Grants For Independent Musicians

If you’re a talented independent artist looking for grants to help you out in your musical journey, look no further. These are some of our favorite grants for musicians in need of some support…

Grants For Independent Musicians

Salt Lick Incubator

The Salt Lick Incubator is a nonprofit organization that supports emerging musicians on their path to sustainable careers. Their project grants range from $5,000 to $15,000, and they’re awarded to musicians performing in songful, contemporary genres to use for projects such as producing a song or album, producing a music video, developing social media assets, pressing vinyl, touring, or developing branding and marketing assets and strategies.

In addition to funding, grant recipients receive mentorship and guidance from industry professionals, along with a personalized plan tailored to ensure their efforts are as strategic and successful as possible.

“A successful applicant is an emerging artist pursuing a career in song-driven music who performs at a high level, has a distinct artistic voice and vision, and who has submitted a feasible project proposal that aligns with Salt Lick Incubator’s vision, mission, and strengths. A willingness to engage and collaborate with a broader musical community is encouraged.” // APPLICATIONS DUE January 31, 2025.

National Endowment for the Arts

“Through our work, the NEA aims to strengthen the non-profit music ecosystem by supporting projects that have potential regional, national, or field-wide significance, and that nurture the interdependent relationships between and among stakeholders. Organizations of all types and sizes may apply for presentation, professional development, engagement, music and health, and service projects.”

Applicants may request cost share/matching grants for musicians ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. However, applications must be for projects only. Some of the types of projects they support include:

• Public presentations of musical works
• Commissions and/or co-commissions
• Development and performances of new musical compositions and innovative works
• Performances and educational engagements by NEA Jazz Masters that honor their work, history, style, and/or significance to jazz; and broaden public awareness of the art form
• Domestic touring (NEA Music grants cannot support international tours)
• Festivals and other events (may include performances, lecture-demonstrations, audience talkbacks, master classes, and workshops)

That’s not all, though. You can check out the full list of requirements and guidelines here before you apply. // There are 2 cycles for this application, each with various deadlines to keep in mind. Check out those deadlines right here.

Dolly Parton Songwriters Award

The Dolly Parton Songwriters Award is an annual, nationwide competition open to aspiring songwriters. The awards can be used as a career grant for study, instrument purchase, recording costs, or other professional expenses and are not restricted to tuition costs. Founding endowments include a lead gift from Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston as well as a contribution from country superstar Luke Combs.

The revised program offers $20,000 for up to two of the best original song entries in any of the following genres: Americana, blues, bluegrass, contemporary Christian, country, folk, or roots. Judges for previous competitions have included GRAMMY-winning artist Kacey Musgraves, hit songwriter Rodney Clawson, and Nashville music industry veteran Mark Brown. // APPLICATIONS DUE JANUARY 15, 2025. 

To apply, you must meet these requirements: 

• must be between the ages of 17 and 24 as of February 15, 2025.
• must be in residence in the United States or its territories.
• may only submit one application per BMI Foundation awards program.
• may not submit the same musical work to more than one BMI Foundation awards program.
• may only submit works that have not been assigned to any major music publisher or major record label.
• may only apply if they have not previously won the Dolly Parton Songwriters Award or Nashville Songwriting Scholarship. (Honorable mention may apply again.)

The ASCAP Foundation Scholarships

ASCAP Foundation Scholarship programs seek to ensure that opportunities for the study of music are available to students at all levels. With a long list of options to choose from, there’s a diverse lineup of opportunities for musicians of all backgrounds looking for support. Some scholarships on this list include: Asian American Pacific Islander Scholarship, Betty Rose Scholarship, HBCU Scholarship, and many more. There is a long list of options for high school, college, or university students looking for support. // Check out the full list right here.

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John Lennon Award

The John Lennon Award is an annual competition open to student songwriters and composers of contemporary musical genres including alternative, pop, rock, indie, electronica, R&B, and experimental. Over the past twenty years, more than $400,000 in scholarships has been awarded to talented young musicians throughout the United States, making this award one of the nation’s most esteemed accolades for emerging songwriters.

