Definitions
What is the Foundation’s definition of a "project"?
The Foundation considers a "project" to be out of the scope of an organization’s regular programming activities, often (but not necessarily) a one-off initiative that adds incremental expenses to your operating budget in order to achieve its goals. Please explain how you will fund those aspects of the project expenses not covered by the Amphion Foundation in order to ensure the project can take place as envisioned.
An aggregated list of your contemporary music activities spread intermittently over the course of a season would not be eligible for project support.
What is the Foundation’s definition of "contemporary"?
For the Foundation’s purposes, music written in 1960 or later is considered contemporary.
What is the Foundation’s definition of a "performing ensemble"?
Performing groups such as orchestras, opera companies and chamber music groups with a consistent core membership, as well as ”flexible” ensembles with consistent artistic leadership and identity, are considered performing ensembles. Dance companies are also eligible to apply for projects that involve live performances of contemporary concert music.
Please note that orchestras and opera companies that do not specialize in contemporary music are only eligible to apply for project support.
What is the Foundation’s definition of a "presenter"?
Music festivals, music venues, and any other organization that organizes and presents live musical performances by a variety of performing groups can be considered a “presenting organization”.
What is the Foundation’s definition of a "music service organization"?
Organizations that support composers and performers through grants, residencies, training programs, etc. or aid in the preservation and dissemination of contemporary concert music, are considered music service organizations.
Eligibility
Are universities and other educational institutions eligible for support?
Educational institutions may apply for projects that involve professional musicians (including faculty). Activities including student ensembles are generally not eligible for support. Performances that are primarily by professional musicians are eligible even if some students also participate.
Youth choruses performing at an exceptionally high level are eligible for support, provided that they are performing contemporary concert music intended for young voices.
What organizations are eligible to apply for general operating support?
Chamber ensembles (those comprised of under 20 performers), service organizations and presenters are eligible to apply for general operating support. Large organizations such as orchestras and opera companies, other than contemporary music specialists, are eligible to apply only for project support.
Our university is seeking funding for a project. May we apply for indirect costs?
The Amphion Foundation will not fund indirect costs on a project, so it is advised that you do not include them in the budget.
Are music education projects eligible for funding?
Education projects focused on pre-college age children are generally not eligible.
The Foundation will consider professional level performance projects with an education component, as well as training programs for emerging professional-level musicians or composers, provided that they have a focus on contemporary concert music.
When may an organization apply for a grant?
There are two deadlines each year for submission of grant proposals. Please see our grants page for deadline information.
Our organization performs/presents pops and holiday programming. Is this repertoire eligible for support?
Generally, no. The Foundation’s emphasis is on contemporary concert music. However, programs of this nature do not have an adverse effect on your application as long as there is sufficient eligible contemporary concert music activity.
Does The Amphion Foundation consider diversity and inclusion in its grantmaking?
The Amphion Foundation encourages programming that whenever possible celebrates a broad spectrum of diverse creators and strives to reflect the communities served by the organization.
The Amphion Foundation encourages applicants to consider the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their programming decisions whenever possible.
Does the Foundation give grants to arts organizations outside New York City?
Yes. Non-profit performing and presenting organizations in addition to non-profit service organizations throughout the United States and abroad are eligible to receive grants from the Foundation. For information on how to apply, see the Guidelines page at this web site.
Does the Foundation support jazz music?
In general, it is not within the scope of the Foundation’s mission to support jazz music. Among organizations that fund jazz are the National Endowment for the Arts, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Chamber Music America, and some programs of New Music USA.
I am an individual composer. Can I apply to the Foundation for a commission?
The Foundation does not make grants to composers for commissioning new works. A good place for individual composers to research grant opportunities is The Foundation Center in New York City. The Foundation Center has an informative web site at www.fdncenter.org.
Does the Foundation support musical theater?
Opera and dance projects involving live performances of contemporary concert music are supported. Broadway-style musical theater projects are generally not supported.
My project will take place before the application deadline. Am I still eligible to apply?
Except in rare circumstances, projects that take place before the deadline will not be considered. Please contact the Grants Manager with any questions.
I am making a recording of contemporary concert music. Can I apply to the Foundation for support?
The Foundation does not support recordings.
Does the Foundation support “pop” music?
Pop music is not supported. The Foundation’s emphasis is on contemporary concert music.
Application Requirements
What is the Foundation looking for in a proposal narrative?
A proposal narrative should be a general description of your organization’s activities, plans for the upcoming season, and any other significant points to make your case for support. Applicants applying for general operating support are required to submit only a proposal narrative. Applicants applying for project support are required to submit a proposal narrative and a project description.
Do I need to submit a Letter of Intent in order to apply?
There will be no letter of intent to submit prior to applying to the program.
What is the Foundation looking for in a project description?
