Venue rental costs.
Composer fees for commissioning and/or presentation of a new work and/or associated copying costs.
PR and marketing costs specific to the project.

WHAT DON’T WE FUND?

An entire season of concerts (costs associated with a particular concert or festival are eligible).
Concerts closed to the general public (e.g. educational outreach activities at schools).
General operating expenses.
Projects in which either applicant or their partner’s organization or ensemble has an annual operating budget greater than $150,000.
Fundraising events.
Purchasing of equipment.
Paying off of debts.

Application Tips

Please review our tips on topics and terms you will encounter in the applications.

Draft Applications

We highly recommend applicants draft their application separately before submitting a finalized application. Once you have completed the Draft Application, you can copy and paste your grant material into the online application. Draft application documents are provided below:

Terms

Below are a few key words/topics with that can be found in the application.

Project Partner

A Project Partner is a co-applicant who will collaborate with another artist or organization. A Project Partner can be a composer, solo musician, ensemble, or presenter.

If your project will require a Project Partner, it is important to know exactly who you plan to collaborate with before you apply for the MGP. Your Project Partner is considered a co-applicant, must meet eligibility requirements, and must agree to the proposed project. Primary applicants and Project Partners can not appear on other applications for separate projects.

All projects must involve a small ensemble defined as “a group of two or more musical performers, instrumentalists or singers, interacting in real time – each playing one on a part, usually without a conductor.”

Examples of Project Partners:

An ENSEMBLE applying to commission a Bay Area COMPOSER. (The COMPOSER is the Project Partner.)
A PRESENTER applying to support an ENSEMBLE performance or multiple performances in their concert series or festival. (Each ENSEMBLE would be a Project Partner.)
A COMPOSER applying to compose a work for an ENSEMBLE. (The ENSEMBLE and COMPOSER are effectively interchangeable as Project Partners. One is the primary applicant.)
A SOLO MUSICIAN working with another SOLO MUSICIAN or ENSEMBLE. In some cases where the individual is a distinctly identified member of the ENSEMBLE (e.g. Yo-yo Ma & Friends). (The individual is a Project Partner and thus may not be a co-applicant in other MGP applications ,similar to a composer as a project partner.)

Alternate Contact Information

Your “Alternate Contact” can be your Project Partner, another ensemble/presenter member, or the next in command.

Brief Description of Project

Keep your “Brief Description” precise. This is your basic project narrative summary, answering: Who, What, Why, and When of your project. For examples of past project descriptions, see MGP past awards descriptions.

History/Performance History

Please make sure your “History of Applicant” is current. Panelists want to see your most up to date bio. This is your chance to show your artistic mission and excellence.

Project Narrative

This is the expanded overview of your project. Describe your project in detail and explain how you will execute your vision. Explain why you are proposing this specific project and what you envision will be the outcome for you, local musicians, and/or the community.

Project Budget

Please complete the Project Budget so that all applicable boxes contain a number, even if it is a “zero”. Your total Income should equal your total Expenses and your surplus/deficit should be zero.

Budget Notes

Budget Notes serve to clarify the amounts you have entered for your Project Budget. They should reflect how you arrived at a particular number. Budgeting of your income and expenses for your project should be based on as much firm information that you have about your project’s actual costs. (e.g. you should have firm knowledge of a composer’s commission fee, venue’s rental cost, etc.). Please use as much or as little space as needed.

The following are examples of budget notes:

**Budget notes can be written either by giving a detailed narrative description of the finances of your project or by explaining each line item in the project budget.

A narrative description example is below:

The current estimated breakdown of costs: $3,200 Performer fees ($800 flat-fee rate for the 4 musicians for 2 performances and a projected 6 rehearsals); $250 for a recording engineer; $1,000 for an administrative/PR staff member; $500 to Music Center for venue rental, staffing fees, & event insurance; $2,000 for production costs, including audio and video documentation; $2,500 for PR/ marketing (poster and postcard printing, direct mailing to mailing list, and print media ads); and $250 for equipment rental.

Alternatively, here is an example of how to write budget notes by line item:

Line 1. Foundation Grants – Zellerbach Family Foundation $2,500 (pending)

Line 3. Individuals – $1500 donations, based on total received for our last event

Line 6. Admissions – $25 ticket x 75 tickets = $1,875 is what we received from our last event, so we have budgeted $1800 for the proposed project.

Line 16. Performer Fees – $800 fee x 4 musicians for 2 performances and 6 rehearsals

Line 18. Technical Personnel – $250 fee for recording engineer

In-Kind Budget

List your in-kind donations and explain them in the information box. In-kind donations are any non-cash goods or services you or your ensemble receives to support the project. Some examples are below:

Graphic design, audio recording or videography services provided for free or at a reduced rate
Food and/or beverages donated by a local business for a performance
Free use of venue space
Artist fees for rehearsal and/or performances donated back to the ensemble or project (i.e. payment of artists fees at a level that would be significantly less than a professional market-value rate.)

In-kind donations should be listed separately from the Project Budget and they should not factor into the total budget of your project. Listing these donations is useful for demonstrating to the panel your full understanding of the resources required for a successful project.

Work Samples

We ask that applicants use recent, high-quality samples that showcase artistic excellence and best correlate to your application.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a section of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Musical Grant Program. If you don’t see the answer for your questions regarding the MGP please check the “Application Tips” page, or send an email to [email protected].

Do applicants or their partners need 501(c)(3) status to apply?

No, 501(c)(3) status is not required for applicants or their partners.

Do applicants or their partners need to have fiscal sponsorship to apply?

No, fiscal sponsorship is not required for applicants or their partners.

