New Music Organization Fund: Overview and Guidelines
General Operating Support, Creation of New Work, Live Music for Dance
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 artists. 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.
- The organization’s commitment to inclusion and belonging.
Our Definition of New Music
At New Music USA we support and champion new music in all its forms; every sound is welcome. Anyone who is influencing the future of music creation and sound is creating new music!
Timeline
The deadline to apply is March 27, 2025 at 11:59pm ET / 8:59pm PT. Our application portal will open on February 27, 2025, and will remain open for four weeks. Internal notifications will be made in late June 2025, with a public announcement to follow in August.
Funds for General Operating Support must be used during 2025-26 season (July 2025-June 2026). Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance funds must be used between July 2025 and June 2027.
Registration Links for the Application Webinar and Q&A Sessions
The following services will be available to help you with your application:
- Application Webinar – March 5, 2025, at 2pm ET/11am PT – Register HERE
- Q&A: March 14, 2025, 1pm ET/10am PT – Register HERE
- Q&A: March 18, 2025 2pm ET/11am PT – Register HERE
Program Changes for 2025
We have made a few changes to the eligibility criteria to improve our assessment process and ensure that our awards have the most impact:
- All applicants must complete an eligibility quiz to access the application.
- All applicants must have an annual budget that does not exceed an average of $3 million over the past three years. This includes applicants applying to the Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance strands.
- All applicants must have an average minimum annual budget of $5,000 over the past three years.
- Applicants that received funding in the 2024 cycle of the Organization Fund may apply again this year, but please be aware that:
- All projects previously funded by New Music USA must be complete, including all required reporting.
- Being a past Organization Fund grantee does not guarantee that your organization will receive funding this year.
- Beginning in 2026, organizations that received Organization Fund awards the previous year must wait a year before reapplying to the program.
- This means that organizations that receive Organization Fund awards this cycle will be ineligible to apply in 2026 and must wait until the 2027 cycle to apply again.
- This change begins in 2026 – so if you received an Organization Fund award in 2024, you may apply this year.
- We strongly encourage all applicants to watch (live or by viewing on demand) the Organization Fund Application Webinar, which will take place on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 from 2-3pm ET, as well as the Q&A sessions on Friday, March 14 at 1pm ET and Tuesday, March 18 at 2pm ET.
- Due to the high volume of applications we receive, New Music USA will only be able to provide email support for technical issues with the application portal. A recording of the webinar will be available on the program page for those who cannot attend in real time.
All applicants must read the Organization Fund FAQs.
Program 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.
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 ‘Application Requirements’ section below). For organizations applying to the Creation of New Work or Live Music for Dance strands, the endorsement should be a letter of support from the collaborating composer/ musician.
Successful applicants 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.
- 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 the service of individual and community transformation.
Funding Areas
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 seeking general support will be asked to present their year-round work on or offline, including:
- Planned music programming.
- Opportunities provided to artists and music creators.
- Community of artists served (we support music creators/artists based in the US and US territories).
- Audiences their activity will reach.
- Impact on their community.
General Operating Support funds must be used between July 2025 and June 2026.
Creation of New Work
This strand is intended to fund specific new music projects/programs. We are particularly interested in funding the creation and/or commissioning of new work.
Special Focus for 2025 Cycle – Creation of New Work Strand: In recognition of the upcoming United States Semiquincentennial in 2026, we encourage applicants to the Creation of New Work strand to propose commissions that help audiences to explore, celebrate, and consider multiple perspectives on this major historical moment; but this is not a requirement.
Projects must take place between July 2025 and June 2027.
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 are meant to support live music performances and 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 between July 2025 and June 2027.
Eligibility
All applicants must:
- Be based and doing work in the US.
- Have a minimum of three years of performing, programming, and budget activity at the time of the application.
- Have an average annual budget between $5,000 and $3 million over the past three years.
- Have a dedicated organizational bank account.
- Not be a university.
- Not be an individual. This fund is for organizations only. Individuals may not apply.
- Must have completed all previously awarded activities through New Music USA and submitted all required reporting.
- Be committed to inclusion and belonging through their activities and programming.
