Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements

Nonprofit

Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) with a domestic fiscal sponsorship number.

Purpose

Grant organizations that redistribute funds will NOT be considered.

Established

Organizations must be established for at least three years to apply.

Budget

Organizations must have a current budget of less than $3.5 million.

Award Focus

The Adolf Busch Award celebrates outstanding achievements that creatively and courageously promote a more civil and just society through music. Though the majority of submissions will be broadly related to education, other activities will also be accepted. Organizations that have surmounted significant obstacles to implementation, or who have demonstrated courage in the face of challenges posed are the ideal candidates.

Our Values

  • Focuses on nurturing the musical and leadership skills of young musicians through education and mentorship opportunities
  • Focuses on systemically disenfranchised segments of the population
  • Engages in grassroots initiatives that promote a pluralistic and equitable society
  • Demonstrates a unique and thoughtful approach to the issues they address
  • Demonstrates meaningful organizational maturation since inception
  • Shows, through their activities, a rejection of the status quo and a willingness to shape a response to systemic issues in a challenging environment

Areas Not Funded:

  • Organizations whose primary focus is performance
  • Music therapy unrelated to a broader social mission
  • Funding for individual compositions or a specific performance
  • Programs that are exclusively state funded
  • Religious activities or projects that serve the doctrine of specific denominations
  • Political lobbying, political campaigns or legislative activities
  • Endowment campaigns
  • Capital campaigns

Application Criteria

See “Application Help” for further details.
Proposals will be reviewed and scored based on the following criteria:

  • Is the organization consistent with guidelines?
  • Does the organization state their mission and demonstrate alignment with our values?
  • Does the organization stress the uniqueness of music as a method of communication that fosters connectivity where other types may have failed?
  • Does the organization demonstrate high levels of resilience, courage and determination to further their cause and overcome adversity and discrimination?
  • Does the organization demonstrate the ability to embrace a pluralistic society?
  • Does the organization demonstrate the effective and holistic collaboration within their community?
  • Does the organization articulate an evaluation plan that is appropriate and includes meaningful metrics?

2022 Application