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

Yes, though each ensemble must have its own separate identity and the primary contact/applicant for a project may only submit one application per cycle. If that applicant is involved in another, separate project application, the primary contact/applicant must be a different person.

My project is a CD recording and I have a contract with a record label to produce the CD. Is the record label considered a project partner and does it have to meet the MGP eligibility requirement of having a budget of under $150,000? 

No. Music publishers and labels are not considered project partners for CD recording projects.

Can an applicant commission multiple composers? 

It depends on the details of the project and context provided in the project narrative. A clear project scope and budget allocation of fair compensation to composers for the commissioning of new works are important factors to the grant panelists.

Are educational institutions eligible as applicants or project partners? 

Educational organizations are not usually eligible as applicants or project partners due to many factors, including budget size and the MGP’s focus on supporting professional and public musical activity. An educational institution may be an eligible venue as venues are not usually considered project partners.

If I’m a composer or a presenter, can I submit an application that includes the participation of an ensemble that received an MGP grant in a previous cycle or has not yet submitted a final report on a past MGP grant? 

No, projects with composers and presenters must have the involvement of an eligible ensemble. Ensembles that received a grant in the previous cycle are not eligible to apply in the current cycle, either on their own or as part of a project led by a composer.

If I’ve received an MGP grant in 2021, can I apply in 2023? 

Applicants who have received MGP grants in 2021 or earlier must have completed their previous MGP project and submitted their final report by January 31, 2023, in order to be eligible to apply for, or be a partner in, a new project in 2023. If you’ve received an award for the 2022 cycle, you may not apply until 2024.

I live outside the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, but am doing a project that will take place in this geographic region. Am I eligible for the Musical Grant Program? 

No, applicants must reside, work, and present their projects in the greater San Francisco Bay Area to be eligible to apply. If there are special circumstances that you believe would affect your eligibility ( e.g. you reside, work, and present artistic work half the year in the Greater Bay Area, but reside elsewhere for the remainder of the year), please contact [email protected] prior to completing an application.

I’m part of a performing ensemble whose project is to produce a concert in the Bay Area. We want to include a guest musician who occasionally performs with us. The members of our ensemble all live and work in the nine Bay Area counties included in the guidelines, but our guest musician resides outside the nine counties. Are we still eligible to apply to the MGP? 

Yes, an application may include guest artists or substitute players from outside the nine counties, but the musicians must be predominantly based in one or more of the nine counties.

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

It depends on the project. Our funding priority is to support the Bay Area musical community. However, we understand that even established ensembles are not always based in the same locality full-time. If the majority of the ensemble is local, you have other sources of funding to pay out-of-town guest artists, and you can demonstrate that their inclusion will benefit the local musicians and our local audiences, your application will be eligible.

If I am including a composer work sample, do I also need to include the score for the work? 

You do not need to include a score, but it is highly encouraged if available and pertinent to the type of music in question. The score should correlate to the sample being provided.

I am a composer/performer and would like to assemble a new quartet of improvisers for a project. Do I need to include a History/Background page for each musician? 

No, please fill out the first History/Background page for yourself, and include short biographies of the other players onto that single page.

How many grants will be awarded? 

Each year, InterMusic SF sets a particular dollar amount to be awarded and distributed. The number of grants awarded will depend on the number and quality of applications received as well as funding support for the program. We anticipate awarding 20-22 grants for the upcoming 2023 cycle.

Can you provide examples of the types of projects that could be supported by the Musical Grant Program? 

Please see “Past Awards”

Can you explain what to include in the mandatory project budget notes on my MGP application? 

You can write budget notes in one of two ways:

- Provide a detailed description for each line item in the project budget.

- Provide a written narrative detailing the overall rationale for the project budget.

Examples of how to write both line item budget notes and narrative budget notes are included in the Application Information and Instructions.

Review Process

An independent panel of four experts from the San Francisco Bay Area, representing the diversity of our music community, will review the applications. Their identities will remain anonymous. The decisions of the panel are final. Below are some of the criteria the panelists will use to judge your application.

History and Mission / Artistic Vision of the Applicant

Does the performer or composer applicant demonstrate a compelling history of significant musical activity of performances, repertoire or compositions, major collaborators, career highlights (awards, festival appearances, commissions and premieres, etc), and other pertinent biographical information? Does the presenter applicant demonstrate a significant history of successful concert presentation of past and/or upcoming programming. Does the applicant provide an organization mission statement?

Project Description

Is there a clear purpose or intention for the project, with a compelling artistic vision, that is supported by good planning?

Artistic Excellence and Potential

Is there a high-level of musical ability and potential from a performer or composer, and evidence of ability to present high-quality concert experiences if applying as a presenter?

Impact

Does the applicant address the impact that the project will have on the artists involved and, if applicable, the local community? Does the presenter applicant address how the project will advance the visibility of the ensemble and/or series in the greater San Francisco Bay Area?

Publicity/Promotion

Is there a well-defined plan for publicity and/or promotion of the project?

Timeline

Is the timeline for the project clearly defined and does it support the successful execution of the project?

Budget

Is the project budget well thought-out and does it demonstrate that the applicant has the potential resources and capacity to undertake and complete the project?

Panelists will be aware of prior MGP awardees and their projects. If you have received an award in the past, be sure to make a strong case for why you need to undertake your new proposed project, and why it’s important to do so for this grant cycle.

MGP Reporting

All Completed Projects Must Fill Out A MGP Report

To see the questions and prepare your answers beforehand, please use this PDF for reference.

Past awardees who are applying for a new cycle:

Musical Grant Program awardees must have completed their projects, filed a project report, and wait one full grant cycle before reapplying.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions regarding your final report.