CMS Fund
/OVERVIEW: The CMS Fund is a branch of the College Music Society, a consortium of musicians, conservators, and academics dedicated to promoting music research, education, creation, and outreach. It supports both students and educators, mostly for projects focused on instruction or community engagement.
IP TAKE: The fund’s awards may be modest, but they’re a good fit for music educators looking to gain recognition for teaching accomplishments or a professor or graduate student developing a community-centered project.
PROFILE: The CMS Fund is housed within The College Music Society, which was founded in 1958 when the College Music Association and the Society for Music in Liberal Arts Colleges merged into a single organization. The CMS Fund “supports exemplary and innovative projects of the Society’s members to bring to the wider public community the accomplishments of the music profession in higher education.” CMS has several grantmaking programs that support music and arts education.
Grants for Music and Arts Education
CMS offers three grant opportunities in the music space: CMS Instructional Technology Initiative Award, Community Engagement Seed Grants, and Education in Music.
The CMS Fund conducts grantmaking to music in higher education across all three of its programs. Its Seed Grant Support offers funding “for music projects that bring together participants in higher education and members of the local community,” particularly ones that “have potential for sustainability over time in local communities.” Individuals, organizations, and specific departments can all apply for this grant, which provides a $200 stipend.
The CMS Instructional Technology Initiative Award “recognizes exceptional contributions made by the CMS membership in demonstrating the effective use of technology to improve college music instruction.” The award recognizes an active CMS member who has demonstrated “exceptional initiative in integrating technology with college music instruction” for which they receive a $500 stipend.
Lastly, the Education in Music program offers $1,000 to recognize “established and ongoing, imaginative and effective programs of engagement by higher education music faculty members that further education in music with local or area organizations (e.g., schools, civic associations, faith organizations).”
The CMS Fund also provides grants for travel to the CMS National Conference for students and for those from underrepresented populations. The Robert M. Trotter Lecture program brings an outstanding music professional to the CMS National Conference.
Important Grant Details:
Grants are modest and range from $200 to $2,000. Grant seekers should review program guidelines before applying. Eligibility and guidelines can be found here. Applicants must be CMS members in order to be eligible for consideration. View current grantees here.
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