| GRANTMAKING AREA | PROPOSAL DEADLINE | DECISION NOTIFICATION |
| Advancement of Music | November 15th | March 1st |
| Assistance to Music Teachers | Ongoing | Ongoing |
| Capital Support | February 1st | May 1st |
| Special Projects | September 15th | November 1st |
| Undergraduate Scholar Award | By Invitation | February 1st |
Introduction
Theodore Presser wanted to give back to music and contributed a great deal to music education and music philanthropy during his lifetime. Following his passing in 1925 and with the establishment of The Presser Foundation, his generosity has continued through donations to a large number of music-focused causes and organizations for nearly a century. Every year, the Foundation gives grants for music to more than 400 people and organizations.
While the focus on music has stayed the same, the Foundation aspires to support music organizations working in a broad range of traditions, genres, and styles in and around Philadelphia (within a 75-mile radius), as well as people (students and retired music teachers) who seek to, or have made, music their career.
The Presser Foundation supports six different categories of grantmaking. Three areas (Advancement of Music, Capital Support, and Special Projects) provide funding to music performing, presenting, and/or educating organizations directly, two areas (Graduate Music Award and Undergraduate Scholar Award) support exceptional music students, and the final area (Assistance to Music Teachers) gives resources to individuals who have dedicated their lives to teaching music and need extra financial assistance upon retirement.
Grant amounts to the different areas have ranged based on the priorities of the Foundation’s Board and the funds available for disbursement. Learn more about the grant funds distributed in recent years by clicking on the links below.
Deadlines & Decision Notifications
The Presser Foundation strongly believes in supporting people who participate in music. Whether it’s children participating in a youth orchestra or choir, students furthering their studies, adults who have made music a career or who participate for pure enjoyment, or retired music teachers who need additional support, music happens because people are there to create it, live it, and enjoy it.
Mission-driven, music organizations help communities and society thrive. They provide critical support in vital areas by teaching, creating, connecting, sharing, presenting, caring, and collaborating.
Whether it’s a large, established nonprofit or a new organization designed to fill a music need, The Presser Foundation seeks to provide support to a wide range of organizations working in different genres and types of music.
In order to best support music organizations, The Presser Foundation welcomes applications for more than one grantmaking area. For example, if an organization is beginning a campaign to construct a new building (Capital Support), is planning a special, first-time collaboration with another organization (Special Projects), and would like general operating support (Advancement of Music), it could apply for all three grantmaking areas available to it.
We are open to applications from 501(c)(3) public charities, fiscally sponsored organizations/programs, and supporting organizations.
The Presser Foundation believes that providing consistent support to these organizations helps them catalyze change and make a difference in both the music and broader communities.
Music connects people and brings them together. It creates, it collaborates, it inspires, it sparks change.
The Presser Foundation’s specific grantmaking areas are designed to support community-based efforts. Newly built and/or renovated buildings promote pride in community residents and offer a space and place for people to share their passions (Capital Support). First-time collaborative efforts between organizations, as well as pilot programs, significant anniversaries, and funding for newly established organizations engage different and diverse communities (Special Projects). General operating support provides opportunity for Greater Philadelphia nonprofits to focus on their organizational needs, which often involves bringing people together to share music (Advancement of Music). In addition, students find ways to connect with community through their studies (Undergraduate Scholar Award) or their own specially designed projects (Graduate Music Award). Finally, several retired music teachers have found ways to support their music community by providing free lessons or participating in local choirs and orchestras (Assistance to Music Teachers).
Distribution of Funds
Below, you’ll find a table detailing how the amounts and percentages distributed to each grantmaking area in fiscal year 2023-24. By clicking on each link, you’ll see how much was given to each grantmaking area since 2019.
| Grantmaking Area | Total Distributed | Percentage of Total Distributed |
| Advancement of Music | $1,270,000 | 37% |
| Assistance to Music Teachers | $162,026 | 5% |
| Capital Support | $987,625 | 29% |
| Graduate Music Award | $150,000 | 4% |
| Special Projects | $122,500 | 3% |
| Undergraduate Scholar Award | $732,000 | 22% |
| Total | $3,425,651 | 100% |
Grant Reporting
The Presser Foundation’s eGrant Reporting Map
To be fully transparent with the Foundation’s grants, click on the link above to see the Foundation’s eGrants map, creating by Candid to show where and whom the Foundation gave to from 2020-2023.
If you have any questions about the Foundation’s map or the reporting process, please reach to Abby Rolland at arolland@presserfoundation.org.
Beyond Grantmaking
In addition, The Presser Foundation supports efforts that convene various organizations and communities together. Through its Next Movement series, music organizations can learn from one another about how they’re coping, adapting, and innovating regarding recent trends and topic areas, such as COVID-19 and centering racial equity.
The Foundation also seeks to engage with other funders and arts alliances in promoting best practices and ensuring that that our community is serving its partners in the best ways possible. The Foundation and individual staff members are proud members of the Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Grantmakers in the Arts, and Exponent Philanthropy.
Our Why / Approach
The Presser Foundation has carefully designed its grantmaking approach in order to thoughtfully support its partners while honoring Mr. Presser’s wishes. The Foundation believes in long-term, open, honest, and trusting relationships with partner organizations. Its staff and board strive to have a fully open-door policy so that we may help organizations interested in funding as much as we can.
Without the essential work of nonprofits, The Presser Foundation would be unable to fulfill its mission to fund a broad and diverse community of musicians, educators, and music lovers. The Foundation greatly values the work of nonprofits – it is through their efforts that the Foundation is able to have an impact, and preserve and expand on Theodore Presser’s legacy.
To learn more about the Foundation’s approach, check out our blog.
Details
- The Presser Foundation uses the grantmaking system Foundant to request information/applications, conduct review, and process requests. Click here to access the system.
- Each of the grantmaking areas has a different deadline. Please review the specific area to determine when to apply.
- If you are an eligible organization within a 75-mile radius of Philadelphia (City Hall), you can apply for more than one grant of the three local grantmaking areas (Advancement of Music, Capital Support, Special Projects). Check each area’s page to learn more about their guidelines and deadlines.
Have questions? Check out our FAQ page