Applications for Arnold Shultz Fund grants are due January 31, 2026. The Shultz Fund was established in 2020 by the IBMA Foundation and funded by donors to encourage participation in bluegrass music by people of color, an underrepresented group. People with racial/ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in bluegrass: Black, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous First People, Indigenous Pacific Islander, etc. Applicants may be individuals, schools, groups, organizations, or government entities. Priority will be given to programs, activities, or individuals that demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and serving diverse, underrepresented populations in bluegrass music. Qualified individual applicants may also inquire throughout the year about support on a case-by-case basis.
Go to this link to read about the Shultz Fund grants awarded in 2025, plus those dating back to 2021. CLICK HERE to apply for an Arnold Shultz Fund grant.
Please view the Arnold Shultz Fund video HERE.
Arnold Shultz (1886-1931) was a Black musician from western Kentucky. Best known as an extraordinary guitarist and fiddle player, Shultz often played with Bill Monroe’s fiddle-playing uncle, Pendleton (“Pen”) Vandiver. It was at these gigs that Monroe met Arnold Shultz and began to emulate his backup guitar style. Shultz was impressed enough with Monroe’s progress that he hired Monroe to play guitar with him at dances, thereby giving Monroe his first jobs as a professional musician. Monroe often credited Shultz with influencing his approach to playing music. Arnold Shultz was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) in 2025, in the “early contributions” category.
The deadline to apply for the next round of Arnold Shultz Fund grants is January 31, 2026.
For information on applying for an Arnold Shultz Fund grant, becoming a sponsor of an IBMA Foundation Arnold Shultz Fund project or individual grant, or making a donation to the Arnold Shultz Fund, please visit bluegrassfoundation.org or email info@bluegrassfoundation.org.
RETURN to the January 2026 issue of The Cornerstone.
RETURN to the December 2025 issue of The Cornerstone.
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