General Operating Support applicants must:
- Have a commitment to producing, performing, and/or commissioning the work of living, US/territories-based music creators on a regular basis.
- Demonstrate commitment to working and performing in their community.
Creation of New Work/ Live Music for Dance applicant organizations must:
- Confirm that any newly commissioned work is an entirely new work. Proposals for expansions, arrangements or re-stagings of existing works are not eligible.
Creators/musicians collaborating with Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance applicants must:
- Be based and doing work in the US and remain so for the duration of the project.
- Not be enrolled in a degree-giving program.
- Have completed any and all projects associated with previous awards from New Music USA including the Organization Fund, Creator Fund, Next Jazz Legacy, Reel Change, and Amplifying Voices.
Important eligibility notes for past Organization Fund recipients:
- If your organization received funding in a previous cycle of the Organization Fund (including last year, 2024), you may apply again this year, but please be aware that:
- All projects previously funded by New Music USA must be complete, including all required reporting.
- Being a past Organization Fund grantee does not guarantee that your organization will receive funding this year.
- Beginning in 2026, organizations that received Organization Fund awards the previous year must wait a year before reapplying to the program.
- This means that organizations that receive Organization Fund awards this cycle will be ineligible to apply in 2026 and must wait until the 2027 cycle to apply again.
This change begins in 2026 – so if you received an Organization Fund award in 2024, you *can* apply this year.
Our Application Review Process
New Music USA staff will first screen applications for completeness and to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria. Then, the applications will enter a peer review process: 25-30 independent panelists from around the country will evaluate the applications and determine the awardees. Every application will be assessed by at least 3 panelists.
Applications will be evaluated based on artistry, impact, need, and inclusion and belonging, outlined below.
Review criteria
Artistry: As demonstrated by the quality of the submitted music examples; artistry of the organization’s programming including 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 would use the support and why it is important to the organization to have this support now.
Inclusion and Belonging: As demonstrated by your approach to programming, the way you work with artists, your organization’s openness to all, your consideration of need as well as artistic quality, and your organization’s policies.
Number of Awards We Can Make
This year we aim to fund approximately 70 to 80 organizations with an average award of $7,000. You may apply for up to $10,000. During this year, our funding comes from New Music USA’s endowment (see below), annual trust/foundations and special funds from Fifth House Ensemble for organizations engaged in their community and its transformation.
Funding Transparency
Both the New Music Creator Fund and the New Music Organization Fund are made possible by the generous funders who either donated to our endowment or 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) and will be distributed through the Creation of New Work strand.
- Roughly 25% of the applications we award must include creation or programming of live music for dance (creation, performance, choreographer, and dancer fees) and will be distributed through the Live Music for Dance strand.
- Roughly 50 to 60% of the applications we award are unrestricted and will be distributed through the General Operating strand.
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 strand.
- 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.
- 7% is restricted to New York State 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.
Inclusion and Belonging
New Music USA is committed to inclusion and belonging across all our activities. We serve a diverse community of applicants and grantees, and we welcome the unique contributions that all artists bring in terms of their education, opinions, religion, culture, music style, ethnicity, race, gender, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, dis/ability, sexual orientation, languages spoken, religious beliefs, and geography. We encourage applications from all people including Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations representing persons with dis/abilities.
Application Requirements
The application will be submitted online at SMAPPLY. 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, board member, stakeholder, partner, performer). Please highlight:
- Why the organization applying is important to its community
- What is unique about the organization’s activities
- Why New Music USA’s support would be important to the organization now.
- A statement of endorsement from an artist or other member of your community (e.g. audience member, board member, stakeholder, partner, performer). Please highlight:
- Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance – Artistic Letter of Support
- A statement of endorsement/commitment from the creator and/or musicians that are collaborating with the organization on the project. The statement should include the writer’s/writers’ role(s) in the proposed project
- For Live Music for Dance: Ideally the letter will also include a statement from the choreographer.
Information About Your Organization
- Organizational bio (up to 150 words)
- Your mission statement (open word limit)
- 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)
- Why this funding is so important to your organization right now. (up to 100 words)
Project Description or Use of Funds (up to 200 words)
- For General Support applicants: Please summarize any specific music program or project that New Music USA’s funding would help to advance. If applicable, please include the names of any specific music creators you will be supporting.
