Project Grants - IBMA Foundation
Project Grants from the IBMA Foundation support nonprofits and public agencies in bluegrass education, culture, literary programs, and history preservation to address community needs and broaden participation.
Funder: IBMA Foundation
Due Dates: December 2, 2026 (Online application) | December 1, 2026 (Mailed application postmark)
Funding Amounts: Usually $1,000–$2,500 per project; multi-year grants are not generally awarded
Summary: Supports bluegrass music projects in education, arts and culture, literary or academic programs, and history preservation.
Key Information: Grants generally support 501(c)(3) nonprofits and qualified governmental agencies; direct grants to individuals are not usually awarded.
Description
The IBMA Foundation awards annual Project Grants for work that directly involves bluegrass music and advances education, arts and culture, literary or academic programs, or history preservation. Funding comes from the Bill Breen Bluegrass Youth Education Fund and unrestricted contributions to the Foundation.
The program supports projects addressing a priority need or opportunity in the bluegrass community. Review considers a project's scope, people served, potential impact, and contribution to diversity of participation. The Foundation also looks for measurable outcomes, sound financial planning, and broad support through volunteers, public participation, or organizational collaboration. Applicants are asked to explain how funding will continue after the project and what would happen without grant support.
