Coalition of Music Organizations to Help Address Lost Grant Access

The abrupt termination of thousands of U.S. federal grants in support of music and education, including funding for small grants provided through state humanities councils, has left the American Musicological Society’s (AMS) members and sister organizations reeling. The loss of federal support has hit every community in America and affected collaborative projects with people around the world. Moreover, according to Siovahn Walker, the Society’s R. F. Judd Executive Director, “There is no government agency or large foundation coming to save us. If the ecosystem of music scholars, teachers, performers, and organizations is to survive, we will have to save ourselves.” 

To this end and in the coming weeks, the AMS will launch a new initiative designed to promote mutual support. Called the “Coalition of Music Organizations,” it will be a voluntary association of small to medium-sized music organizations, publishers, programs, and cultural institutions designed to provide access to small grant funding ($1,000-$10,000), outreach support, and opportunities for cooperation and conversation. The Coalition of Music Organizations will take advantage of economies of scale and its members’ diverse organizational strengths to return benefits well in excess of the modest annual membership fee (which will start at $475). 

How is this possible? Well, for starters, the American Musicological Society will seed the ground. The Society’s mission is “to advance understanding of music and sound,” and to do that the AMS needs a vibrant ecosystem of cultural and educational institutions. AMS relies on scholars in music departments, performers in orchestras and ensembles, teachers at music schools, archivists and curators at cultural institutions, and many others to do its work. Without these people and organizational partners, the AMS can’t fulfill its mission.

So, the Society is investing in its ecosystem.

Specifically, the AMS will leverage $100k annually in seed grant and subvention funding to support Coalition members. It will also provide privileged access to a range of AMS programs and resources that can solve problems for small educational and cultural organizations and help make ends meet. In addition to the resources provided directly by the AMS, the Coalition of Music Organizations will pool member dues and resources to provide even more money and mutual support.

The AMS will work with its Coalition partners to encourage donations and sponsorships from larger institutions (like universities, foundations, and businesses) that also need a vibrant cultural and educational ecosystem to meet their missions or sustain their business models. Voluntary association and cooperation can’t replace the funding power of the federal government; but by spearheading this initiative, the AMS hopes to help the entire music and education sector get through the current crisis with as little damage to programs and people as possible.

For more information, consult the FAQs below and sign up for the Coalition’s mailing list to get regular updates.

What is the Coalition of Music Organizations?

It is a voluntary association of small to medium-sized music organizations committed to pooling resources in order to provide grants, outreach support, and opportunities for collective conversation and cooperation.

What organizations are eligible to join? 

A wide range of music-oriented organizations are eligible to join. This includes small to medium-sized nonprofits, societies, and performing entities; academic presses and trade publications; museums and libraries; centers, institutes, and departments; etc.

What are the benefits of joining? 

Coalition member organizations will become eligible for thousands of dollars in grant and subvention funding, including small action grants (like those offered by state humanities councils). They will also have access to professional programming, advertising discounts, and opportunities for collective conversation and cooperation. Moreover, as more member organizations join, we expect to grow those benefits. That’s how mutual aid works: the more people band together, the more resources become available to share.

What types of grants are you planning to offer? 

We plan to launch the Coalition with five organizational funding streams: 1) general (action grants); 2) music analysis; 3) public musicology and outreach; 4) early-music programs; and 5) publication subventions. At launch, the largest pool of money will be earmarked for publication subventions. This merely reflects the AMS’s historic strength in this area. However, as more resources become available, we hope to put more money into action grants that support a wide range of organizational needs.

What about larger organizations? Do they have a role to play? 

Absolutely! We will be soliciting support and sponsorships from larger entities (such as universities, foundations, and businesses) that also depend on a vibrant music, education, and humanities ecosystem. In exchange for their support, these larger organizations will receive heightened visibility for their services or products and the knowledge that they are contributing to sustaining their own ecosystem, employee pipelines, audience/performer base, etc.

When will organizations be able to join? 

An official join form will go live in June 2025, but we would love to hear from organizations interested in joining before then! So, if you are a leader or administrator of a music organization and are interested in joining or pledging in-kind support or funding, please contact us at ams[at]amsmusicology.org. You should contact us even if you just want to ask questions or make suggestions.

How much will it cost to join? 

Organizational member dues will start at $475 per year and be tiered based on value received. (Basically, the more dues you put in, the more value you are eligible to get out.) There will be three tiers or levels of participation, with benefits scaled to suit organizational size, budget, and need.

When will you start paying out grants? 

Different grant programs will have different program calendars. However, we are hoping to establish semi-annual granting schedules, with the first awards being paid out in early fall 2025. The goal is to create application processes that minimize administrative burdens and barriers to application, and to turn around award notifications and disbursements quickly.

Why is the AMS organizing this Coalition? 

The mission of the American Musicological Society (AMS) is to advance our understanding of music and sound. To do that, the Society needs scholars, educators, performers, administrators, publishers, archivists, curators, and many others to contribute their talents and energies to the work of chronicling, researching, teaching, and performing music. It needs a community, an ecosystem. Helping to organize and seed funding for the Coalition of Music Organizations is a vehicle for investing in that ecosystem.

Are you cutting other AMS programs to do this?

No. The funding for this initiative is either already earmarked for organizations or comes from AMS emergency reserves. When COVID hit in 2020, the AMS allocated $70,000 in reserve funds to provide emergency grants to individuals experiencing economic dislocation. Today, we think the best way to address the current crisis is to help sustain the sector.

Why should the AMS be the one to organize this?

It needs to be done, and the AMS can do it. In a time of crisis, we should all do what we can.

What if no one joins the Coalition? What if the AMS fails?

The Society will admit failure, examine what went wrong, and try something else. (What do you do when you fail?)

How can I stay informed about this initiative?

Oh, that’s easy. Sign up for our Coalition of Music Organizations mailing list.