The Arnold Shultz Fund, established by the IBMA Foundation to encourage participation in bluegrass music by people of color, has raised more than $30,000 in less than two months thanks to enthusiastic support from the bluegrass community, including a major unsolicited gift from banjo player/comedian Steve Martin.

Shultz Fund Advisory Committee co-chairs Dr. Richard Brown and Neil V. Rosenberg, PhD, are in the process of recruiting additional members before making plans on how to best utilize the funds. Erika Brady, PhD, a professor of folk studies at Western Kentucky University, has also joined the committee.

Thanks to the following donors who have helped this worthwhile initiative get off to a strong start:

Eric H. Arnold, Chip Bach, Fred Bartenstein, Richard Brown, Mary Burdette, Amanda Campeau, Nancy Cardwell, Thomas Cassell, Ethan Charles, Danny Clark, The Denver Bluegrass Allstars, Mark Dillon, Jerry Eicher, Venetia Ember Everly, Bill Foster, Debora George, Margaret Gerteis, Richard Hawkins, Casey Henry, David Hershey-Webb, Jim Hughes, Emma John, Ursula Jones, Benjamin Krakauer, Jordan Laney, Jen Larson, Edward Lick, Steve Martin Charitable Foundation, Kathleen McMahon, Greg Miller, Alan Niederland, Glenda Olszowy, Akira Otsuka, Betsy Perkins, Kristen Preston, James Reams, Kathy Sacra-Anderson, Annie Savage, Bonnie Schwarz, Jon Shore, Tim Stafford, Travis Stimeling, Lee & Lydia Stiver, Kevin Dean Stouth, Trisha Tubbs, Wayne Tuckson, Jon Weisberger, and Stan Werbin.