The “Frequently Asked Questions” page will be updated regularly, with your own questions, if they seem helpful for other applicants. Before calling us, check this page to see if your question has already been adequately addressed!
HOW TO CONTACT THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR:
If you have any questions, please contact our Program Coordinator, Ms. Nicole Lungerhausen.
To help find answers, we will have questions in 5 main categories:
Do chamber music ensembles need to have 501(c)(3) status to apply? No, ensembles do not need to have 501(c)(3) status to apply.
I am a member of several ensembles. Can I be part of more than one application?
Yes, but each applying ensemble must have their own separate identity. Please note: Should a player believe that his/her name will appear on the applications of more than two applying ensembles, it is highly recommended that the player and/or applying ensemble contact Program Coordinator Nicole Lungerhausen prior to submitting an application to the Musical Grant Program.
In SFFCM's definition of chamber music (“music for two or more performers in which the performers play one on a part, without a conductor”), are singers considered performers? Or does this definition only include instrumentalists?
Yes, singers are considered performers under SFFCM's definition of chamber music. Projects of chamber music vocal ensembles or chamber music projects that have a sung component may apply for support, as long as the musicians perform one on a part, without a conductor, and that the project meets all other eligibility requirements as stated in the Musical Grant Program guidelines.
Can you provide examples of the types of projects that will be supported by the Musical Grant Program?
Following are examples of types of projects that would be eligible for funding from the Musical Grant Program. Please note that these are just a few examples of the many different artistic, organizational and career development projects that could be supported under the guidelines. Visit our past awards pages for more information.
Artistic
- A grant to pay the musician's honoraria in a concert featuring Russian composers with a bilingual pre-concert lecture by a local Russian Scholar.
- A grant request to develop a webcast of an event taking place in multiple locations simultaneously. A showcase event of computer/electronic music performed in a variety of unusual locales, this broadcast live on the web would bring an international viewership into intimate settings within greater Bay Area.
- A grant request to commission one young local composers-coming from the world of classical, jazz, as well as popular music-for works to be presented in accessible, non-traditional music venues around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Organizational and Career Development
- A grant request to hire a fundraising consultant to develop a campaign for a series of four concerts to take place at The Finn Center in Mountain View.
- A grant request to develop a PR and Marketing campaign for a concert presenting two works by a Bay Area-based contemporary music composer.
I live outside the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, but am doing a project that will take place in this geographic region - am I eligible for the Musical Grant Program?
No, applicants must reside, work, and present their projects in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area in order to be eligible to apply to the program. If there are special circumstances that you believe would affect your eligibility under this area (i.e., you reside, work, and present artistic work half the year in the Greater Bay Area but reside elsewhere for the remainder of the year), please contact the Program Coordinator prior to completing an application.
In the 2010 MGP guidelines, SFFCM states that an ensemble "must have a minimum history of at least two public performances in the past two years or demonstrate the equivalent thereof" in order to apply for a grant.
We have removed this language from this year's application. Please adhere to the new eligibility requirements.
What is an operating budget?
An operating budget is a detailed projection of all the income and expenses related to an ensemble or presenter’s activities during a certain period (either your current performance season or the current 12-month period that makes up your fiscal year).
What are in-kind donations and can I include them in the project budget and profit and loss statement documents I'm required to submit as part of the Musical Grant Program application?
In-kind donations are any non-cash goods or services you or your ensemble receives over the course of a project or the fiscal year.
These donations may be included in the financial documentation (including the project budget and the profit and loss statement for your last project or fiscal year) you are required to submit with your Musical Grant Program application. Following are just a few examples of the many types of in-kind donations that arts groups often receive:
− Musician or artist commissioning, rehearsal, and/or performance fees donated back to the ensemble or project
− Free program printing and/or copying received from a local printer
− Food and/or beverages donated by a local business for the opening night of a concert series
− Donated time from a bookkeeper who reconciles the accounting for an ensemble on a monthly or quarterly basis
− Land line or cell phone expenses for time spent conducting ensemble or organizational-related business
If listing in-kind donations, please be sure to account for these donations on both the income and expense sides of each financial document submitted as part of the Musical Grant Program application.
Can applicants applying with a composer submit more than two work samples?
No. If applying with a composer, you will submit two (2) audio work samples, one of which must be a sample of the proposed composer's work. Do not forget to send the score too. Your other sample should be of the applicant ensemble.
SFFCM states that they require letters of commitment from the parties involved in a collaborative MGP project. What does that mean? Why does SFFCM require letters of commitment?
If you are an ensemble applying for funds to commission a composer, we require a signed letter from the composer stating that, if awarded the grant, she or he will complete the project. If you are a presenter applying for funds to pay an ensemble to perform, we require a signed letter from at least one member of the ensemble stating that, if awarded the grant, they will complete the project. In these collaborations, SFFCM requires letters of commitment to ensure that all parties are in agreement about the proposed project and all plan to complete it if awarded the grant.
A template for the letter of commitment can be found on our resources page.
Will you accept letters of commitment after the postmark deadline?
No. While we understand that obtaining signatures on letters of commitment can take time, we cannot accept any application materials, including letters of commitment, after the postmark deadline.
Can I include a hard copy of my promotional brochure or postcard rather than a photocopy? Yes - however if smaller than 8 _ x 11, please staple the brochure or postcard to an 8 _ x 11 piece of paper that is three-hole punched. Make sure anypromotional material is relevant to the application. If your brochure is larger than 8 1/2x11 you must make a copy.
If including a composer work sample, do I also need to include the score for the work?
Yes, the score should correlate to the sample being provided.
How many grants will you distribute?
As SFFCM has set a dollar amount to be distributed through the Musical Grant Program, the number of grants awarded will be dependent on the number and quality of applications received. We anticipate awarding approximately 25-30 grants during the 2012 round of the program.
I was awarded a grant from a previous cycle of the MGP. Am I eligible to apply for funding in the current cycle?
Yes. As long as your previous project is complete AND you have submitted your final report to SFFCM, you can reapply in the current cycle.
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