David Sanborn at Jazz St. Louis, MO

Music in Action Grant

Applications are now OPEN!

Music In Action (“MiA”) grants are core to our organization’s mission to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States so that live music can remain accessible to all. The grants are designed to help venues engage with their audiences and communities through imaginative programs that bring people together with shared purpose. Our objective is to support initiatives that will:

  • Improve the experience for musicians, staff, and audiences.

  • Cultivate an engaged and connected community.

  • Achieve long-term health and business growth.

We recommend that you review all guidelines and materials below in preparation for your application.

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Grant Information

Goals

Achieving Sustainability Together

At LMS, we understand audience engagement to be the key to sustainability: growing a network of supporters who are invested in the success of the venue, including patrons, volunteers, artists, staff, donors, and corporate sponsors.

The goal of Music in Action grants is to help venues explore new ways to:

  • Expand your existing audience.

  • Develop new pathways that lead to revenue generation.

  • Connect with a younger demographic.

  • Welcome, include, and support historically marginalized groups, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities.

  • Take a chance on innovative programs and initiatives that you may not otherwise be able to implement or expand.

  • Generate more press, increased attention, and stronger ticket sales.

  • Make better use of facilities during daytime hours.

  • Contribute to long-term economic vitality.

We’re looking for creative ideas; projects or programs that you may have wanted to launch, but were hesitant to do so without the possibility of breaking even. We hope that our funding will enable some creative engagement with new people in your town and that these projects will also be fun for you, your staff, and your community. We encourage applicants to leverage LMS funding to seek additional support.

LMS is committed to supporting venues that value diversity and inclusion, foster belonging, and strive to advance equity. The artistic community has always taken a lead in addressing challenges and advancing real change, and we believe that creative ideas can secure the long-term health of the sector and introduce meaningful experiences to a new generation of music fans.

Funding

Applicants may request up to $50,000 per application. Applicants should request only the total amount needed to implement the project and provide a budget breakdown that supports the application. Requesting the maximum amount does not improve the probability of success.

Please note that overhead, or general administrative costs, may not exceed 20% of the total requested.

Grant proceeds must be fully utilized during the grant period (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026).

Eligibility & Exclusions

General Eligibility Requirements

All applicants will complete a short eligibility form in Submittable to ensure that the proposal meets the general eligibility criteria outlined below:

  • Venues are based in the United States (or its territories) and the grantee business entity is also based in the U.S. (or its territories).

  • Venues have a legal capacity of 50-300, including standing room.

  • Businesses were in operation on or prior to January 1, 2021.

  • Venues are committed to live music (performed by solo artists or bands) as their primary activity.

  • Venues present a minimum of 50 live music performances each year.

  • Applicant manages or owns the venue. Unfortunately, promoters, curators, and festival producers are not eligible.

Please review the adjudication criteria prior to submission.

Applicants will be required to share detailed financial information if selected as a finalist venue, including recent tax returns. You may operate other businesses in conjunction with the music venue (restaurants, bars, retail, etc.), but the music venue must be the main driver of your business. Music comes first!

Any involved parties must consent to their inclusion in the proposal.

General Exclusions

Proposals that fall into any of the following categories are deemed ineligible:

  • Special-event business rentals (other than for educational purposes), including but not limited to weddings, church services, birthday or engagement/anniversary parties, or corporate meetings.

  • Activities that support a religious purpose or require faith-based participation.

  • Discriminatory or exclusionary programs.

  • Political campaigns or legislative advocacy (lobbying).

Organization Type Exclusions

  • Venues that were Music in Action grantees in 2023 or 2024 and venues that were Toolbox grantees in 2024.

  • Venues located in a larger Performing Arts Center with multiple stages, presenting a variety of arts, such as dance and theater.

  • Venues that are a ‘second stage’ in a larger music venue or are supported by revenue from a larger capacity.

  • Private member organizations that are not open to the general public.

  • Bars and restaurants that are not music-focused small venues. Music must be the primary brand identity of the business.

  • Faith-based organizations requiring faith-based programming participation.

  • Pop-up spaces that occasionally host concerts.

Funding Type Exclusions

  • General operating support.

  • Capital campaigns.

  • Endowment funding.

  • Debt reduction.

Adjudication Criteria

MiA grants will be assessed based on five general criteria:

  1. INNOVATION/CREATIVITY – “Innovation is the process of creating value by applying novel solutions to meaningful problems” (Joe Dwyer). The selection committee will evaluate whether projects are novel, solve a meaningful problem, and/or create value for the venue.

