Live Music Society Opens Applications For Annual Music In Action Grant, With Up To $50,000 Offered To Small U.S. Venues

The Live Music Society – the nonprofit organization supporting small venues and listening rooms across the U.S. – is accepting applications for its third annual Music in Action grant program through February 14.

The Music in Action grant, which debuted in 2023, is designed to develop audiences, encourage community engagement, boost visibility and promote diversity by empowering small venues to take creative risks with a focus on uplifting historically marginalized groups including BiPOC, LGBTQ+ and individuals with disabilities.

Applicants can request up to $50,000 and recipients will be announced in June.

“Our Music in Action grant is open to both for-profit and nonprofit venues, ensuring that a wide range of spaces vital to their communities can benefit,” said Cat Henry, executive director of Live Music Society. “We believe in the power of small venues to foster connection and creativity, and we’re committed to making sure every eligible venue across the U.S. knows about and has access to this opportunity.”

Last year, the group awarded $1 million in grant funding to 58 venues including $710,000 in Music in Action grants and $290,000 in Toolbox grant funding for day-to-day needs to another 34 venues. The nonprofit has provided more than $4.1 million through 210 grants to 180 venues since 2020.

Live Music Society is kicking off the third round of grant giving by bringing back the American Road Trip series, which draws attention to grantee venues across the country. The latest installment – American Road Trip: Music in Action at Cole’s Bar – spotlights the neighborhood club’s Open Jam project in Chicago, a bi-monthly event that provides emerging artists with opportunities to perform with other local musicians.

The scope of Music in Action projects is as diverse as the venues and organizations requesting funds. Examples include Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge in Berea, Kentucky, which hosts residencies for emerging artists, and Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, which hosts the expanded Brooklyn International Music Festival. The non-profit Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center in Sarasota, Florida, is using its grant to support the second annual Creative Nexus series. The Spot on Kirk in Roanoke, Virginia, Devil’s Backbone Tavern in Fischer, Texas, and La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley, California, are celebrating Latinx and Hispanic music in their communities. The Blue Jay Listening Room in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, will host a songwriter’s series for emerging women writers. The Acorn Center for the Performing Arts in Three Oaks, Michigan, brought the JazzReach residency to their venue in November, offering free clinics and all-ages concerts to expand music education in rural Michigan.

Applicants must be within the U.S. or its territories with a legal capacity of 50 to 300 (including standing room). Businesses must be operational since Jan. 1, 2021, with a primary focus on live music and a minimum of 50 annual performances.

Music in Action grants will be evaluated based on five general criteria including innovation/creativity, feasibility, relevance to the venue, audience or local community, inclusivity and potential impact.

To assist venue managers and operators with the application process, Live Music Society will host a series of free public webinars on January 14 and 21. Topics range from crafting compelling grant proposals to creating realistic and funder-friendly budgets.

The webinars grew from the inaugural Music in Action Summit, held in June 2024 alongside the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) conference in New Orleans with 31 previous grant recipients. The summit led to the creation of webinars tailored to the distinct challenges faced by small venues, offering tools for independent venues to succeed.

Live Music Society also offers an annual Toolbox Grant, delivering essential practical support to small venues and fostering their long-term growth and success. In November, the nonprofit celebrated a significant milestone, surpassing $1 million in total grant funding within a single year. Of this, the Toolbox Grant alone supported 34 venues—the highest number of recipients awarded in a single grant cycle for the program.

Visit https://www.livemusicsociety.org/grantinfo for more information about the Music in Action grant and the application process.