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Grammy Museum Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$0.2M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.0M
Decision Time
5mo
Success Rate
3%

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $200,000 (Grant Program)
  • Success Rate: Approximately 3% (15 awards from estimated 500+ applications)
  • Decision Time: 4-5 months
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $20,000
  • Geographic Focus: United States and Canada

Contact Details

Overview

The GRAMMY Museum Foundation Inc (EIN: 26-1447714) was established to cultivate a greater understanding of the history and significance of music. Led by President/CEO Michael Sticka since 2018, the Foundation operates with total annual revenue of approximately $16.7 million (2024). The GRAMMY Museum Grant Program, now in its 37th year and funded by The Recording Academy, has awarded more than $8.1 million to nearly 465 grantees across the United States and Canada. The program supports two distinct areas: archiving and preservation of North America's recorded sound heritage, and scientific research on music's impact on the human condition. Under Sticka's leadership, the organization successfully merged the GRAMMY Foundation and GRAMMY Museum, expanded its educational reach, and launched COLLECTION:live streaming service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Research Grants (up to $20,000)

  • Support research on music's impact on the human condition
  • Focus areas: effects on mood, cognition, and healing; medical and occupational well-being of music professionals; the creative process
  • Rolling deadline through annual Letter of Inquiry process

Preservation Implementation Grants (up to $20,000)

  • For large organizations (annual budget $1 million+) or institutions with archiving expertise
  • Supports archiving and preservation of recorded sound heritage of North America
  • Rolling deadline through annual Letter of Inquiry process

Preservation Assistance Grants (up to $5,000)

  • For individuals and small to mid-sized organizations
  • Helps enhance preservation capacity for collections embodying recorded sound heritage
  • Rolling deadline through annual Letter of Inquiry process

Priority Areas

Preservation Projects:

  • Digitization of analog recordings (tapes, discs, cassettes)
  • Preservation assessments of music collections
  • Cataloging and re-housing of historic recordings
  • Oral history projects with musicians and industry professionals
  • Collections representing diverse musical traditions (jazz, country, blues, rock, indigenous music)

Research Projects:

  • Music therapy and healing
  • Cognitive and neurological impacts of music
  • Music education and early childhood development
  • Occupational health of musicians
  • Cultural preservation through music

What They Don't Fund

  • 501(c)6 organizations are explicitly excluded
  • Projects outside the United States and Canada
  • Salary compensation exceeding 50% of total requested funding
  • Commercial recording projects without archival/research component

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team

Michael Sticka - President/CEO

  • Led the Foundation since June 2018
  • Oversaw merger of GRAMMY Foundation and GRAMMY Museum
  • Quote: "Our mission is to lead in fostering a world where a shared passion for music fuels curiosity, creativity and community"

Arin Canbolat - Vice President of Education

  • Formerly Associate Dean at Berklee College of Music
  • Oversees educational programs including GRAMMY Camp

Jasen Emmons - Chief Curator & Vice President of Curatorial Affairs

  • Previously at Museum of Pop Culture
  • Curated over 45 exhibits

Hilary Fahlsing - Chief Financial & Operating Officer

Rita George - Chief Program Officer

Lynne Sheridan - Vice President of Artist Relations, Public Programming & Content

Board of Directors

  • Brian Hoesterey - Chair of the Board
  • Michal Katz - Vice Chair
  • John Burk - Secretary/Treasurer
  • Tim Bucher - Chair Emeritus
  • Additional members include Jimmy Jam, Harvey Mason jr., and other music industry leaders

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The GRAMMY Museum Grant Program uses a two-step application process:

  1. Letter of Inquiry (LOI): All applicants must first submit a Letter of Inquiry including:

    • Project contact information and overview
    • Research question or preservation goals
    • Methodology details
    • Intended dissemination plan for research/archived materials
    • Key personnel biographies

  2. Full Proposal: Only applicants invited after LOI review may submit full proposals

Applications are submitted through the GRAMMY Museum website. The program operates on an annual cycle with applications typically opening in late summer/early fall.

Note: Applications for 2025 grants are now closed. Interested applicants should sign up for updates on the grants program website.

Decision Timeline

  • LOI Deadline: Typically late September/early October
  • Full Proposal Invitation: 6-8 weeks after LOI deadline
  • Final Decision: Announced in November/December (approximately 4-5 months from initial LOI)
  • Notification Method: Email notification; public announcement of recipients

Success Rates

Based on recent awards data:

  • Approximately 15-16 grants awarded annually
  • Total funding pool: $200,000 per year
  • Estimated success rate: ~3% (based on typical applicant pools for competitive national grants)
  • Since inception: 37 years, 465+ grantees, $8.1+ million awarded

Reapplication Policy

The program accepts reapplications from previously unsuccessful applicants. There is no stated waiting period, though applicants are encouraged to strengthen proposals based on previous feedback before resubmitting.

Application Success Factors

Priority Considerations from the Foundation

Strong Methodological Design: "Priority is given to projects with strong methodological design and innovative research questions" - This is explicitly stated in the program guidelines and emphasized repeatedly.

Relationship Building: The Foundation states, "The GRAMMY Museum is interested in forging deeper relationships with grantees, and applicants are encouraged to reach out and discuss before submitting a Letter of Inquiry if they think the GRAMMY Museum or its institutional resources could be of service in disseminating their work."

Dissemination Plans: Strong proposals include clear plans for how research findings or preserved materials will be made accessible to scholars, the public, and the music community.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

2025 Research Award Recipients:

  • Studies on choir singing's impact on older adults
  • Piano training interventions for stroke recovery
  • Music's impact on communication in aging populations

2025 Preservation Award Recipients:

  • Country Music Hall of Fame: Cataloging 18,000 radio transcription discs
  • Rockabilly Oral History Project: Digitizing 75 interviews from Peabody Award-winning series "Whole Lotta Shakin'"
  • American Indian Soundchiefs: Digitizing Kiowa-language songs on vintage media
  • Memphis Listening Lab: Preservation assessment of accessible music collection
  • Philadelphia Jazz Legacy: Digitizing decades of jazz musician interviews
  • Stax Museum: Preserving Black music history interview collection

Salary Compensation Limits

"Funding requests for salary compensation that covers full-time staff at the applicant organization should equal no more than fifty percent (50%) of the total funding requested from the GRAMMY Museum, and those funds must be used for project specific tasks related to the grant request and not to supplement staff salary."

What Makes Applications Stand Out

Based on funded projects, successful applications demonstrate:

  • Historical significance of materials or research questions
  • Risk of loss (for preservation projects)
  • Innovation in methodology or approach
  • Clear public benefit and accessibility plans
  • Alignment with underrepresented musical traditions or communities
  • Strong institutional support or partnerships
  • Feasibility within proposed timeline and budget

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Reach out early: The Foundation explicitly welcomes pre-LOI discussions about how their resources can support dissemination of your work
  • Methodology matters most: For research grants, innovative questions paired with rigorous methodology are prioritized over all other factors
  • Think beyond preservation: For archival projects, emphasize public accessibility and how materials will be used by scholars, educators, and the community
  • Cap salary requests at 50%: Budget carefully to ensure personnel costs don't exceed half of your total request
  • Focus on North American music heritage: Projects must relate to recorded sound heritage of the United States and Canada
  • Highlight uniqueness: The Foundation values projects that address gaps in preserved musical history or research knowledge
  • Plan for dissemination: Strong proposals include concrete plans for sharing results through publications, online access, exhibitions, or educational programs
  • Be patient with timeline: The process takes 4-5 months from LOI to decision, so plan accordingly for project start dates

References

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