FAQs on New Music Organization Fund

  • What is the New Music Organization Fund?

    About 

    The New Music Organization Fund offers grants to non-profit organizations, performance groups, dance organizations, festivals, presenters, and venues that need support to sustain their programming of new music, nurturing of music creators, and other services.  This program is for outstanding organizations that work regularly with and support the development of music creators and artists and offer crucial resources to their community.  The main criteria for this fund are: 

    • artistry of applicant organization and/or supported artists; 
    • impact on the community of artists and/or audiences served, 
    • need for funding now; and  
    • the organization’s commitment to equity and inclusion.  

     

    Approach 

    We aim to support and represent a broad range of organizations across different US cities and music genres. Organizations can apply for funding through one of the following strands: General Operating Support, Creation of New Work, or Live Music for Dance projects. 

  • What would make a successful applicant?

     

    We are particularly interested in supporting organizations that have a deep and consistent impact on their community of artists and music lovers. For this reason, we are asking applicants to submit an endorsement from a member of their community as part of the application. For organizations seeking general operating support, this endorsement could come from an artist, stakeholder, or audience member (see below). For organizations seeking support for creation of a new work or grants for music for dance, the endorsement should be a letter of support from the collaborating composer/ musician. 

    Successful applicant organizations will exhibit some or all of the following traits:  

    • Commitment to programming new music and providing opportunities for creators throughout the year/season 
    • Commitment to commissioning and facilitating the creation of new work 
    • Demonstrated artistic merit and performance history of the applicant institution 
    • Commitment to relationship building and collaboration with artists, other organizations, and the community 
    • Offering of learning, engagement, and/or artist development or educational opportunities and commitment to building future audiences for the organization’s work
    • Commitment to cultivating creativity, as well as leveraging new music in service of individual and community transformation 
  • What does the fund support?

    Funding Areas (select only one) 

    Organizations can apply for funding through one of the following strands: General Operating Support, Creation of New Work, or Live Music for Dance projects. Dance organizations are only eligible to apply for Live Music for Dance funding.  

    General Operating Support 

    This strand is for outstanding organizations that work regularly with, and support the development of, music creators and artists and offer crucial resources to their community. The fund area is to be used for general operating costs which support the organization’s regular programming of, and collaboration with US/territories-based composers and artists. It does not need to be tied to any specific project, but we are asking you to tell us about the programs, events, and initiatives that best align with New Music USA’s support.  Organizations applying must have an operating budget of under $3 million over the last three years. 

    Organizations seeking general support will be asked to present their year-round work on or offline, including: 

    • Music program planned 
    • Opportunities provided to artists and music creators 
    • Community of artists served (we support music creators/artists based in the US and US territories) 
    • Audiences the activity will reach 
    • Impact on their community 

    Creation of New Work 

    This strand is intended for a specified new music project/ program. We are particularly interested in funding the creation and/or commissioning of new work. Projects must take place anytime between July 2024 and June 2026. There are no restrictions on the organization’s operating budget.  

    Live Music for Dance  

    This strand is for dance organizations that work regularly with music creators and musicians. The fund aims to support and encourage the use and creation of new and live music for dance performances, support collaborations between music creators/composers and choreographers, foster meaningful collaborations between musicians and dance companies, and create performance opportunities for musicians. 

    These funds can support musician or music creator fees, artist/choreographer time for collaboration with the composer, commission fees, and dancer fees for the project. Projects must take place anytime between July 2024 and June 2026. There are no restrictions on the organization’s operating budget. 

  • Am I eligible?

    Eligibility 

    This fund is for organizations only; individuals may not apply. 

    General Support Eligibility 

    Applicant organizations must: 

    • be based and doing work in the US. 
    • have a commitment to producing, performing, and/or commissioning the work of living, US/territories-based music creators.  
    • be committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in their organization, engagement, and programming. 
    • be committed to working and performing in their community.  
    • have a minimum of three years of performing, programming, and budget activity at the time of the application. 
    • not have an annual budget that exceeds $3 million over the last three years  
    • have a dedicated organizational bank account. 
    • not be a university.  

