These grants support organizations that present performances of classical music in Chittenden County. Funds are limited to the support of public performances and cannot support music education or other programs.

Applications to the Concert Artists Fund will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Funds will support performances of classical music in Chittenden County
• Artistic quality, as demonstrated in work samples
  Capacity of the organization to present the performance(s) for which funds are requested
• Clear plan to ensure that the performance(s) will be open to the public and attended by a broad audience, including underserved populations
• Reasonable and appropriate budget and demonstrated ability to raise the funds needed for the project

The fund appreciates opportunities to support collaborations or unique partnerships resulting in excellent programming.

The Concert Artist Fund will not support:

• Arts education programs *
• Art for religious purposes
• Capital campaigns or debt reduction
• Expenses that have already been incurred
• Events that occur before grants are awarded

*A note on art education programs: the Vermont Community Foundation recognizes that art education programs for youth and adults are a critical component of the life-long learning that helps create healthy and vital Vermont communities. The Foundation will consider art education programs through several grant programs, including Spark Connecting Community and many of our regional programs such as the Walter Cerf Fund, the Green Mountain Fund, and the Northeast Kingdom Fund.

All applicants to programs at the Vermont Community Foundation must meet the guidelines outlined in the General Applicant Guidelines and Requirements found on our For Nonprofits page.

Up to $20,000 over two years—$10,000 per year for each year of the two-year funding period. The average grant size is $5,500 per year.

The Concert Artist Fund switched to a two year grant cycle in 2016. Grants awarded will be for two years of funding distributed in two equal annual payments, conditional on receipt of a successful first year report and confirmed plans to continue presenting qualified work in the coming year.

Grant activities must take place between June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2027 to be eligible for funding.

Concert Artists Fund 2025 Deadline:

• The Concert Artists Fund runs a competitive process every two years.
• Applications will be accepted between March 4 – April 15, 2025. Applications must be received by 5PM on Tuesday, April 15 in order to be considered.
• We anticipate notifying applicants of grant decisions by early June. Grant funds cannot cover activities that have already taken place; please keep the notification timeline and grant term in mind as you prepare your application. Grants can be used to cover activities beginning in June 2025 and extending through June 2027.

Notifications on approved and denied applications will be made by email to the email address used to submit the application. Notification timelines are approximate. If you have not received an email, you can check your organization’s email history in your Online Grants Manager account.

Spark Connecting Community 2025 Deadline:

• The Spark Connecting Community grant program will offer one competitive grant round in 2025.
• Applications will be accepted between April 1 – May 13, 2025. Applications must be received by 5PM on Tuesday, May 13 in order to be considered.
• We anticipate notifying applicants of grant decisions by late June. Grants can be used to cover activities beginning in June 2025 and extending through June 2026.

For more information on the status of your application, please contact grants@vermontcf.org or 802-388-3355 opt. 6.

Notifications on approved and denied applications will be made by email to the email address used to submit the application. Notification timelines are approximate. If you have not received an email, you can check your organization’s email history in your Online Grants Manager account.

All applications must be submitted electronically. Visit the Resources for Grantseekers section on our For Nonprofits page to learn how and to register for a new account. Or, access your existing account.

To help you prepare, preview a sample of the application. Please note that this is a PDF sample and not the actual application. To view and begin working on the application, login to the Online Grants Manager (OGM).

With questions about the Concert Artists Fund, please contact Jane Mulcahy.

• Email: jmulcahy@vermontcf.org
• Phone: 802-388-3355 ext. 381