  2. FEASIBILITY – Can the program be implemented and evaluated during the grant period?

  3. RELEVANCE – To the venue, to the audience, or to the local community.

  4. REACH/INCLUSIVITY – How might the project increase accessibility for historically marginalized groups?

  5. POTENTIAL IMPACT – Based on intended goal.

    • How will the project be evaluated and its impact measured? Please include the intended outcome AND methods you will use to track the project’s success.

Timeline

  • January 8, 2025 – Applications Open

  • February 14, 2025 – Applications Close

  • June 2025 – Awards Announced

FAQs & Application Support

You may review a summary of the application questions below as you prepare your application materials.

NOTE: this PDF is not the application and cannot be used to apply for the grant. All applicants must apply via the Submittable platform, linked in the ‘Submit Application’ button at the end of this page.

All applicants must use the template provided below to create their project budget. Please review the budget guide for instructions on filling out the template. If you have additional questions, you can reach out to grants@livemusicsociety.

Music in Action Application Webinar

You can view our webinar below for an overview on the goals of the Music in Action grant and helpful tips on the application in Submittable. Any additional questions can be directed to grants@livemusicsociety.org.

  • If your venue received Music in Action funding in 2023 or 2024, you are unfortunately not eligible to apply for this grant cycle. Recipients of Toolbox funding in 2024 are also ineligible for this program.

  • All applicants must apply via Submittable.

  • LMS will accept applications submitted via the Submittable platform until 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time on Friday, February 14.

  • Yes. You can take as much time as you like, and your work will be saved on Submittable, as long as you hit “Submit” before 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time  on February 14.

  • All applicants will need to upload a project budget using the template provided in both an Excel and PDF file. New applicants may be asked to provide proof of capacity and show volume in an average year (see below for acceptable forms of documentation).

    Additionally, all finalist applicants must be prepared to upload financial documents including a recent tax return and P&L statement in March 2025.

  • A few examples of acceptable evidence are PDFs from your ticketing platform, a comprehensive booking calendar, and copies of artist settlements. If you are unsure if your evidence is sufficient, please reach out to grants@livemusicsociety.org.

  • Yes, you can be the applicant, but you must do so in partnership with the owner/manager of the venue, with their consent. Payments can only be made to the venue’s business entity.

  • Yes. Your venue is eligible if the total volume of shows you customarily present is 50 or more, substantiated by a list of shows presented in a normal year.

  • Unfortunately, no. The Music in Action grant is directed toward small listening rooms and venues that have between 50 and 300 as their sellable capacity, including for standing room shows. This capacity is usually confirmed by a certificate of occupancy or image of the 'max. occupancy' placard at the venue. If you feel your venue qualifies and has a fixed-seating chart, or other supporting documentation, please contact us at  grants@livemusicsociety.org.

  • Yes. Programs will be considered if there is an opportunity to expand or extend the program beyond its prior iterations, and as long as the program meets the approval of the selection committee.

  • Not necessarily. The project or program can be any activity that you feel will improve the experience for musicians, staff, and audiences, or cultivate an engaged and connected community, or help you achieve long-term health and business growth.

  • All submissions will be reviewed by an independent jury and adjudicated according to five primary criteria: Creativity, Feasibility, Relevance, Reach, and Impact. For more detail, please refer to Adjudication Criteria above.

  • Overhead, or general administrative costs, may not exceed 20% of the total requested.

  • No. All applicants must submit a budget using the template provided, and upload in Submittable as an Excel and PDF file.

  • All applicants who click the “Submit” button at the end of the application form will receive an email confirmation at the address provided. Please check your spam folder before contacting Live Music Society.

  • All venues will be notified of their status in May 2025.

  • The EIN is used to confirm the business entity and state in which the business is registered.

  • Yes! Send us an email at  grants@livemusicsociety.org with the name of the venue and any contact information you have. We will reach out to them with information about the grant opportunity.

Live Music Society Grants
2020-2022

When the Covid-19 pandemic shut down live music performances in March 2020, the very existence of many venues across the country was threatened and many did not survive. Live Music Society responded to this unprecedented need by providing grants to help venues survive during months of closure, then assist them as they welcomed performers and fans back to their stages. Over $2 million in general operating funding was distributed over three grant rounds during the organization’s first two years of operation.