Years ago I did some survey work to discover the biggest cause of stress in the lives of music educators. The answer? Funding. So I went to work finding more ways to get funding for music programs that didn’t require selling anything. 

I could take this moment to recount for you my personal experiences selling frozen goods, window clings, and candy bars from a box I carried around at school, but I’ll spare you. What I will tell you is that there are plenty of more passive – and more lucrative – ways to get funding for your program. 

For example, if you’re doing something in your program that no one else is doing, you can apply for an award from the Give a Note Foundation. Recipients not only receive funding, their programs also receive recognition. So let’s figure out how to submit a winning application, right? 

Joining us in this award application discussion is my friend Juliana Lee, who actually designed the award application for Give a Note. Juliana shares ideas on what makes a winning application, common mistakes to avoid, and what winners have to do to make sure they fulfill the terms of the grant.