Black Dots on White Paper Part 2: Funding a Commission

Many ensemble directors like the idea of commissioning a composer to write for them. The obstacle that deters most from embarking on this worthwhile and rewarding enterprise is securing funding. Over the years, as I’ve engaged in the commissioning process as both a composer and as a director/client, I’ve developed a list of funding sources and strategies to help anyone hoping to get their project moving forward!

Music and/or School Budget

This is obvious, but our list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning it. Someone wise once said, “You don’t have because you haven’t asked.” I’ve known instances where a director approached the building principal, and that got the wheels turning for funding a commission. In some districts, directors are given a fair (if not generous) sheet music budget, some of which may be able to be used to finance the commission of a new work. Elsewhere, budgets are much tighter… so read on!

Education Foundation

Many school districts have an education foundation, funded by local businesses and individual donors, to support school programs. Education Foundations really picked up steam since 2008 (i.e. the economic downturn) to make up funding for valuable initiatives and programs. EFs are eager to support projects that bring positive attention to the district. They especially favor projects that focus on technology, innovation, equity/access, and creativity. It’s as if someone said, “Let’s establish the perfect institutional vehicle for funding music commissions!” If your district has an EF, you should talk with the director, find out when applications/proposals are due, and toss your hat in the ring.

Music Education Association Grant

Your state’s MEA, or the MEA district/region in which you teach, may have a grant program for funding special projects. I only discovered this funding source recently when a director in my state used it to commission me to write for her band. Live and learn! Whether you are applying to an Education Foundation, or for a special MEA grant, start early looking into what’s necessary to apply (project description, costs, etc.) and be sure you are on schedule to hit the deadline in plenty of time.

Music Booster Organization

Most high school programs have these, and many are excited about the sort of “out of the box” opportunity a commission – and potential accompanying activities (i.e. residency, guest conducting the premiere, Meet the Composer videoconference, etc.) – provides! Even if the Boosters are at the high school, and the commission is for an elementary or middle school program, these organizations are usually very interested in their feeder program and how they can help.

Instrument Vendor/Retailer

A company that sells many instruments per year to district families is understandably predisposed to wanting to give back… especially if that donation goes to associating their business with a visible project that benefits many students! This is especially true if your district has a “preferred vendor” that receives most of the instrument rentals, purchases and repairs. Often it was our district’s preferred vendor that kicked in additional funding to bring the composer to the district for in-person rehearsals and guest conducting, or to do a PD workshop for music staff while in town.

Area Businesses

Especially if your district does not have an Education Foundation, there may be local businesses interested in contributing. The same businesses that purchase advertising for concert and musical programs, or signage at athletic fields, may want to invest in a unique initiative like a commission. Your boosters/parents may be able to approach their employers in this regard. Large, national retailers may also contribute and are worth an inquiry, but they normally have a lengthy application process that takes time and tends to favor projects that are easier-to-understand than commissioning a new work.

Parent-Teacher Organizations

While a single building’s PTO may not have a large enough budget to contribute much, the combined power of a district-wide effort can be significant. Let’s say there are 10 elementary buildings in a district, and each building’s PTO contributes $100-$250. That’s already $1,000-$2,500 raised toward funding your commission! I know from experience that once you get your first PTO to commit, the others will want to join in.

Individual Sponsor

I know this sounds like a pipe dream, but I have encountered multiple times when a single, arts-minded benefactor in a district, having financial resources and wanting to make a special difference, steps forward (or - when approached - responds favorably) ready to write a check. Who are these angelic people and how do I find them? Well, sometimes if you’ve been in the community a while, their generosity is well-known. Often, however, you have to do a little investigating to see if anyone in your network of district colleagues knows of such a person.

Consortium Funding

You’ve heard the saying, “Many hands make light work.” Likewise, many commissioners make the cost much lighter. A consortium involves a group of participating ensembles joining together to commission a composer to produce a new work. The commissioning fee is divided among consortium members, all of whom receive performance materials, the right to present the new work during a “season of premieres,” and mention on the score itself. Typically, one consortium member is the lead/coordinator, serving as the liaison between the composer and the consortium. If the composer’s fee is $3,500 and there are 10 participating ensembles, each consortium member only needs to come up with $350. In light of the funding suggestions offered above, that is likely an easy feat!

A Leap of Faith

The benefits to your students and program of commissioning a new work far outweigh the work (planning, funding, etc.). I encourage you to take a leap of faith. Get the ball rolling: start planning, brainstorm logistics with your “team” (fellow directors, department, boosters, etc.), and begin “shaking the trees” for funding using the suggestions above. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!