INSTRUMENT GRANTS

INSTRUMENT GRANTS is sponsored by Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation donates musical instruments to schools nationwide, focusing on increasing student access to music education programs in low-income communities. They consider grants that help expand an existing music program.

INSTRUMENT GRANTS - Mr Holland's Opus Foundation Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation donates musical instruments to schools nationwide with a focus on increasing student access to music education programs in low-income communities.

To be considered for a grant from Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, schools must meet the following criteria: School Type: The school must be a public school (including public charter schools) located in the United States, Washington, D. C. , or a U.S. Territory.

Student Demographics: At least 65% of the student population must be economically disadvantaged. Music Program: The school must have an established instrumental, choral, or general music program that is part of the regular school day. Note: All types of instrumental programs qualify, including but not limited to band, strings, mariachi, guitar labs, keyboard labs, jazz band, and modern band.

Music Teacher: The school must employ a dedicated music teacher (instrumental, choral, or general music) who has taught at the applying school for at least two consecutive years. Instruments: The school must have an existing inventory of musical instruments. Music Classroom: The school must have a designated music classroom with secure storage for instruments and/or equipment.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation employs a thorough vetting process to evaluate prospective grantees, gain insight into the school and program’s unique circumstances, assess potential needs, determine how a donation could directly enhance the musical experience and wellbeing of students, and ensure the sustainability of the donation for years to come. MUSIC TEACHERS: CLICK HERE TO START A PRE-QUALIFICATION!

For more information about Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s grants or application process, reach out to applications@mhopus. org . frequently asked questions What qualifies as a “public charter school”?

Are all charter schools eligible, or only certain types? Public charter schools are public schools operated by independent, non-profit governing bodies, and are authorized by either a local education agency or the state. By definition, charter schools are public and are eligible for Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation grants grants.

Can private schools that serve a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students apply? At this time, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation only grants to public schools. How is “economically disadvantaged” defined?

Does it relate to eligibility for free or reduced lunch, or other criteria? Economically disadvantaged students are defined based on their state’s criteria, which may include students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) support, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or are part of migrant education or foster care programs.

This percentage may differ from the school’s free- or reduced-price lunch percentage. Your school or district administration can provide the economically disadvantaged percentage for your school. How do we calculate the 65% economically disadvantaged threshold?

The 65% threshold is calculated based on total school enrollment. The full application will also ask for the economically disadvantaged percentage specifically for students in the music program, but the eligibility threshold is based on the total school enrollment. Does the music program have to be fully established, or can it be a new or growing program?

What qualifies as an “established” program? Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation looks for programs that have been in place for at least two (2) years. These programs may be growing or well-established, but our grants are not intended to help start brand new music programs.

Are after-school music programs or extracurricular activities eligible if they are not offered during regular school hours? To be eligible, schools must offer music courses during the regular school day. Instruments and equipment for co-curricular programs offered after school (e.g., marching band, jazz band, mariachi, vocal ensembles, etc.) are eligible as long as they are part of the overall music program.

However, if a school only offers after-school music programs and no in-school music courses, it is not eligible for a grant. Is there flexibility for less traditional programs (e.g., electronic music, music technology) to be eligible? Yes, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation grants support all types of music programs, including less traditional or innovative programs.

However, our grants do not cover computers, tablets, or subscription-based software. Can a school apply for support to start a new type of music program that is not yet fully developed? It depends.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation will consider grants that help to expand an existing music program. For example, an elementary school has an existing general music program and the school wants to expand by offering an instrumental music course. While we support growing or established programs, our grants are not designed to help start new programs from scratch (i.e., at schools without a music program).

Does the two-year teaching requirement refer to continuous full-time teaching, or do part-time or shared positions qualify? Part-time, shared, or flexible teaching arrangements do meet the requirement. The key is that the school must employ a teacher dedicated to teaching music.

I teach at multiple schools, do I need to submit an application for each school separately? Yes. Teachers teaching at multiple schools would need to submit an application for each school separately.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation grants are made to schools, not individual teachers. Further, instruments granted to one school may not be shared or transferred to another school. What if my school has several music teachers and/or multiple music programs?

All music teachers should collaborate to complete a single application representing the needs of all music programs at the school. One music teacher will need to enter and submit the application on behalf of the entire team of music teachers. Can schools apply if they do not have a current inventory of instruments but need instruments to start a program?

It depends. Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation will consider grants that help to expand an existing music program. For example, an elementary school has an existing general music program but offers no instruments (Orff, Recorder, Ukulele, etc.).

In this example, Foundation grants can support the addition of the instruments for the existing program. While we support growing or established programs, our grants are not designed to help start new programs from scratch (i.e., at schools without a music program). What qualifies as “adequate and secure” storage?

Are there specific safety or storage guidelines schools must meet? There are no specific safety or storage guidelines, but schools must have enough storage to safely house donated instruments and a way to secure them to prevent damage, theft, or loss. Can schools without a designated classroom but with shared or multi-purpose spaces apply?

Yes, schools with shared or multi-purpose spaces are eligible to apply. However, they must still provide adequate and secure storage for the program’s inventory. Our school was impacted by a natural disaster (tornado, flooding, fires, etc.).

Does your foundation offer any type of support or grants for music programs to rebuild? Yes. Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation administers Music Rising , which is a natural disaster reserve fund for schools that lose musical instruments that cannot be replaced via insurance or FEMA.

For more information, email MusicRising@mhopus. org or call 818-762-4328. Can someone other than the music teacher submit the pre-qualification form and/or application?

No, only music teachers can submit the pre-qualification form and/or application. However, we encourage principals, district administrators, PTO/booster members, parents, and other community members to share information about Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s grant programs with the music teacher. What documents or proof are required to verify eligibility (e.g., proof of economic disadvantage, teacher tenure, inventory lists)?

The application requires basic information about your school, which Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation may verify through publicly available data. You’ll also need to submit Foundation-provided worksheets detailing your music courses and enrollment, as well as information about your budget and inventory. Are there restrictions on how the grant funds can be used beyond purchasing instruments?

For example, can it be used for repairs, teacher development, or other music-related needs? Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation grants consist of musical instruments and equipment only; no cash grants are provided. Our team handles sourcing, ordering, and delivering the instruments.

As part of the application process, we work with the teacher to assess the program’s needs to determine the appropriate instruments and equipment. Note that only student model instruments are provided, and the brand is at the Foundation’s discretion. Does the foundation provide instrument grants to entire school districts?

No, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s grant programs are designed for individual schools. District administrators, including district-level fine arts or music supervisors, cannot submit applications on behalf of a school or multiple schools within a district.

Additionally, the Foundation works closely with school districts through our Music (and Arts) Education District Support Services (MEDSS™) , which is a comprehensive arts (dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts) education assessment and consulting service that identifies challenges and barriers creating inequities for student access and participation in music and arts programming, identifies why these barriers exist, and helps districts find solutions can be implemented to remove them.