- For Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance applicants: Please provide a project description including an outline of the project, description of what it is, who is involved, and the anticipated timeline.
Information about the Artists involved for Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance applicants
- Creator/musician names, locations, and websites (up to 200 words)
- Creator/musician bio(s) (Up to 150 words)
Inclusion and Belonging (up to 250 words)
- Please share a brief outline of how you address inclusion and belonging within your organization and programming, including your policy for remunerating artists and creators in the event of cancelled performances or commissions (up to 250 words).
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).
- Budget of project (for Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance only)
- Your organization’s budget totals over the last three years. This section requires you to provide a brief numerical response, the income total, and expenses total for each year. (All applicants)
- Most recent audit or financial statement (for General Operating Support only)
Support from the New Music USA Team
Due to the high volume of applications, New Music USA is only able to provide email assistance for technical issues with the application site. For help with your application the following services will be available:
- Application Webinar – March 5, 2025, 2pm EST / 11am PST Register here
- Q&A: March 14, 2025, 1pm EST / 10am PST Register here
- Q&A: March 18, 2025, 2pm EST / 11am PST Register here
- All Webinar and Q & A sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the program page.
- Organization Fund FAQs provide answers to most questions.
If you have a technical issue with the application site, email grants@newmusicusa.org with “Technical Issue” in the subject line.
Due to the high volume of applications, New Music USA is not able to:
- Accept applications after the stated deadline of March 27, 2025 at 11:59pm ET.
- Consider or inform applicants of incomplete or improperly submitted applications.
- Provide feedback on grant applications.
Notifications and any communications about your application will be made via email from our application site. Please add noreply@mail.smapply.net to your address book to ensure you receive these communications.
If awarded:
- You will be required to document grant-funded activities, keep records of expenses, and submit documentation and receipts.
- You will be required to submit a final report or update on funded activities by July 2026.
For further questions and information, please read the FAQs HERE.
New Music Organization Fund
New Music Organization Fund: Overview and Guidelines
General Operating Support, Creation of New Work, Live Music for Dance
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 artists. 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.
- The organization’s commitment to inclusion and belonging.
Our Definition of New Music
At New Music USA we support and champion new music in all its forms; every sound is welcome. Anyone who is influencing the future of music creation and sound is creating new music!
Timeline
The deadline to apply is March 27, 2025 at 11:59pm ET / 8:59pm PT. Our application portal will open on February 27, 2025, and will remain open for four weeks. Internal notifications will be made in late June 2025, with a public announcement to follow in August.
Funds for General Operating Support must be used during 2025-26 season (July 2025-June 2026). Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance funds must be used between July 2025 and June 2027.
Registration Links for the Application Webinar and Q&A Sessions
The following services will be available to help you with your application:
- Application Webinar – March 5, 2025, at 2pm ET/11am PT – Register HERE
- Q&A: March 14, 2025, 1pm ET/10am PT – Register HERE
- Q&A: March 18, 2025 2pm ET/11am PT – Register HERE
Program Changes for 2025
We have made a few changes to the eligibility criteria to improve our assessment process and ensure that our awards have the most impact:
- All applicants must complete an eligibility quiz to access the application.
- All applicants must have an annual budget that does not exceed an average of $3 million over the past three years. This includes applicants applying to the Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance strands.
- All applicants must have an average minimum annual budget of $5,000 over the past three years.
- Applicants that received funding in the 2024 cycle of the Organization Fund may apply again this year, but please be aware that:
- All projects previously funded by New Music USA must be complete, including all required reporting.
- Being a past Organization Fund grantee does not guarantee that your organization will receive funding this year.
- Beginning in 2026, organizations that received Organization Fund awards the previous year must wait a year before reapplying to the program.
- This means that organizations that receive Organization Fund awards this cycle will be ineligible to apply in 2026 and must wait until the 2027 cycle to apply again.
- This change begins in 2026 – so if you received an Organization Fund award in 2024, you may apply this year.