Through the generosity of Yoko Ono and Gibson Musical Instruments, three scholarships totaling $20,000 are presented annually for the best original songs submitted to the competition. Works are judged by a prestigious panel of music publishers, songwriters, musicians, and executives. BMI’s Vice President, Creative, New York Samantha Cox, and Tim Pattison, Director, Creative, New York, oversee the competition. // APPLICATIONS DUE JANUARY 15, 2025

(Note: The same eligibility requirements apply as the Dolly Parton Songwriters Award)

peermusic Latin Music Award

The peermusic Latin Award is an annual competition open to student songwriters and composers of Latin music. One of the few distinctions of its kind, the award was established in 2003 through the generosity and vision of peermusic CEO, Ralph Peer II. For two decades, the program has nurtured promising musicians who have gone on to distinguish themselves in the fields of television, film, recorded music, and concert performance. A $5,000 scholarship is presented annually for the best original song or instrumental composition in any Latin genre. To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

1. must be between the ages of 17 and 24 as of February 15, 2025.
2. must be based in the United States or Puerto Rico.
3. may only submit one application per BMI Foundation awards program.
4. may not submit the same musical work to more than one BMI Foundation awards program.
5. may only submit works that have not been assigned to any major music publisher or major record label.
6. must not have had any musical work commercially recorded or distributed.
7. may only apply if they have not previously won the peermusic Latin Music Award. (Honorable mention may apply again.)

For additional information, visit their website right here.

New Music Creator Fund

The New Music Creator Fund offers grants to individual music creators working in any genre who need support to get to the next stage of their creative practice. The program supports costs that relate to collaboration with other artists and practitioners. Their aim is to enable music creators to take the lead in the development of new and existing ideas and projects. In addition, they support and represent a broad range of individuals across the country and musical spectrum. Not to mention, they give out a total of 50 to 60 awards of up to $5,000 each (with the average grant being $3,000).

With this fund, artists can use the money for things like: 

• Support for the time you need to create new material and initiate new collaborations with your proposed artist(s)
• Creation fees for a work in progress that does not have additional support
• Performer or other collaborator fees
• Project specific equipment
• Recording costs
• PR/marketing
• Technical assistance/skills building
• Support for digital presentation/creation of music videos
• Workshopping
• Joint R&D (research and development) into new project ideas
• Other costs you consider to be essential e.g. childcare for yourself or a collaborating artist

Interested? Applications submitted in 2024 are currently under review, but there are varying deadlines depending on where you’re located! Be sure to check your region here to see if you are still eligible to apply in your state.

The BMI Foundation’s New Music Grants program operates on an invitation-only basis. As of now, invitations for the 2025 grants are closed. // To be considered for an invitation for the 2026 New Music Grants, organizations must review the eligibility requirements and complete the preliminary form by November 1, 2025.

Shay Mizz + Sound Royalties

Shay Mizz, a music producer and artist, has collaborated with Sound Royalties to offer financial solutions tailored for musicians, producers, and songwriters. Through this partnership, they provide royalty advances, enabling artists to access funds upfront without the need for credit checks, personal collateral, or financial statements.

It’s important to note that this initiative is structured as a royalty advance rather than a traditional grant. Artists receive funds upfront in exchange for a portion of their future royalty earnings over a specified period. This model provides immediate financial support while aligning repayment with the artist’s income flow.

If this is something you’re interested in, all you have to do is complete a short form at www.soundroyalties.com/apply/, submit your royalty streams to one of their Royalty Specialists, and their team will evaluate your application and offer 3 personalized funding music options with projected earnings for the next year. Next, they’ll assist in identifying other streams you may not be collecting on and help you choose the option that best suits you. They’ll keep you updated each step of the way, and typically fund transactions within a matter of business days upon receiving the necessary documents and acknowledgments from royalty payors. // Before you dive into this one, be sure to do your research! Get more information right here.

✨ Additionally, Shay Mizz shares insights and updates on funding opportunities through social media channels, offering valuable resources for artists seeking financial support. Check out her Instagram @shay.mizz to learn more.

To wrap it all up…

Being an independent musician comes with a lot of ups and downs, mentally and financially. Luckily, there are foundations out there that are committed to providing resources to artists who need a little help to get to the next stage of their careers. Even if you’ve missed the deadlines for some of these grants, save them for next year! You’ll never know what could come if you don’t even try.

Good luck!