    Creation of New Work/ Music for Dance Eligibility 

    Applicant Organizations 

    • Presenting organization must be based and doing work in the US.  
    • Presenting organizations must have at least three years of performing, programming, and budget activity at the time of the application. 
    • Any newly created work must be entirely new work. Proposals for expansions, arrangements or re-stagings of existing works are not eligible.  
    • If your group was an Organization Fund 2023 awardee, you must have completed all awarded activities from Creation of New Music/Live Music for Dance by June 2024 and have submitted a final report.

    Applicant creators/musicians 

    • Creator and/or musicians must be based and doing work in the US and remain so for the duration of the project. 
    • Supported artists must not be enrolled in a degree-giving program. 
    • Artists must have completed any and all previous awards from New Music USA including the Creator Fund, Next Jazz Legacy, Reel Change, and Amplifying Voices. 
  • What if I’m a cultural organization that doesn’t specialize in presenting music or working with artists?

    We are giving priority to organizations which play a critical role in the music community. However, if you are an arts center or cultural organization with a significant and unique music program then you may be able to make the case.

  • What if I’m a program/subsidiary of a university or larger organization with a budget over $3 million?

    We ask general support applicants not have an annual budget that exceeds $3 million over the last three years  

    We are giving priority to organizations which play a crucial role in the music community. If the program or subsidiary organization can demonstrate impact and need, then you may be able to make the case for receiving a grant.

  • What about Music and Dance?

    Music for Dance  

    Dance organizations are only eligible to apply for Live Music for Dance funding.

    This strand is for dance organizations that work regularly with music creators and musicians. The fund aims to support and encourage the use and creation of new and live music for dance performances, support collaborations between music creators/composers and choreographers, foster meaningful collaborations between musicians and dance companies, and create performance opportunities for musicians. 

     

    These funds can support musician or music creator fees, artist/choreographer time for collaboration with the composer, commission fees, and dancer fees for the project. Projects must take place anytime between July 2024 and June 2026. There are no restrictions on the organization’s operating budget. 

    Eligibility for Music for Dance 

    Applicant Organizations 

    • Presenting organization must be based and doing work in the US.  
    • Presenting organizations must have at least three years of performing, programming, and budget activity at the time of the application. 
    • Any newly created work must be entirely new work. Proposals for expansions, arrangements or re-stagings of existing works are not eligible.  
    • If your group was an Organization Fund 2023 awardee, you must have completed all awarded activities from Creation of New Music/Live Music for Dance by June 2024 and have submitted a final report.

    Applicant creators/musicians 

    • Creator and/or musicians must be based and doing work in the US and remain so for the duration of the project. 
    • Supported artists must not be enrolled in a degree-giving program. 
    • Artists must have completed any and all previous awards from New Music USA including the Creator Fund, Next Jazz Legacy, Reel Change, and Amplifying Voices. 

    This fund is for organizations only; individuals may not apply  

  • Do I need to be a 501c3 organization?

    No. Fiscal sponsorship is also allowed and encouraged, but not required for those who are not 501c3 organizations.

  • There are multiple boxes for “biography” in the application form, which do I choose?

    Please provide the organizational bio in the application form. The individual bio you can leave blank.

  • What do you mean by “current budget?”

    A budget is required for all applicants. Please provide the budget that best represents your upcoming fiscal year. Please provide your request from this fund in your income projections.

    • For General Support applicants, please share the budget for your current financial year.
    • For the Creation of New Work and Live Music For Dance, please share the project budget.

    NOTE: There are no formatting requirements. Please share what documents you have available. It can be a Quickbooks report, excel, pdf, etc.

