The IBMA Foundation, the charitable and philanthropic arm of the International Bluegrass Music Association, has announced the recipients of their 2025 project grants. These are given to organizations worldwide that are fostering the growth of bluegrass music, the primary focus of the Foundation.
Foundation Board Chair Trisha Tubbs says that these grants, for which parties apply throughout the year, nicely accomplish their educational efforts.
“A diverse list of recipients for 2025 will support bluegrass education for both young people and adults. We are grateful to donors who continue to support the Foundation. Their generosity has helped to support very deserving programs.”
Receiving grants this year are:
- Arthurdale Heritage; Arthurdale, West Virginia – grant to start a new Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) program for students in Preston County, West Virginia.
- Chamber of Commerce, Hancock/Sneedville, Tennessee; Sneedville, Tennessee – to support a Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) program in Hancock county for four 12-week sessions, benefitting more than 30 students. The Gladson family leads the Hancock J.A.M. program.
- Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center; Smoky Mountain J.A.M.; Townsend, Tennessee – grant to support the Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) program for students in the Smoky Mountain National Park region of east Tennessee.
- Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.); Independence, Virginia – grant to support the national Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) Teacher Certification training program and donation of two banjos to be used by students with financial need.
- Monongalia Arts Center; Morganton, West Virginia – grant to support a Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) afterschool program for 4th and 5th graders held at the Monongalia Arts Center. An estimated 40 students in grades 4-8 will participate in the 14-week program planned for spring 2025 and fall 2026.
- Museum & Cultural Center at 5ive Points; Junior Appalachian Musicians; Ocoee Region; Cleveland, Tennessee – grant to support a local Junior Appalachian Musicians (J.A.M.) chapter that plans to increase participation to 40 students for the next school year.
- The European Bluegrass Music Association; Dornach, Switzerland – grant to support the European Bluegrass Summit 2025 in Prague, Czech Republic, featuring three days of workshops, panel discussions, and concerts. This event marks the return of EBMA’s flagship annual conference after a 10-year hiatus, revitalizing its role in fostering collaboration and innovation within the bluegrass community.
- Jam Pak Blues and Bluegrass; Chandler, Arizona – grant to support training student participants in simple maintenance and repair by professional luthiers and musicians. Jam Pak has been given many instruments, and they want to learn to maintain them and not let them fall into disrepair.
- Louisville Folk School; Youth Bluegrass Summer Camp; Louisville, Kentucky – grant to support three weeks of youth summer camps. Each week-long camp will serve 20 children, age 5-12, who will learn to play traditional bluegrass instruments and be inspired by the musicians leading the camps.
- Queen Bee Music Association; Santa Fe, New Mexico – grant to support a bluegrass music education program which introduces young people to bluegrass music through music camps, jams, concerts, and outreach.
- Savannah Music Festival; Hazel Dickens at 100: Della Mae, featuring special guests Laurie Lewis and Alice Gerrard; Savannah, Georgia – grant to support a one-day concert celebrating the life and impact of Hazel Dickens in April, 2025.
- ScreenDoor Songwriter Alliance; Helene: My Story, My Song: Using Songwriting to Reduce Traumatic Distress and Promote Personal Well-being and Community Healing After Hurricane Helene; Asheville, North Carolina – grant to support three songwriting workshops and performances at three high schools where students are determined to be at risk for, or exhibiting PTSD-like symptomology, as a consequence of Hurricane Helene. The team, directed by Louisa Branscomb, Ph.D., includes accomplished bluegrass musicians who also possess specific training or experience in the areas of mental health/counseling/crisis service.
- Eric Shi; Educational videos for Chinese bluegrass students; Yunnan Province, China – grant to help fund production and travel for the creation of YouTube educational song videos with other Chinese musicians using traditional bluegrass and traditional Chinese instruments. Shi also hopes to further interest and participation in bluegrass music in China.
- Kevin Slick; Free Strings; Winchester, Virginia – The creation of the Free Strings educational program was funded previously by an IBMA Foundation project grant to Annie Savage. The 2025 grant will help fund implementation of the Free Strings program in 50 schools.
- West Virginia Academy; High school bluegrass band; Morgantown, West Virginia – Donation of one banjo and case to help establish a course of study that will include learning to play and perform bluegrass music.
The IBMA Foundation depends on the financial support of donors, and can accept both one-off contributions and every sort of planned giving. Donations can be tied to specific grants, scholarships, or efforts of the Foundation, and the number of grants and the amount of money given is dependent on these contributions.
You can find out about giving to the IBMA Foundation online.
