GRANT GUIDELINES

WHO CAN APPLY

Students, teachers, administrators, parents, nonprofits and members of the community for projects that provide opportunities for students in the North Adams Public Schools to study and appreciate music.

GRANT INFORMATION

The Pauline Young Music Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is an endowed fund whose purpose is to provide opportunities to study and appreciate music to students in the North Adams Public Schools (NAPS).

The fund welcomes proposals from students, teachers, administrators, parents, non-profits and members of the community for projects. The fund is seeking proposals for grants from students, teachers, administrators, staff, parents, nonprofits and members of the community of the North Adams Public Schools for projects that will fulfill the purposes of the Fund.

NEW OPPORTUNITY: ORGANIZATIONAL GRANTS FOR ARTS INTEGRATION & EDUCATION

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation's Arts Build Community initiative is investing in how we can further strengthen the role of the arts and creativity as a vehicle for education, civic engagement and cultural awareness. The C4 Initiative through MCLA has established the Berkshire County Blueprint for Arts Integration and Education, a vision for what every young person in Berkshire County should have access to in arts learning given our region’s rich cultural assets. The Lee Educational Enrichment Fund is currently accepting grant applications from local organizations who wish to advance this effort within the school community. Grant awards will range from $2,500 to $5,000. To apply, visit our application portal for nonprofits.

ELIGIBILITY

Grants from the Pauline Young Music Fund will not replace public dollars for the school district. Possible projects include, but are certainly not limited to: purchase or rental of musical instruments, recording or performance equipment, tuition for private music instruction, artists-in-residence programs or field trips to musical performances.

Berkshire Taconic does not support organizations which in their constitution, by-laws, or practice, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief.

AWARDS

Grants awarded will generally range from $200 to $2,000 for the first several years as the fund builds its endowment.

REVIEW CRITERIA

Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:

• Excellence: Is the project or service truly of a high quality? Is it the right time for the project? Does it involve qualified individuals/groups?
• Impact: What is the potential impact of the project or service on the school community or individual student? This does not mean the number of people involved, but rather the quality of the impact.
• Ability: Is the project well thought out and feasible?

Applications will be reviewed by the governing board of the Gateway Fund which is the educational enrichment fund for the North Adams Public School District. This board is made up of community members, parents, teachers, students, the Superintendent and a member of the Board of Education. At least one member of the board has expertise in music. The recommendations will be reviewed by Berkshire Taconic’s board of directors.