For the first half of 2021, the D’Addario Foundation awarded $218,000 in grant funding and in-kind product donations to 74 music education programs across the country. Of those 74 programs, 20 are new grantees to the Foundation’s grant program. The Foundation awarded $176,000 in monetary and $42,000 in product support.
The D’Addario Foundation set an ambitious goal to keep music for social change thriving through the difficulties of the past year. In 2021, they accepted proposals for support from organizations successfully conducting learning either in-person, in hybrid form, or online. While there are still challenges, D’Addario Foundation grant winners have bravely and optimistically forged ahead, investing in technology, leaning on the creativity and generosity of their teachers, and even developing innovative ways to capitalize on the virtual environment – all while ensuring safety, equity, and access to their students. In these isolating times for children, there is no doubt that the communal aspect of these programs provides a much-needed sense of belonging and joy.
Each of these 74 programs receiving support from the D’Addario Foundation worked tirelessly to quickly develop innovative responses to the impacts of COVID-19 on their programming. For example, grantee El Sistema Santa Cruz/Pajaro Valley intuitively knew they needed to re-direct their efforts towards the most vulnerable during the pandemic. Giving priority to students who have difficulty with distance learning due to housing struggles and connectivity issues, the organization went to great lengths to set up safe in-person pods for those students in partnership with local school districts. Additionally, El Sistema Santa Cruz/Pajaro Valley’s teaching artists recently began providing daycare services for children of essential workers, monitoring classwork in the morning and teaching music in the afternoon.
“By supporting students through in-person program such as Safe Spaces and providing a platform for the voices of students through all the different ways to do music (ensemble work, peer to peer teaching, mentoring, improvising and composing) El Sistema Santa Cruz/Pajaro Valley is in the unique position to provide much needed social-emotional support, alleviating the sense of loss and anxiety triggered by the isolation imposed by the pandemic and giving both parents and their children a way to cope” says Isabelle Tuncer, Executive Director of El Sistema Santa Cruz/Pajaro Valley.
The D’Addario Foundation conducts two grant cycles per year where organizations may apply for support after first submitting an initial letter of inquiry. Prospective non-profits must clearly illustrate critical elements for success including intensity & need, leadership strength, sustainability, and community commitment.
100% of donations to the D’Addario Foundation go directly to supporting & expanding their initiatives which include their grant-making, college scholarship fund, Music Education for Girls Initiative, and more. To learn more and make a contribution, visit daddariofoundation.org.
