Musicians Benevolent Fund

Guidelines for Organisation Applicants

The Musicians Benevolent Fund makes awards to organisations based in the UK or Ireland which provide specialist training or performance opportunities for outstanding young musicians in any genre of music. Applications are only accepted from organisations working on a national level with a national reputation, which can demonstrate the promotion of exceptional musical talent. Organisations may apply for core funding or for funding towards a specific area of their work.

The amount of funding offered depends on the particular needs of each organisation and the scope of its operation. Awards are unlikely to be for less than £1,000 and the current maximum award is £20,000.

If an award is offered to your organisation, it is likely to be for one year in the first instance, although ongoing awards are often made for a three-year period.

Enquiries should be made in the first instance to awards@mbf.org.uk.

How and When to Apply

If your organisation meets the criteria in Guidelines for Applicants, please email awards@mbf.org.uk giving brief details of:

• your organisation and its aims
• the project for which you are applying for funding

If we may be able to fund your organisation or project, we will suggest you make a formal application. The formal application should consist of the following:

• a covering letter (2 sides of A4 maximum) describing your organisation and its aims, and the project for which you are applying for funding
• a budget for the project including income and expenditure and stating the amount of funding you require
• your latest annual report and audited accounts

The closing dates in 2010 for receiving applications are:

Tuesday 26 January
Tuesday 20 April
Tuesday 24 August
Tuesday 26 October

Applications are considered by the Musicians Benevolent Fund Awards and Professional Development Committee and decisions made by the Committee are final.

Details of organisations currently supported by the Fund are available here.