- We strongly encourage all applicants to watch (live or by viewing on demand) the Organization Fund Application Webinar, which will take place on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 from 2-3pm ET, as well as the Q&A sessions on Friday, March 14 at 1pm ET and Tuesday, March 18 at 2pm ET.
- Due to the high volume of applications we receive, New Music USA will only be able to provide email support for technical issues with the application portal. A recording of the webinar will be available on the program page for those who cannot attend in real time.
All applicants must read the Organization Fund FAQs.
Program 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.
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 ‘Application Requirements’ section below). For organizations applying to the Creation of New Work or Live Music for Dance strands, the endorsement should be a letter of support from the collaborating composer/ musician.
Successful applicants 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.
- 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 the service of individual and community transformation.
Funding Areas
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 seeking general support will be asked to present their year-round work on or offline, including:
- Planned music programming.
- Opportunities provided to artists and music creators.
- Community of artists served (we support music creators/artists based in the US and US territories).
- Audiences their activity will reach.
- Impact on their community.
General Operating Support funds must be used between July 2025 and June 2026.
Creation of New Work
This strand is intended to fund specific new music projects/programs. We are particularly interested in funding the creation and/or commissioning of new work.
Special Focus for 2025 Cycle – Creation of New Work Strand: In recognition of the upcoming United States Semiquincentennial in 2026, we encourage applicants to the Creation of New Work strand to propose commissions that help audiences to explore, celebrate, and consider multiple perspectives on this major historical moment; but this is not a requirement.
Projects must take place between July 2025 and June 2027.
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 are meant to support live music performances and 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 between July 2025 and June 2027.
Eligibility
All applicants must:
- Be based and doing work in the US.
- Have a minimum of three years of performing, programming, and budget activity at the time of the application.
- Have an average annual budget between $5,000 and $3 million over the past three years.
- Have a dedicated organizational bank account.
- Not be a university.
- Not be an individual. This fund is for organizations only. Individuals may not apply.
- Must have completed all previously awarded activities through New Music USA and submitted all required reporting.
- Be committed to inclusion and belonging through their activities and programming.
General Operating Support applicants must:
- Have a commitment to producing, performing, and/or commissioning the work of living, US/territories-based music creators on a regular basis.
- Demonstrate commitment to working and performing in their community.
Creation of New Work/ Live Music for Dance applicant organizations must:
- Confirm that any newly commissioned work is an entirely new work. Proposals for expansions, arrangements or re-stagings of existing works are not eligible.
Creators/musicians collaborating with Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance applicants must:
- Be based and doing work in the US and remain so for the duration of the project.
- Not be enrolled in a degree-giving program.
- Have completed any and all projects associated with previous awards from New Music USA including the Organization Fund, Creator Fund, Next Jazz Legacy, Reel Change, and Amplifying Voices.
Important eligibility notes for past Organization Fund recipients:
- If your organization received funding in a previous cycle of the Organization Fund (including last year, 2024), you may apply again this year, but please be aware that:
- All projects previously funded by New Music USA must be complete, including all required reporting.
- Being a past Organization Fund grantee does not guarantee that your organization will receive funding this year.
- Beginning in 2026, organizations that received Organization Fund awards the previous year must wait a year before reapplying to the program.
- This means that organizations that receive Organization Fund awards this cycle will be ineligible to apply in 2026 and must wait until the 2027 cycle to apply again.
This change begins in 2026 – so if you received an Organization Fund award in 2024, you *can* apply this year.
Our Application Review Process
New Music USA staff will first screen applications for completeness and to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria. Then, the applications will enter a peer review process: 25-30 independent panelists from around the country will evaluate the applications and determine the awardees. Every application will be assessed by at least 3 panelists.
Applications will be evaluated based on artistry, impact, need, and inclusion and belonging, outlined below.
Review criteria
Artistry: As demonstrated by the quality of the submitted music examples; artistry of the organization’s programming including 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 would use the support and why it is important to the organization to have this support now.
Inclusion and Belonging: As demonstrated by your approach to programming, the way you work with artists, your organization’s openness to all, your consideration of need as well as artistic quality, and your organization’s policies.
