Live Music Society Music In Action Grant

Live Music Society Music In Action Grant is sponsored by Live Music Society. Supports small U. S.

performance venues with grants up to $50,000 for initiatives that improve the venue experience, cultivate community engagement, and achieve long-term health and business growth.

Music in Action Grant — Live Music Society David Sanborn at Jazz St. Louis, MO Applications are now closed. Thank you for applying!

If you are looking for information on the Toolbox grant, click here . Music I n Action (“MiA”) grants are core to our organization’s mission to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States so that live music can remain accessible to all. The grants are designed to help venues engage with their audiences and communities through imaginative programs that bring people together with shared purpose.

Our objective is to support initiatives that will: Improve the experience for musicians, staff, and audiences. Cultivate an engaged and connected community. Achieve long-term health and business growth.

We recommend that you review all guidelines and materials below in preparation for your application.

Eligibility and Exclusions FAQs and Application Support Budget Template and Guidelines Live Music Society Grants (2020-22) Achieving Sustainability Together At LMS, we understand audience engagement to be the key to sustainability: growing a network of supporters who are invested in the success of the venue, including patrons, volunteers, artists, staff, donors, and corporate sponsors.

The goal of Music in Action grants is to help venues explore new ways to: Expand your existing audience. Develop new pathways that lead to revenue generation. Connect with a younger demographic.

Welcome, include, and support historically marginalized groups, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. Take a chance on innovative programs and initiatives that you may not otherwise be able to implement or expand. Generate more press, increased attention, and stronger ticket sales.

Make better use of facilities during daytime hours. Contribute to long-term economic vitality. We’re looking for creative ideas; projects or programs that you may have wanted to launch, but were hesitant to do so without the possibility of breaking even.

We hope that our funding will enable some creative engagement with new people in your town and that these projects will also be fun for you, your staff, and your community. We encourage applicants to leverage LMS funding to seek additional support. LMS is committed to supporting venues that value diversity and inclusion, foster belonging, and strive to advance equity.

The artistic community has always taken a lead in addressing challenges and advancing real change, and we believe that creative ideas can secure the long-term health of the sector and introduce meaningful experiences to a new generation of music fans. Applicants may request up to $50,000 per application.

Applicants should request only the total amount needed to implement the project and provide a budget breakdown that supports the application. Requesting the maximum amount does not improve the probability of success. Please note that overhead, or general administrative costs, may not exceed 20% of the total requested.

Venues selected for further consideration will be required to provide your most recent P&Ls and tax filings per IRS regulations. Grant proceeds must be fully utilized during the grant period (August 1, 2026 - July 31, 2027).

General Eligibility Requirements All applicants will complete a short eligibility form in Submittable to ensure that the proposal meets the general eligibility criteria outlined below: Venues are based in the United States (or its territories) and the grantee business entity is also based in the U.S. (or its territories). Venues have a legal capacity of 50-300 , including standing room.

Businesses were in operation and presenting shows on or prior to January 1, 2023 . Venues are committed to live music (performed by solo artists or bands) as their primary activity. Venues present a minimum of 30 live music performances each yea r.

Applicant manages or owns the venue. Unfortunately, promoters, curators, and festival producers are not eligible. Please review the adjudication criteria prior to submission.

Applicants will be required to share detailed financial information if selected as a finalist venue, including recent tax returns. You may operate other businesses in conjunction with the music venue (restaurants, bars, retail, etc.), but the music venue must be the main driver of your business. Music comes first!

Any involved parties must consent to their inclusion in the proposal. Proposals that fall into any of the following categories are deemed ineligible: Special-event business rentals (other than for educational purposes), including but not limited to weddings, church services, birthday or engagement/anniversary parties, or corporate meetings. Activities that support a religious purpose or require faith-based participation.

Discriminatory or exclusionary programs. Political campaigns or legislative advocacy (lobbying). Organization Type Exclusions Venues that received a grant from Live Music Society in 2024 or 2025.

Venues located in a larger Performing Arts Center with multiple stages, presenting a variety of arts, such as dance and theater. Venues that are a ‘second stage’ in a larger music venue or are supported by revenue from a larger capacity. Private member organizations that are not open to the general public.

Bars and restaurants that are not music-focused small venues. Music must be the primary brand identity of the business. Faith-based organizations requiring faith-based programming participation.

Pop-up spaces that occasionally host concerts. General operating support. MiA grants will be assessed based on five general criteria: INNOVATION/CREATIVITY – Is the project novel; does it solved a meaningful problem and/or create value for the venue?

FEASIBILITY – Can the program be implemented and evaluated during the grant period? RELEVANCE – Does the project have special relevance to the venue, to the audience, or to the local community? REACH/INCLUSIVITY – How might the project increase accessibility for historically marginalized groups?

