The primary purposes for Future Symphony Hall Scholars grant funding are specifically instrumental and vocal/choral performance skill enhancement, and typically fall into these categories:

• Private, semiprivate, or small group lessons and targeted instruction
  Master classes by visiting professional musicians, conductors, or musical mentors
• Sponsoring or attending performances and performance-related events
• Financial support for students participating in advanced college, conservatory or music school programs
• Instructional and support materials 

Grants exist to foster the development of school music programs that encourage and enable all students, without regard to financial condition, to receive the types of high-quality music instruction that can eventually lead to participation in life-enriching performance experiences, including state and district festivals.

A primary goal of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association is to support and promote music making for all students. Our current district and state festivals, as well as other events, are but some of the public manifestations of what we do. The MA MEA Future Symphony Hall Scholars grant program directly targets a broader participation in a range of musical experiences that enhance and promote a school’s musical culture. The seeds sown by these grants are long range, and may not bear fruit for some years, but there is great value in planting, nourishing, and supporting them.

1) Future Symphony Hall Scholars block grants, through the Growing Music in MASS Foundation, will award grants depending on funding to individual schools or school districts in Massachusetts.

2) Successful grant recipients will present a workable plan, outlined in this application, to provide support for students in preparing essential audition or performance skills that could lead eventually to festival participation or in preparing for successful, rewarding performance opportunities.

Examples of the types of projects for consideration might include:

• A series of private, semi-private, or small group lessons for specific targeted students.
• Workshops or master classes for targeted students or groups of students.
• Programs that promote solo/chamber performance by members of large ensembles.
• Artist-in-Residence programs to provide supplemental instruction focused on developing solo audition skills and experiences for targeted students or groups. Any other grant proposal that supports the vision and mission of these grants as outlined above.

3) It is the hope of the supervising committee that MA MEA members will be creative in designing their proposals, and that funded proposals will serve as ongoing models for others to consider in the future.

4) At the conclusion of the grant’s time frame – typically the school year in which the programs are funded, the recipients will submit an evaluation of the program’s participation, successes, and possibilities for future expansion.

A) Only NAfME / MA MEA current members whose memberships remain active throughout the term of the grant, are eligible to apply for a GMM grant on behalf of a school, school district or collaborative program. All members applying must have a direct formal relationship with the targeted school or program.

B) NAfME / MA MEA members teaching in any established public, private, charter, or home school are eligible to apply. MA MEA members may choose to partner with a neighboring community or instructional entity in a compatible proposal.

C) Grant proposals may come from any level. They are not limited to secondary schools, and the committee encourages proposals from Elementary and Middle Schools.

D) Grant proposals must be complete and include all needed signatures. Incomplete or late grant proposals may not be considered.

E) Grant proposals will be evaluated by the district in which a submitting school or school district is located to ensure the district supports the proposal’s concept.

F) If a Grant proposal is selected, MA MEA will provide grant funds directly to the recipient’s specified school or program’s associated fiscal agent for distribution as indicated on the Grant Proposal Application. In addition to the school, such entities might include a school’s PTA, PTC, or Music Booster organization. Grant stipulations include the following:

• Grant funds will NOT be transferred directly to an individual MA MEA member or an individual private teacher.
• Grant monies will NOT be used to defray the participation fees or transportation costs for participation in actual district and state auditions, or for festival participation.
• Under no circumstances may grant monies be used to supplement a district’s or school’s regular operating budget items, such as the purchase of instruments or instructional supplies and equipment, or instrument repairs.

Applications are Accepted on a Rolling Basis

Below is a Typical Timeline for the Administration of Grants:

• July 1st-- Deadline for submitting FSHS grant proposals
• August / September – Grants awarded, recipients notified
• March - Grant recipient recognition ceremony at the All-State Conference in Boston
• May / June – Grant recipients will report results of their grant to the GMM Board