Number of Awards We Can Make
This year we aim to fund approximately 70 to 80 organizations with an average award of $7,000. You may apply for up to $10,000. During this year, our funding comes from New Music USA’s endowment (see below), annual trust/foundations and special funds from Fifth House Ensemble for organizations engaged in their community and its transformation.
Funding Transparency
Both the New Music Creator Fund and the New Music Organization Fund are made possible by the generous funders who either donated to our endowment or 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) and will be distributed through the Creation of New Work strand.
- Roughly 25% of the applications we award must include creation or programming of live music for dance (creation, performance, choreographer, and dancer fees) and will be distributed through the Live Music for Dance strand.
- Roughly 50 to 60% of the applications we award are unrestricted and will be distributed through the General Operating strand.
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 strand.
- 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.
- 7% is restricted to New York State 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.
Inclusion and Belonging
New Music USA is committed to inclusion and belonging across all our activities. We serve a diverse community of applicants and grantees, and we welcome the unique contributions that all artists bring in terms of their education, opinions, religion, culture, music style, ethnicity, race, gender, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, dis/ability, sexual orientation, languages spoken, religious beliefs, and geography. We encourage applications from all people including Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations representing persons with dis/abilities.
Application Requirements
The application will be submitted online at SMAPPLY. 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, board member, stakeholder, partner, performer). Please highlight:
- Why the organization applying is important to its community
- What is unique about the organization’s activities
- Why New Music USA’s support would be important to the organization now.
- A statement of endorsement from an artist or other member of your community (e.g. audience member, board member, stakeholder, partner, performer). Please highlight:
- Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance – Artistic Letter of Support
- A statement of endorsement/commitment from the creator and/or musicians that are collaborating with the organization on the project. The statement should include the writer’s/writers’ role(s) in the proposed project
- For Live Music for Dance: Ideally the letter will also include a statement from the choreographer.
Information About Your Organization
- Organizational bio (up to 150 words)
- Your mission statement (open word limit)
- 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)
- Why this funding is so important to your organization right now. (up to 100 words)
Project Description or Use of Funds (up to 200 words)
- For General Support applicants: Please summarize any specific music program or project that New Music USA’s funding would help to advance. If applicable, please include the names of any specific music creators you will be supporting.
- For Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance applicants: Please provide a project description including an outline of the project, description of what it is, who is involved, and the anticipated timeline.
Information about the Artists involved for Creation of New Work/Live Music for Dance applicants
- Creator/musician names, locations, and websites (up to 200 words)
- Creator/musician bio(s) (Up to 150 words)
Inclusion and Belonging (up to 250 words)
- Please share a brief outline of how you address inclusion and belonging within your organization and programming, including your policy for remunerating artists and creators in the event of cancelled performances or commissions (up to 250 words).
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).
- Budget of project (for Creation of New Work and Live Music for Dance only)
- Your organization’s budget totals over the last three years. This section requires you to provide a brief numerical response, the income total, and expenses total for each year. (All applicants)
- Most recent audit or financial statement (for General Operating Support only)
Support from the New Music USA Team
Due to the high volume of applications, New Music USA is only able to provide email assistance for technical issues with the application site. For help with your application the following services will be available:
- Application Webinar – March 5, 2025, 2pm EST / 11am PST Register here
- Q&A: March 14, 2025, 1pm EST / 10am PST Register here
- Q&A: March 18, 2025, 2pm EST / 11am PST Register here
- All Webinar and Q & A sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the program page.
- Organization Fund FAQs provide answers to most questions.
If you have a technical issue with the application site, email grants@newmusicusa.org with “Technical Issue” in the subject line.
Due to the high volume of applications, New Music USA is not able to:
- Accept applications after the stated deadline of March 27, 2025 at 11:59pm ET.
- Consider or inform applicants of incomplete or improperly submitted applications.
- Provide feedback on grant applications.
Notifications and any communications about your application will be made via email from our application site. Please add noreply@mail.smapply.net to your address book to ensure you receive these communications.
If awarded:
- You will be required to document grant-funded activities, keep records of expenses, and submit documentation and receipts.
- You will be required to submit a final report or update on funded activities by July 2026.
For further questions and information, please read the FAQs HERE.