Apply HERE. The Mike Auldridge Memorial Scholarship awards one $1,000 – $2,000 scholarship to a student who is studying Dobro (resonator guitar), steel guitar, or acousitc guitar on the college .level. The deadline to apply is June 1, for a fall semester scholarship. Created by Howard Parker, the scholarship honors Bluegrass Hall of Fame member and legendary musician Mike Auldridge (1938-2012), The Auldridge scholarship is funded by an endowment at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. More info HERE.

Applications for Baucom grants may be made  throughout the year at this link. The Terry Baucom Bluegrass Education Grant is awarded in various amounts up to $500 to cover expenses of lessons, educational materials, instrument rental or purchase, workshops, and camps. There is no age limit for this grant. Both adults and young people are welcome to apply. Financial need will be considered but is not required to receive a Baucom grant. Terry Baucom (1952-2023), was a bluegrass musician known for his immediately recognizable, hard driving banjo style, as well as for his skills on fiddle and vocals. He led his own band, The Dukes of Drive, and he was a founding member of Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and IIIrd Tyme Out. He also performed with Charlie Moore, The New Quicksilver, BlueRidge, Lou Reid & Carolina, and others. The grant was established by his widow, Cindy Baucom, an award-winning bluegrass broadcaster and emcee. More info HERE.

Apply HERE. This scholarship named in memory of bluegrass singer and multi-instrumentalist Gloria Belle, helps with expenses at college or technical training institutes for bluegrass musicians and singers, or individuals studying behind-the-scenes subjects like sound engineering, broadcasting, event projection, photography, videography, publicity, marketing, graphic design, instrument building, and more. The annual scholarship amount is $1,000 – $2,000. Deadline to apply: June 1. More info HERE.

Applications for Fletcher Bright grants may be made  throughout the year at this link. The Fletcher Bright Memorial Grant for  Young Musicians is awarded in various amounts up to $500 to cover expenses of lessons, educational materials, instrument rental or purchase, workshops, and camps. Bluegrass musicians age 21 and younger, at all levels of skill, may apply for assistance. Financial need will be considered but is not required to receive a Bright grant. The grant honors Fletcher White Bright (1931-2017), a lifelong resident of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, who led a residential and commercial development company with offices in Chattanooga and Atlanta. One of the world’s great traditional old time and bluegrass fiddlers, Fletcher was a lover and supporter of all things bluegrass, and his vast repertoire of fiddle tunes is legendary. More info HERE. 

Apply HERE. J. D. Crowe Banjo Scholarships are awarded to individuals planning to study the banjo on the college level or play the banjo in a college-level bluegrass ensemble. Applicants must already demonstrate a high level of performance skills on the five-string banjo and plan to become involved in the bluegrass music industry on a professional level. Longtime friend and fellow Kentucky bluegrass musician Arthur Hancock III has donated the initial funds to endow the scholarship for the benefit of banjo players for generations to come. Hancock’s son, Arthur Hancock IV, a former member of the IBMA Foundation board of directors, was also instrumental in creating the scholarship in Crowe’s memory.  The deadline to apply is June 1, for a scholarship in the fall. The annual scholarship ranges from $1,000 – $2,000. More info HERE.

Apply HERE. The Katy Daley Broadcast Media/Sound Engineering Scholarship will be awarded annually to individuals planning to study broadcasting or sound engineering at college or in a continuing education program with a bluegrass music focus. Eligible areas of study include radio, television, digital media, recorded sound engineering and mastering, live sound engineering, and related disciplines. Applicants must plan to become involved in the bluegrass music industry on a professional level and be current IBMA members. (See ibma.org to join IBMA.) The deadline to apply is June 1, for a fall semester scholarship. There is no age limit for this scholarship. Adults seeking continuing education or training in broadcasting or engineering are also encouraged to apply. Annual scholarship amount is $2,000. The scholarship is funded by Katy Daley and Bill Brown, along with other supporters. More info HERE.

Apply HERE. The IBMA Bluegrass College Scholarship grants one $1,000 – $2,000 scholarship to a student who is studying bluegrass music or a related major on the college level. The deadline to apply is June 1, for a fall semester scholarship. The successful applicant will be a student planning a career in the bluegrass music industry. Photo above: Bluegrass Hall of Famer Lance LeRoy, who organized the first meetings of the International Bluegrass Music Association in the mid-1980s.

Apply HERE. The Rick Lang Music Songwriter Scholarship is a $2,000 award to a student majoring in a subject related to songwriting. Applicants must be IBMA members (www.ibma.org).  Rick Lang (above) is a GRAMMY-nominated writer who serves as the chair of the IBMA Songwriter Committee and volunteers with the IBMA Songwriter Mentor Program. This scholarship is supported by an endowment at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee which was initially funded by Rick and Wendy Lang. Contact us if you would like to help to support the future of bluegrass songwriting with a donation to this scholarship.  Application deadline: June 1. More Info HERE.

The Neil Rosenberg Bluegrass Scholar Award is an annual cash award, presented to the developing academic scholar who presents the best paper accepted by a juried academic conference on an aspect of bluegrass music. The recipient will receive a $500 honorarium plus admission to the next IBMA Business Conference and Awards Show. The deadline to apply for this annual award is June 30. More info HERE.