    OTHER FINANCIAL INFO REQUESTED

    • All applicants will share the amount they are requesting (up to $15,000 with the average award being $7,000).
    • General Support applicants must provide the following:
      • Organizational budget totals representing the last three years.
        • This is a simple text entry. We are asking for fiscal numbers (income and expense totals only) for the last 3 years.
      • Most recent audit or financial statement

     

  • What do you mean by the financial statement?

    The request for a financial statement is for the General Support applicants only.

    It can be the statement from your auditor; a 990s; a QuickBooks reports such as: an annual income statement, annual cash flow statement, annual balance sheet, or annual profit and loss; and it can be an excel sheet if that is how you keep track of your financial statement. The goal is to show you have been in operation and have a history of budgeting and programming.  

  • I am an individual artist, can I apply?

    NO. The New Music Organization Fund offers grants to non-profit organizations, performance groups, dance organizations, festivals, presenters, and venues who need support to sustain their programming of new music, nurturing of music creators, and other services in the evolving circumstances of the pandemic. This program is for outstanding organizations which work regularly with, and support the development of, music creators and artists and offer a crucial resource to their community.

    Individual artists may not apply. We have supported individual creators through the Music Creator Fund which closed on December 14, 2023.

  • What are the award amounts and how much can I request?

    This year we aim to fund approximately 60 to 70 organizations with an average award of $7,000. You may apply for up to $15,000. Awarded organizations will be required to credit New Music USA’s support.

  • What is the application like?

    The application must be submitted online. Emailed applications will not be considered. Please provide the following:

     

    Endorsement Letter 

    • General Operating Support – Community Endorsement Letter 
      • A statement of endorsement from an artist or other member of your community (e.g. audience member, stakeholder, partner, performer). Please highlight:  
      • Why your organization is important to different groups within your community 
      • What’s unique about your programs and activities? 
      • Why New Music USA’s support would be important to your organization in this current climate.
    • Creation of New Work and Music for Dance – Artistic Letter of Support 
        • A statement of endorsement/commitment from the creator and/or musicians on the project and their role. 


    Information About Your Organization
    (all applicants) 

    • Organizational bio (up to 150 words)
    • Your mission statement (up to 150 words)
    • A brief outline of all your upcoming programming (virtual and/or in-person) highlighting your commitment to new music, the new music program planned, and any artist development opportunities you are providing. (up to 250 words)  
    • Tell us about your impact on the community you serve. Describe the beneficiaries of your work, including creators, artists, audiences, participants, partners, and the broader community. Let us know any ways you are cultivating creativity and leveraging new music in service of individual and community transformation. (up to 500 words)
    • Please summarize any specific music program or project that New Music USA’s funding would help to advance. Please include the names of any specific music creators you have included in your program or project. (up to 100 words). 
    • Why is this funding so important to your organization right now (up to 100 words) 

    Information about the Artists involved for Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance applicants 

    • Creator/musician bio (Up to 150 words)
    • Project Description for Creation of New Work/ Live Music for Dance applicants 
    • An outline of the project describing what it is, who is involved, and the anticipated timeline (up to 200 words) 

    Equity and Inclusion (up to 250 words) 

    • A brief outline of how you address equity, diversity, and inclusion within your organization and programming 
    • An outline of your policy for remunerating artists and creators including in the context of cancelled performances or commissions 

    Music Examples 

    • 2 to 3 samples of music you have commissioned or programmed; you may provide links to YouTube, Vimeo, or upload mp3/wav files 
    • Please limit file uploads to under 500Mb. 
    • If your files are larger than 500Mb, please provide a link to an unlisted YouTube or Vimeo file. 
    • For Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance 
    • Be sure to include a work sample of the music creator and/or musicians you are planning to work with. 

    Finances 

    • Amount requested 
    • A budget for your current financial year (please include your request to New Music USA in your income projections) (General Operating Support only) 
    • Organizational budget totals representing the last three years. This section requires you to provide a brief numerical response, the income total, and expenses total for each year. (General Operating Support only) 
    • Most recent audit or financial statement (for General Operating Support only) 
    • Budget of project (for Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance only) 
  • What kind of work samples do you require?