The Foundation considers a "project" to be out of the scope of an organization’s regular programming activities, often (but not necessarily) a one-off initiative that add incremental expenses to your operating budget in order to achieve its goals. An aggregated list of your contemporary music activities spread intermittently over the course of a season would not be eligible for project support. Please explain how you will fund those aspects of the project expenses not covered by the Amphion Foundation in order to ensure the project can take place as envisioned.
Financials
We are applying with a fiscal sponsor. For ”organizational budgets” should we submit our organization's budgets or the fiscal sponsor's?
Submit your organization's budgets. We will follow up with you if we need more information about your fiscal sponsor.
Must I use the Foundation’s 3-year budget template or may I upload my organization’s pre-existing budgets for my application?
The Foundation requires use of its 3-year budget Excel template. Other budget documents are not accepted and should not be uploaded to the application. As part of the form, you will find space to make any explanatory notes you find necessary.
Which three years of organizational budgets should I submit?
Three-year financial snapshot including FY20, FY21 final, which we recognize will be COVID-impacted, and FY22 projected. If providing detailed budget information will be particularly difficult for your organization, please contact the Grants Manager.
What is the difference between organizational budgets and financial statements (in the supporting materials section)?
Organizational budgets refer to three consecutive years of revenue and expense statements:
- the actual statement from the preceding fiscal year
- a projected statement (budget) for the current fiscal year
- a projected statement (budget) for the fiscal year for which support is requested
We require using our Excel template to create your organizational budgets; the template incorporates the format and level of detail we wish to see.
Financial statements refer to statements, often prepared by an accountant and sometimes audited, that reflect a more complete picture of an organization's financial details, including statements of activity, cash flow, balance sheets, and accompanying notes. Not every organization is required to have an audited financial statement, however, if your organization has one for any of the past three fiscal years, you are required to submit the latest one.
Our organization does not have non-profit status. Can we apply?
Organizations without non-profit status may seek support with the sponsorship of a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status. You must submit a letter from the sponsoring organization describing the nature of the arrangement, and undertaking to be responsible for disbursement of funds if a grant is awarded. In addition, you must include the sponsor's IRS tax-exempt determination letter. Create one PDF that contains both items.
It is not necessary to submit board or financial information for the fiscal sponsor unless we follow up with you with a request for more information.
General FAQs
Our proposal was not funded. Can you tell us why?
Programs are very competitive. Unfortunately, each year many worthy projects cannot be funded simply because they exceed our available resources. You are welcome to contact the Grants Manager to schedule a brief phone call for feedback about how your proposal could be improved in the future.
Where are the guidelines for the Amphion grant?
What is the average amount of a grant?
In general, grants will range between $1,000 and $7,500, although larger grants may be awarded to larger performing organizations with an extraordinary commitment to contemporary concert music or a particularly significant project.
When will decisions be announced?
Award decisions will be announced by the end of February following the September 30 deadline.
Please do not contact the Foundation for grant decisions.
My organization is the lead applicant in a consortium project. Does it have to be a service organization, a presenter or a performing ensemble in order to apply?
The lead applicant in a consortium project must have non-profit status, but doesn’t need to fit the criteria for service organizations, presenters or performing ensembles.
Consortium projects that support composers and performers through grants, residencies, training programs, etc. or aid in the preservation and dissemination of contemporary concert music, or projects that involve organizing and presenting live performances of contemporary concert music are eligible for support.
Getting started with the application process
How do I get started with my application?
IMPORTANT: First see the guidelines to determine whether you are eligible apply to the grant program. Once you have been invited by the Foundation to apply, or if the letter of intent is not required of you, please see the following.
If you are setting up an account for the first time, upon logging in, you will be directed to a page to enter a password for your account. Choose a password and save it.
Then, in the "Grant Program" menu, read the guidelines and have the required information readily available. A PDF of the guidelines is available for you to download and print.
If the grant cycle is open, you will see the "Start a New Application" button. Click on it to begin the process.
If this is your first application, or if you have not updated your organization's information in a while, you will be directed to your account information to update this data.
Begin the application by completing the requested information and following the instructions. It is not necessary to complete the application in any particular order, although most applicants will find it useful to proceed in the suggested order.
Clicking "Preview" will show you what your entire application looks like at any point in the process.
Be sure to save your work often by clicking the "Save" button in the lower-left hand corner of the page. Always save after uploading an audio sample.
You may save your work at any time. It is not necessary to complete the application in one sitting; you can return to it over a period of days or weeks, as long as you submit it by the deadline.
When you are ready to submit your application, click "Submit This Application" in the lower-right hand corner. If the system detects missing items, you will be asked to complete those items. If the application is complete, you will be taken to a final preview of your application. If you are satisfied with your application, click the red button to submit it; if you would like to make further changes, click the white button.
