MBDA Grant
Special Projects Grant Information/Summary
Updated 2/21/23
The Special Projects Grant is available to assist MBDA members in the pursuit of providing extra opportunities to their students. The monies are meant to support performing ensembles with funds, including but not limited to commissioning a piece of music, bringing in guest artist(s)/clinician(s), and group travel to MMEA. Funds are geared toward a one-time happening and should not be used for a recurring event.
Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. No indirect expenses are allowed. In addition, no amount is guaranteed for each year’s grant cycle; rather, the MBDA Board of Directors will take each application into consideration and disburse funds as deemed appropriate. Should the approved project or activity not take place, the grant funds must be returned in full to the Minnesota Band Directors Association within 60 days after the scheduled event.
Applications are accepted throughout the year (there is no deadline or grant award cycle). Please allow 60 days for board approval after submission of your application.
Forms can be submitted to
Eligibility
- Applicant must be a current K-12 band director and Minnesota Band Director Association member
- Full or partial requests may be granted
- Previously awarded schools must wait three (3) years before reapplying
- MBDA Executive board members are not eligible
- Regions as an entity are eligible for a grant Application includes:
- MBDA Special Projects Grant Application
- An essay answering the following questions: o What is the special project?
- How does the proposed project fulfill the mission statement of the Minnesota Band Directors Association: “The Mission of the Minnesota Band Directors Association is to support and develop music educators and students through performance, research, dialogue and best practices.”
- What are the goals of the proposed project? How would the proposed project help meet the goals of your program?
- How does the proposed project increase the variety of arts opportunities in the community or attempt new approaches to existing arts programs?
- What are the marketing and publicity plans for your event?
- Tell us about the community involvement and support for the project (e.g.: in kind contributions, community partnerships, collaboration with other organizations, etc.)
- How does the project meet some of the artistic needs of your community?
- Budget proposal, with cost break down of event, and name of who MBDA check(s) would need to be made out to upon the awarding of funds
- 3 Links or work sample submission of artist/composer/other (if applicable).
- Contact information for three (3) references
All application materials can be mailed to Chippewa Middle School, Attn: Nathan Blinn, 5000 Hodgson Road, North Oaks, MN 55126 or emailed to
Grant Review Process
MBDA meetings are closed to the public. Only information offered on the application forms and supplemental resources will be reviewed. Applications are then ranked. It is possible that projects will be approved for partial funding. If an applicant is awarded and accepts partial funding, a revised budget must be submitted to the MBDA within 30 days. If an applicant is awarded partial funding and declines, the funding may be awarded to the next applicant on the ranking list. An Executive Board Member working in the same district as an applicant must declare a conflict of interest and recuse him/herself from the discussion and voting on that individual project decision.
Criteria:
- Application includes all of the required materials
- Project fits the mission of the MBDA
- Not for continuing or yearly functions but geared toward a one-time event
- School diversity
- Number of students impacted by project
- School has not received this award within the past three (3) years
- Funds may not pay salary expenses
- Funds may not include normal expenses covered by school budgets (instruments, music, building renovation, etc.)
- Three (3) recordings of work samples or links to work samples (youtube, facebook, other electronic sources) of artist/composer/other meet MBDA standards
- How well the resources meet the project goals
- How well the project meets or advances the artistic goals of the organization
- How the project increase the variety of arts opportunities in the community or attempts new approaches to existing arts programs
- How the proposed project stands out among similar efforts of other educators in different areas
- Does the application demonstrate there is community involvement and support for the project? (i.e.: in kind contributions, community partnerships, collaboration with other organizations, etc.)
- How the project meets some of the artistic needs of the community
- Project budget is feasible and demonstrates fiscal responsibility
- Marketing and publicity plans are appropriate for the project and organization
- Per person subsidy is appropriate to the needs and goals of the project
Grant Recipient Responsibilities
- Sign and submit the grant acceptance responsibilities form
- Include the following statement on all promotional materials and programs: “This activity is made possible in part, through a grant from the Minnesota Band Directors Association.”
- The project must be carried out as proposed in the original plans, including venues, dates, budget, and project focus and scope. All revisions must receive prior approval from the MBDA Board or funding for the project may be revoked requiring the awarded funds be returned. Contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . to get approval on plan revisions. - Submit any promotional materials, programs, audio/video recordings (can be mailed or have web links submitted) within 60 days after the project completion/date that the event takes place.
- Submit the post project review form “Special Projects Closeout” within 60 days after project completion/date that the event takes place.