The IBMA Foundation recently awarded $25,000 in project grants to 15 bluegrass programs in eight states plus Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and China. The number of applications was up this year at 37, compared to 21 in 2024.
“A diverse list of recipients for 2025 will support bluegrass education for both young people and adults,” said IBMA Foundation Board Chair and President Trisha Tubbs. “We are grateful to donors who continue to support the Foundation. Their generosity has helped to support very deserving programs.”
Several project grants will help to establish or set up Junior Appalachian Musician (J.A.M.) after school programs for children in grades 4-8 and beyond. Their mission is to provide local communities in the Appalachian region with the tools and support they need to teach children to play and dance to traditional old-time and bluegrass music. IBMA Foundation project grants will go to J.A.M. programs in these areas:
Arthurdale Heritage; Arthurdale, West Virginia; grant to start a new J.A.M. program for students in Preston County, West Virginia.
Chamber of Commerce, Hancock/Sneedville, Tennessee; Sneedville, Tennessee; to support a J.A.M. program in Hancock county for four 12-week sessions, benefitting more than 30 students. The Gladson family leads the Hancock J.A.M. program.
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center; Smoky Mountain J.A.M.; Townsend, Tennessee; grant to support the J.A.M. program for students in the Smoky Mountain National Park region of east Tennessee.
Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.); Independence, Virginia; grant to support the national J.A.M. Teacher Certification training program and donation of two banjos to be used by students with financial need.
Monongalia Arts Center; Morganton, West Virginia; grant to support a J.A.M. afterschool program for 4th and 5th graders held at the Monongalia Arts Center. An estimated 40 students in grades 4-8 will participate in the 14-week program planned for spring 2025 and fall 2026.
Museum & Cultural Center at 5ive Points; Junior Appalachian Musicians – Ocoee Region; Cleveland, Tennessee; grant to support a local J.A.M. chapter that plans to increase participation to 40 students for the next school year.
Additional project grants will go to:
The European Bluegrass Music Association; Dornach, Switzerland; grant to support the European Bluegrass Summit 2025 in Prague, Czech Republic, featuring three days of workshops, panel discussions, and concerts. This event marks the return of EBMA’s flagship annual conference after a 10-year hiatus, revitalizing its role in fostering collaboration and innovation within the bluegrass community.
Jam Pak Blues and Bluegrass; Chandler, Arizona; grant to support training student participants in simple maintenance and repair by professional luthiers and musicians. Jam Pak has been given many instruments, and they want to learn to maintain them and not let them fall into disrepair.
Louisville Folk School; Youth Bluegrass Summer Camp; Louisville, Kentucky; grant to support three weeks of youth summer camps. Each week-long camp will serve 20 children, age 5-12, who will learn to play traditional bluegrass instruments and be inspired by the musicians leading the camps.
Queen Bee Music Association; Santa Fe, New Mexico; grant to support a bluegrass music education program which introduces young people to bluegrass music through music camps, jams, concerts, and outreach.
Savannah Music Festival; “Hazel Dickens at 100: Della Mae, featuring special guests Laurie Lewis and Alice Gerrard;” Savannah, Georgia; grant to support a one-day concert celebrating the life and impact of Hazel Dickens in April, 2025.
ScreenDoor Songwriter Alliance; “Helene: My Story, My Song: Using Songwriting to Reduce Traumatic Distress and Promote Personal Well-being and Community Healing After Hurricane Helene;” Asheville, North Carolina; grant to support three songwriting workshops and performances at three high schools where students are determined to be at risk for, or exhibiting PTSD-like symptomology, as a consequence of Hurricane Helene. The team, directed by Louisa Branscomb, Ph.D., includes accomplished bluegrass musicians who also possess specific training or experience in the areas of mental health/counseling/crisis service.
Eric Shi; Educational videos for Chinese bluegrass students; Yunnan Province, China; grant to help fund production and travel for the creation of YouTube educational song videos with other Chinese musicians using traditional bluegrass and traditional Chinese instruments. Shi also hopes to further interest and participation in bluegrass music in China.
Kevin Slick; Free Strings; Winchester, Virginia; The creation of the Free Strings educational program was funded previously by an IBMA Foundation project grant to Annie Savage. The 2025 grant will help fund implementation of the Free Strings program in 50 schools.
West Virginia Academy; High school bluegrass band; Morgantown, West Virginia; Donation of one banjo and case to help establish a course of study that will include learning to play and perform bluegrass music.
The IBMA Foundation supports programs and initiatives that foster the growth of bluegrass music. The Foundation helps donors create a bluegrass legacy through charitable donations and planned giving by supporting programs focused on bluegrass-related arts and culture, education, literary work, and historic preservation. Information about all grants and scholarships awarded by the IBMA Foundation may be found at https://bluegrassfoundation.org. For information on how to sponsor one or more IBMA Foundation project grants, contact executive director Nancy Cardwell at (615) 260-4807 or info@bluegrassfoundation.org.
RETURN to the February 2025 issue of The Cornerstone.
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