    Please include 2 to 3 examples of your recent work that you have commissioned, performed, or presented. You may upload mp3, video or image files, or provide links to YouTube/Vimeo examples.

    We recommend up to 5 minutes per work sample. You can submit any length of a work sample, however, If you are submitting longer works, please write suggested start and end times to view/listen.

    For the Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance strands, be sure to include a work sample of the music creator and/or musicians you are planning to work with 

    NOTES:

    • Please limit file uploads to under 500MB.  
    • If your files are larger than this please provide a link to an unlisted YouTube or Vimeo file 
    • Youtube links must be submitted in the ‘youtube.com/xxx’ format, not ‘youtu.be/xxx’ format. To copy your link in the correct format, open the youtu.be format link in any browser and copy the full youtube.com link from your browser navigation bar.
    • Please include any viewing passwords or other important information in the description section or title.

     

  • FAQs about letters of commitment and support letters:

    Here is what the application asks for in regard to endorsements. Each funding area has different requests.

    Endorsement Letter 

    • General Operating Support – Community Endorsement Letter 
      • A statement of endorsement from an artist or other member of your community (e.g. audience member, stakeholder, partner, performer). Please highlight:  
        • Why your organization is important to different groups within your community What’s unique about your programs and activities? 
        • Why New Music USA’s support would be important to your organization in this current climate. 
    •  Creation of New Work and Music for Dance – Artistic Letter of Support 
      • A statement of endorsement/commitment from the creator and/or musicians on the project and their role. 

    Other FAQs:

    • The letters can be written or submitted as an audio or video file.
    • There are no formatting requirements.
    • You can upload more than 1 but it is not required.
  • What are the review criteria and program priorities?

    Review criteria 

    Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria.  

    New Music USA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We strive for our applicants and awardees to represent a broad spectrum of diversity across size, genre, race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, religious belief, and geography. We encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, People of Color led, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations representing persons with disabilities.  

    • Artistry – as demonstrated by submitted media; artistry of the organization, creators, and/or musicians involved 
    • Impact – the impact the organization has on its community of artists and audiences served; this includes a history of the regular and ongoing performing, programming, and engagement of diverse living US/territories-based music creators and/or impact on the creators and musicians involved  
    • Need – how you’d use the support and why it is important now  
    • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – as demonstrated by the diversity of artists presented and/or the organization’s commitment to equity and inclusion  

    When evaluating an application panelists often consider the following in their review:

    • Impact – the impact the organization has on its community of artists and audiences served; this includes a history of the regular and ongoing performing, programming, and engagement of diverse living US/territories-based music creators
      • Does this organization regularly perform and program living artists in their community?
      • Do they engage with the community in a meaningful way as demonstrated by the letter of support?
      • How or will funding from this program increase or assist their impact?
      • Why is this organization important to and unique within the community?
      • What gap would be created if the organization no longer existed/had to reduce its activities?
    • Artistry – as demonstrated by submitted media is the program of work providing artists with opportunities for artistic challenge or stretch?
      • Is the music programmed original and distinctive?
      • Is the organization supporting the creative development of music creators and artists?
      • Does the program and artistic exploration feel relevant and considered?
      • Does it communicate unique perspective(s), inviting the viewer to explore new ideas
    • Need – how they would use the support and why it is important now
      • Why do they need our support?
      • Why their work is important to their community of artists/audiences and why it’s critical to support this work in the current financial context
    • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – as demonstrated by the diversity of artists presented and the organization’s commitment to equity and inclusion
      • Do they have a diverse group of artists or creators they work with or program?
      • Have they considered EDI in their planning and programming?
      • Have they considered EDI in their own organization’s development?
  • How many of the applicants will be based in New York?

