David and Kay Williams Music Education Grants

The David and Kay Williams Music Education Grant is offered through the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation and is supported by the David and Kay Williams Music Education Endowment. The endowment reflects the lifelong work of Dr. David Williams and Mrs. Kay Williams in music education and community music in the Bloomington-Normal area. It is dedicated to supporting music education in the Central Illinois community and promoting enjoyment, education, performance, and creative expression through music activities. The endowment particularly emphasizes seed funding for special needs and new initiatives that broaden music outreach to people of all ages. Applicants use the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Mirza/Arts and Culture Grant application while following the unique selection criteria established for the Williams grants. The grant program supports music as a lifelong pursuit in McLean County and the surrounding community. Its scope encompasses traditional music education as well as less-formal participatory music activities with an educational mission. Examples identified by the funder include wind and jazz bands, orchestras, choirs, guitars, ukuleles, Orff instruments, ethnic instruments, vocal groups, and similar ensembles or activities. Music learning and music making for all ages and levels of ability are supported, including opportunities serving people who are disadvantaged or require special needs accommodations. Proposals must clearly explain how the proposed activity will provide music education to as wide and diverse an audience as possible. The funder states that requests should address a one-time, non-recurring need. Grant funds may support a clinician, visiting artist, or composer commission. They may also support a one-time purchase for unique music equipment needs when the equipment supports programs, ensembles, or activities that create, perform, or produce music experiences. Innovative uses of technology for music learning, creativity, and performance are also within scope. General administrative, personnel, and operating costs are specifically excluded from support. The supplied material does not state a required cost share or matching contribution, an official minimum or maximum award amount, total program funding, or a predetermined number of awards. Historical awards provide context but do not establish formal current award limits. Awards listed for prior recipients range from 700 dollars to 5000 dollars across the years provided. Past projects have included music equipment, accessible music education, festivals, visiting artists, children's opera, youth music creation, instrument lending, commissioned music, and programs serving low-income students and individuals with disabilities. The source directs applicants to use the Mirza/Arts and Culture Grant application and adhere to the Williams grant selection criteria. It also directs applicants to criteria common to all Illinois Prairie Community Foundation grant types, but the contents of those general criteria and the application questions are not included in the supplied material. Consequently, specific organizational eligibility requirements, required attachments, application questions, and submission portal mechanics beyond use of the named application cannot be verified from the provided text. Applicants seeking to view an application submitted in a previous year may contact Michele Evans. Questions about the grant process may also be directed to Michele Evans, Programs Manager, at mevans@ilprairiecf.org or 309-662-4477. The current information states that the next application period for the David and Kay Williams Music Education Grants will be in September 2027 and that funded activities will cover January through December of the specified funding year. Another portion of the supplied page states that the Williams Music Education Grant application cycle is in February each year. These statements conflict, so the specifically announced September 2027 next application period is treated as the controlling current-cycle information, while the February statement is retained as a recurrence note rather than converted into an unsupported deadline. No exact opening day, closing deadline, award notification date, or pre-application deadline is provided. The program is treated as recurring because the source expressly describes an application cycle each year, with September 2027 identified as the next announced application period.

Clearly articulate how the activity will serve music education to as wide and diverse an audience as possible; frame the request around a one-time non-recurring need; connect equipment purchases directly to music programs, ensembles, or activities that create, perform, or produce music experiences; innovative technology may be used creatively for music learning, creativity, and performance; do not request general administrative, personnel, or operating costs