The Presser Foundation is pleased to announce new Capital Support grants totaling $976,500 in single-year and multi-year grants to 24 music organizations, with $611,500 to be distributed this fiscal year. An additional $125,000 will be given this year for previous commitments. A complete listing by category of the grantee organizations is below.
These grants are awarded for capital projects of music organizations primarily in the Greater Philadelphia area. Capital projects include the construction of new facilities, the renovation or expansion of existing facilities, and organizations’ equipment, technology, hardware, and software needs as they create innovative, uplifting, and diverse music programming.
Our grantees are stewards of the spaces where residents enjoy, perform, and learn music. Each grant represents their vision to expand, modernize, and renew the spaces they’re in.
This year’s funded projects tell a story about what it takes to sustain a thriving musical community. With regards to technology, organizations are building and expanding recording studios that will give youth opportunities to produce and record their own music, while also giving other emerging artists professional-quality access without professional-level costs. Equipment grants were awarded to organizations supporting mobile music labs in bringing programming to Title I schools and non-traditional community venues, while others received funding for sound systems that enable consistent, high-quality performance across multiple performance sites. On the facilities side, grants are supporting roof replacements that protect irreplaceable performance spaces, new outdoor venues designed for community gathering, and rehearsal annexes that give students dedicated room to grow. Behind the scenes, these grants will help consolidate fragmented digital archives, update aging infrastructure, and support the adoption of software tools that help small staffs operate with greater sustainability and reach.
Chris Rinaldi, Chair of the Capital Support Committee, reflected on what this cycle of funding represents: “The infrastructure of musical life is what makes everything else possible – and this round of grants is a testament to how seriously our region’s organizations are thinking about their futures. The roof that keeps the concert hall dry, the recording studio that gives a student their first professional experience, the software that keeps a two-person staff running – these investments are the foundation on which great music gets made, and on which access to music depends. We’re proud to stand behind that work.”
2025-26 Capital Support Grantees (in alphabetical order by category)
Equipment, Technology, Hardware, Software Projects – $285,100 in one- and multi-year grants
- Artcinia – $12,250
- Beyond the Bars – $40,000
- Choral Arts Philadelphia – $7,500
- Elevate Vocal Arts – $11,000
- Esperanza – $14,250
- FamFrequency Productions – $6,400
- Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra – $4,500
- Jersey Surf – $27,500
- Lyric Fest – $12,500
- Musicopia – $20,000 multi-year grant
- Piffaro, The Renaissance Band – $8,700
- Princeton Symphony Orchestra – $40,000 multi-year grant
- PRISM Quartet – $6,000
- South Jersey Pops Orchestra – $6,500
- West Chester University – $23,000
- WXPN – $45,000 multi-year grant
Building & Renovation Projects – $641,400 in one- and multi-year grants
- Albright College – $75,000
- Bethany College – $25,000
- Hollins University – $25,000
- Rider University – $26,400
- The College of New Jersey – $100,000 multi-year grant
- The FAF Coalition – $125,000
- The Music School of Delaware – $65,000
- The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center – $250,000 multi-year grant
Previous & Deferred Capital Project Commitments
- Community Music School of Collegeville
- Curtis Institute of Music
- The Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts
- WRTI90.1FM
About The Presser Foundation
Established in 1939 under the will of the late Theodore Presser, The Presser Foundation is one of few private foundations in the United States dedicated solely to music education and music philanthropy. The Foundation funds the musical arts in their many dimensions and manifestations, serving a broad and diverse community of musicians, educators, and music lovers. At the heart of this work is a commitment to equitable access – the belief that all musical experiences have the power to transform communities and foster connection, well-being, and joy. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, the Foundation’s grantmaking spans national programs supporting exceptional music students and retired music teachers, and regional programs providing grants to music organizations that enrich and strengthen communities through music education, performance, and presentation. For more information: www.presserfoundation.org.