Once an application is submitted, it is not possible to make further changes to it, so please review your work carefully.
To access all your applications at any time, both in progress and completed, click on "My Account" in the upper-right hand corner of the page.
Please read the FAQs for more information.
Technical FAQs
How do I update my organization information?
Click on "My Organization" on the upper-right hand corner of the page, then update your information.
What do the little crosses mean on the audio sample boxes?
You can click on the cross to re-order your work samples. Be advised, however, that the panel may elect to listen to one or more of your work samples in a sequence other than the order in which you provide them.
How do I update my username and password?
Click on "My Account" on the upper-right hand corner of the page, then click "Username & Password" to update your information.
I'm unable to see portions of the screen (or experiencing other display problems).
Be sure to update your browser to the latest version. We support the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. If the problem persists, please contact us.
Where can I view all of my applications?
To access all of your applications, both in progress and completed, click on "My Account" on the upper-right hand corner of the page. Your applications and their statuses will appear on the right hand side of the page
What is the purpose of “Copy into New Application” and how does it work?
Once an application is completed and submitted, you will see a link that says "copy into new application" when viewing it on your account page. This allows you to re-use parts of an application in future rounds without needing to re-input all the information (i.e., the type of ensemble, mission of the organization, etc.)
How do I navigate the different parts of the application?
You can either click the vertical tabs on the left and side, or click the previous and next links at the bottom of the page. It is not necessary to complete the application in any particular order.
I have a question that isn’t answered here. What do I do?
Please send us an email at grantsmanager@amphionfoundation.org and we will reply. If the question is of sufficient general interest, we will post it to this page, however, you will not be identified.
Is there a limit to the amount of text I can input into the text boxes, such as the one for Proposal Narrative?
No, the text boxes have unlimited capacity. Drag the bottom right hand corner of the text box down to increase the viewable area. However, it is recommended that you make your answers as concise as possible while still making the case for your application.
How do I make PDFs on my computer?
All supporting documentation and scores must be submitted in PDF format. Scores should also be submitted in PDF format if technically and legally possible.
If the original document only exists in hard copy (such as an IRS determination letter), you will need to scan it first, and then create the PDF.
If the document exists as a computer file (such as a Word, Excel, Finale or Sibelius file), you can create the PDF directly on the computer (this is recommended).
To create a PDF on a Mac: Click here for instructions.
To create a PDF on Windows: The most reliable method of creating PDFs on Windows is with the commercial software Adobe Acrobat. However, there are various ways to create PDFs on Windows using free or low-cost programs. Here are links to a few. (The Foundation does not endorse any of these programs and is providing the links only for ease of reference.)
What does "Path" mean in the text editor?
"Path" is a technical detail and simply shows the type of HTML formatting that the text editor is using. It can be helpful if you are trying to format your text in a particular way, but otherwise may be ignored.
How do I combine multiple PDFs into one document?
For certain items, such as financial statements, you may need to combine several PDFs into one combined PDF before uploading it to our site.
To combine PDFs on a Mac: Click here for instructions.
To create a PDF on Windows: The most reliable method of creating PDFs on Windows is with the commercial software Adobe Acrobat. However, there are various ways to combine PDFs on Windows using free or low-cost programs. Here are links to a few. (The Foundation does not endorse any of these programs and is providing the links only for ease of reference.)
I registered for the site, but haven't received a confirmation e-mail. What do I do?
Immediately upon registering on the site, you should receive a confirmation e-mail at the address that you provided. Normally, you should receive a second e-mail approving your registration within two business days, which will contain instructions about how to log into the site.
If you don't receive either of these messages, first, check your junk e-mail folder. Be sure to add grantsmanager@amphionfoundation.org to your address book or whitelist.
If the message is not in your junk e-mail box, call us at 212-461-6956 so that we can assist you further.
What does the red star (*) mean?
Fields marked with a red star are required.
The system is warning me that my password has low security. What does this mean?
For optimal security, it is recommended to choose a password that contains at least six characters. It should include numbers, punctuation, and both upper and lowercase letters. However, passwords with a low security rating will still be accepted. You are responsible for keeping your password secret. You can change your password at any time by going to the "Username & Password" section of "My Account". Please note that our personnel do not have access to your password. However, we can assist you to change it if necessary.
How do I make the mp3 audio excerpts on my computer?
iTunes, from Apple, is freely available on Macs and PCs. Here's how to create an mp3 file in iTunes. There are various other ways to create audio excerpts using free or low-cost programs. Here are links to a few. (The Foundation does not endorse any of these programs and is providing the links only for ease of reference.)
Snapper
Audacity
Quicktime
Windows Media Player
Sound Forge
Goldwave
Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") Policy
Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") Policy
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Infringement Notices should be sent to info@amphionfoundation.org