    Approximately 50% of our grant funding generally comes from New York funders. Therefore, a relatively high proportion of artists supported will be based in NYC and New York State. We are currently striving to create more opportunities for artists from across the rest of the US by fundraising for this activity so this proportion may change in time for this fund’s deadline. Below is a further breakdown.

    Our Creator Fund and Organization Fund are made possible by the generous funders who either donated to our endowment or generously donate to New Music USA annually. Some of these funders had or have specific requests regarding the kinds of work we support because of their geographical location or specific area of interest. We are providing the facts and figures below so that all applicants have a better insight into these restrictions, which influence the applications our advisors select. Please note that applications may cover a number of the categories listed below; others may not fit with any. 

    • Award rates are generally between 5% and 10% of the overall applicant pool (this means we support around 1/10 of the applications we receive each year)
      • Roughly 25% of the applications we fund must include the creation of new work (e.g. commissions and the facilitation of brand new pieces of music)
      • Roughly 25% of the applications we award must include creation or programming of live music for dance (creation, performance, choreographer, and dancer fees)
      • Roughly 50 to 60% of the applications we award are unrestricted and will be distributed through the General Operating fund.  
      • Roughly 10 to 12% of the applications we award will be engaged in their community and its transformation and will be distributed through the General Operating fund.  
    • Geographical restrictions are as follows:
      • 54% of our grants budget is available without geographical restriction
      • 37% is restricted to New York City based artists/organizations
      • 11% is restricted to New York State based artists/organizations
      • 2% is restricted to New Jersey based artists/organizations
      • 2% is restricted to California Bay Area based artists/organizations

    These numbers represent the minimum amount we must fund in each area and are not all inclusive.  

      

  • What happens after I submit?

    Applications will be screened first by staff for eligibility and completeness. Applications will then move forward to a peer review process completed by approximately 20 panelists working from around the country. Panelists will review each application against the criteria listed below providing a score that will then be averaged to create a ranked list. All criteria will be equally weighted during the review process. Award determinations will be made using the ranked list, considering any funding restrictions as needed.  

    We will notify everyone of the status of their application by late-June.

  • What is the deadline and review timeline?

    The deadline will be April 4, 2024, at 11:59 pm Eastern. Decisions will be made in June 2024. Funds for General Support are to be used for the 2024-25 season (July through June). Creation of New Work and Music for Dance funds are to be used between July 2024 and June 2026 based on project timeline.  

  • What is the project timeline for this Fund?

    Funds for General Support are to be used for the 2024-25 season (July through June). Creation of New Work and Music for Dance funds are to be used between July 2024 and June 2026 based on the project timeline.  

  • Where do I apply?

    Applications will be accepted online only. You may apply here: newmusicusa.smapply.io.

    Email submissions will not be considered.

  • I have an existing User Profile on New Music USA, can I use that?

    If you applied to the Organization Fund or Creator Fund in the past you may use that login, otherwise if you had a profile on New Music USA or only applied to the Project Grants program you will need to register on our SMAPPLY application portal newmusicusa.smapply.io

  • My video work sample isn’t loading or I can’t see my video when I preview my application, what happened? What do I do?

    If you are uploading video work samples please prioritize .mp4 videos, using the most up to date software you have, as they will embed more seamlessly. If you are providing links to YouTube or Vimeo please be sure to provide “embed” links or conversely make sure your links are public. If you are providing links to password protected work samples, please make sure that you provide the password in the description of the work or at the tail end of your narrative, otherwise the panel will not be able to access your samples.

    Please limit the file size to under 500MB. If you’d like to share a larger file, please upload it to YouTube or Vimeo and share a link instead.

    Please note, Youtube links must be submitted in the ‘youtube.com/xxx‘ format, not ‘youtu.be/xxx’ format. To copy your link in the correct format, open the youtu.be format link in any browser and copy the full youtube.com link from your browser navigation bar.

  • How do I contact you if I have questions?

    Please email [email protected]; please allow a few business days for a response due to the high volume of inquiries we receive.