We’re nearing the season of Thanksgiving in the U.S., and the IBMA Foundation has a lot to be thankful for! More than 500 supporters pitched in to help during the past fiscal year, with contributions totaling over $198,000. We awarded more than $74,400 in grants, scholarships, and programs. Since the Foundation’s beginning in 2007, over $530,000 has been awarded. We are more grateful than ever for those who are helping to build a brighter future for bluegrass music!
Please join us in this valuable work with a tax-deductible donation or bequest to the IBMA Foundation. If you have already done so recently, we thank you and ask that you share this info with a friend. Together, we can make a difference in the world through the powerful artistry and community of bluegrass music.
Here’s a recap of what you helped us to accomplish this past fiscal year, July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025. The Foundation awarded or hosted:
7 Bluegrass in the Schools Mini-grants to schools in Kentucky, Illinois, North Carolina, New York, and West Virginia
5 college scholarships for students in Tennessee, Kentucky, Delaware, and Pennsylvania
9 Fletcher Bright Memorial Grants for Young Musicians for lessons and camp tuition at the Ashokan Center Bluegrass Camp, Brevard Music Center (Blue Ridge Banjo Camp), the ETSU Bluegrass Camp, the Idaho Bluegrass & Banjo Camp, Michigan Academy of Folk Music (lessons), Rocky Grass Academy, and mandolin lessons in Texas
8 Terry Baucom Bluegrass Education grants for students of all ages, to assist with studies at Brevard Music Center (Blue Ridge Banjo Camp), the Idaho Bluegrass & Banjo Camp, the Midwest Banjo Camp, and Live Oak Fiddle Camp
1 Emcee Masterclass – part 2 seminar at World of Bluegrass 2024 featuring Katy Daley, Cindy Baucom, Jim Lauderdale, and Ben Wright, with a recording available on the Foundation website for on-demand viewing
1 Demystifying Grant Writing webinar free to the public, with video and handout available on the website for on-demand viewing
2 nights of Bluegrass College Band Showcases at the 2024 World of Bluegrass: 10 bands from nine states
1 Bluegrass College Info Session at World of Bluegrass week for high schoolers, their parents, and others interested in bluegrass college programs and scholarships with an all-college jam at the end!
1 New Bill Breen Bluegrass Youth Education Fund ($50,000) established by an anonymous donor to honor the memory of banjo player and Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business professor, Bill Breen
15 Project grants awarded in eight states plus Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and China, including six grants to afterschool Junior Appalachian Musician programs
8 Arnold Shultz Fund grants to encourage participation in bluegrass by people of color, with grants awarded in four states, China, Kenya, Thailand, and Uganda. A task force from the Foundation’s Shultz Fund Advisory Committee was honored to write and record the video script for Arnold Shultz’s 2025 induction into the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
Since June 30, 2025:
The Bluegrass College Band Showcase held Sept. 19-20 at World of Bluegrass (WOB) in Chattanooga featured 12 bands from Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The Biscuits for Bluegrass breakfast, held Sept. 20 at WOB with VIP artists, a silent auction, and a sumptuous country breakfast, raised more than $22,000. Truly a highlight of the week!
A first-time reception for college showcase band students at WOB (sponsored by Laurie Greenberg) was incredibly fun, with lots of pizza and jamming.
The Foundation now administers seven college scholarships; the Rosenberg Bluegrass Scholar Award (recipient Nathaniel Mitchell, University of Delaware) sponsored in 2025 and 2026 by Paolo Dettwiler; educational grants named for Terry Baucom, Bill Breen, and Fletcher Bright; multiple project grants; and Arnold Shultz Fund grants. More than 70 people gathered at a WOB reception Sept. 18 sponsored by Rick and Wendy Lang to honor scholarship and grant recipients.
The prize for the next Strings for Dreams Bluegrass Raffle in the spring is a 2022 Herringbone Martin D-35 guitar, donated by Dr. Richard Brown. Stay tuned for more info April 1, 2026!
The Pisgah Banjo Company’s custom banjo raffle to benefit the IBMA Foundation’s Arnold Shultz Fund is running now through Dec. 31, 2025. Here’s the link: Arnold Shultz Fund Banjo 2025 Raffle Tickets $20 each – Pisgah Banjo Co
Thanks for considering a year-end gift to the IBMA Foundation, and most of all, thanks for all you do every day to share bluegrass music in your corner of the globe. We appreciate you. Your donation to the IBMA Foundation can change the world with bluegrass music!
Sincerely,
Nancy Cardwell, IBMA Foundation Executive Director
info@bluegrassfoundation.org, (615) 260-4807
Board members: Trisha Tubbs (chair/president), Alan Tompkins (vice-chair), Wendy Tyner (treasurer), Mona Salyer (secretary), Kissy Black, Dr. Sam Blumenthal, Katy Daley, Laurie Greenberg, Michael Hall, Susan Newberry, Matthew Royles, Dr. Peter Salovey, Mark Schuster, Lillian Werbin, Ken White (IBMA), John Young.
The IBMA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports programs fostering the growth of bluegrass music through charitable giving. We are a growing foundation with an international reach that provides a way for donors to create a lasting bluegrass legacy. Check out bluegrassfoundation.org, get involved, and let’s work together to support a wonderful, bright future for bluegrass music!
RETURN to the November 2025 issue of The Cornerstone.
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