POTENTIAL IMPACT – How will the project be evaluated and its impact measured? Evaluation includes the intended outcome and quantitative methods used to track the project’s success. February 4, 2026 – Applications Open March 12, 2026 – Applications Close July 2026 – Awards Announced FAQs & Application Support You may review a summary of the application questions below as you prepare your application materials.

Read a sample application NOTE: this PDF is not the application and cannot be used to apply for the grant. All applicants must apply via the Submittable platform, linked in the ‘Submit Application’ button at the end of this page. All applicants must use the template provided below to create their project budget.

Please review the budget guide for instructions on filling out the template. If you have additional questions, you can reach out to grants@livemusicsociety . Download budget template (Excel) Music in Action Application Webinar You can view our webinar below for an overview on the goals of the Music in Action grant and helpful tips on the application in Submittable.

Any additional questions can be directed to grants@livemusicsociety. org . Can I apply if I’ve received funding from LMS in the past?

If your venue received a grant from Live Music Society in 2024 or 2025, you are unfortunately not eligible to apply for this grant cycle. All applicants must apply via Submittable . How long do I have to submit an application?

LMS will accept applications submitted via the Submittable platform until 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time on Thursday, March 12. Can I begin my application and complete it later? Yes.

You can take as much time as you like, and your work will be saved on Submittable, as long as you hit “Submit” before 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time on March 12. What additional information will I be required to provide if my venue is selected for further consideration? All applicants will need to upload a project budget using the template provided in both an Excel and PDF file.

New applicants may be asked to provide proof of capacity and show volume in an average year (see below for acceptable forms of documentation). Additionally, all finalist applicants must be prepared to upload financial documents including a recent tax return and P&L statement in April 2026. What will be accepted as evidence for show volume?

A few examples of acceptable evidence are PDFs from your ticketing platform, a comprehensive booking calendar, and copies of artist settlements. If you are unsure if your evidence is sufficient, please reach out to grants@livemusicsociety. org .

I am a freelance booker of a venue; can I apply? Yes, you can be the applicant, but you must do so in partnership with the owner/manager of the venue, with their consent. Payments can only be made to the venue’s business entity.

Can we apply if we only present music on the weekends? Yes. Your venue is eligible if the total volume of shows you customarily present is 30 or more, substantiated by a list of shows presented in a normal year.

Can I apply if our capacity is over 300? Unfortunately, no. The Music in Action grant is directed toward small listening rooms and venues that have between 50 and 300 as their sellable capacity, including for standing room shows. This capacity is usually confirmed by a certificate of occupancy or image of the 'max.

occupancy' placard at the venue. If you feel your venue qualifies and has a fixed-seating chart, or other supporting documentation, please contact us at grants@livemusicsociety. org .

Can I apply if I’m already running a program, rather than creating a new one? Yes. Programs will be considered if there is an opportunity to expand or extend the program beyond its prior iterations, and as long as the program meets the approval of the selection committee.

Does my project need to be educational? Not necessarily. The project or program can be any activity that you feel will improve the experience for musicians, staff, and audiences, or cultivate an engaged and connected community, or help you achieve long-term health and business growth.

How will my application be adjudicated? All submissions will be reviewed by an independent jury and adjudicated according to five primary criteria: Creativity, Feasibility, Relevance, Reach, and Impact. For more detail, please refer to Adjudication Criteria above.

How much of the funding can be used for administrative overhead? Overhead, or general administrative costs, may not exceed 20% of the total requested. I’m not sure what I need to spend, so can we give you an estimate of the total cost?

No. All applicants must submit a budget using the template provided, and upload in Submittable as an Excel and PDF file. How will I know that my application has been received? All applicants who click the “Submit” button at the end of the application form will receive an email confirmation at the address provided.

Please check your spam folder before contacting Live Music Society. How will I know whether I’m a finalist under consideration? All venues will be notified of their status in July 2026.

Why do you need my EIN (Employer Identification Number)? The EIN is used to confirm the business entity and state in which the business is registered. Can I nominate a venue that I think would benefit from this grant?

Yes! Send us an email at grants@livemusicsociety. org with the name of the venue and any contact information you have.

We will reach out to them with information about the grant opportunity. Applications are now closed Live Music Society Grants When the Covid-19 pandemic shut down live music performances in March 2020, the very existence of many venues across the country was threatened and many did not survive.

Live Music Society responded to this unprecedented need by providing grants to help venues survive during months of closure, then assist them as they welcomed performers and fans back to their stages. Over $2 million in general operating funding was distributed over three grant rounds during the organization’s first two years of operation. Learn more about LMS 2020-2022 grantees