News from the Foundation
Bookmark this page to check out new reports, articles, and announcements from the IBMA Foundation!
IBMA Foundation 2024-2025 Year End Report
They say, “It’s all about the numbers,” and the IBMA Foundation numbers for the past fiscal year were pretty great! But more important are the names and faces, programs, stories, and wonderful bluegrass music behind each number. We’ll share some of both with you below.
Since the beginning of the Foundation in 2007, more than $530,000 has been awarded for grants, scholarships and programs.
This past year we awarded more than $74,400 in grants, scholarships, and program support.
More than 500 supporters shared in our mission to support the future of bluegrass music, with donations totaling $198,000.
We ended the 2024-25 fiscal year with $644,326 in net assets. The Foundation’s agency endowment funds totaled $539,431
Latest Info
Wernick Jam Camp scholarship available
August 23-28, Albany, New York The IBMA Foundation is pleased to announce that Bluegrass Hall of Famer Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick is offering a scholarship to his Silver Bay Bluegrass Camp August 23-28, 2026, as a donation to the Foundation. In its thirteenth year, the...
Shultz Fund grant report from Uganda
By Michael Stein The Arnold Shultz Foundation grant, “Finger Grass from the Serengeti Meets Kentucky" brings bluegrass music to African communities in Uganda. I’ve been teaching band to play a number of tunes via Zoom. They played a concert/jam session for the United...
The Bluegrass Showdown Returns
Back in the 1990s, Milton Harkey facilitated the Pizza Hut International Bluegrass Showdown on an international level. It was quite the adventure and it left a big mark on the genre of bluegrass music. Advance forward 35+ years: Harkey has decided to bring the...
Project Grant recipients announced for 2026
The IBMA Foundation recently awarded $20,000 in project grants to 11 bluegrass programs in eight states plus Canada. The Bill Breen Bluegrass Youth Education Fund will support one-third of the amount awarded for project grants in 2026. “An impressive list of...
Donor Spotlight: Pete Wernick
IBMA Foundation supporter Pete Wernick, of Niwot, Colorado, is known for his role (and rolls on the banjo) in the legendary band, Hot Rize. A long-time fan favorite with songs that have become standards in the genre, Hot Rize was inducted into IBMA’s Bluegrass Hall of...
IBMA Foundation announces Cassie Wright as new executive director, beginning April 1
The IBMA Foundation is pleased to announce Cassie Wright, of Chicago, Illinois, has been hired to serve as the organization’s new executive director beginning April 1, replacing Nancy Cardwell, who is retiring after 10 years with the IBMA Foundation and 20 years at...
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The IBMA Foundation
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