Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio 
Fall 2001

      When I came to Alabama Public Radio, one of the areas we wanted to improve upon was our educational outreach. Since I have some background in education, I realized that clearly we had a lot to offer; but finding ways to have a long-term positive impact in schools was and is a challenge.
        Classical music, of course, is a major area of interest for me. Given that music education in Alabama—especially in the elementary grades—is weak at best, I felt that one way we could have a significant effect was by bringing more music into schools. But how?
        We began by taking visiting artists into classrooms when they were willing to do so. These events were effective but sporadic. At the same time, I approached other local arts organizations with the idea of working together on projects, but found little enthusiasm among the other groups for anything beyond what they were already doing.
        It was at the Los Angeles conference (MPC 36) that I spotted something we might be able to use for outreach. The Children’s Group was represented there and had on display their “Classroom Collection”—a complete kit containing all of their audio programs (“Beethoven Lives Upstairs,” et al.), with curriculum guides so that the materials could be used easily by any classroom teacher, whether or not the teacher knew much about music. Providing these kits to schools would allow teachers to bring music into their classrooms easily; and because the kits would be usable for years to come, they would provide the long-term effect we had been seeking. However, because of the cost and because with three stations we cover a majority of the state, I realized that this was beyond our budget. We decided to begin by placing one kit in each elementary school in the Tuscaloosa area and to seek outside funding for the project. 
        Our development director and station manager were supportive but unable to take on any additional projects. It was at about that time that the local arts council sponsored two workshops on grant funding for arts projects. I attended both, as well as a grants workshop conducted by the local planning council, and I began to write grant applications.
        My first application went to the State Arts Council, and I was pleasantly surprised when they approved a grant for us, even though the amount was smaller than I had requested. That led me to seek other sources. I brought the matter up before our friends organization. Not only did they provide financial support, but some members of the group had ties to other organizations that provided additional support—including some of the organizations I had approached earlier.
        In the process I’ve learned a great deal about raising money from outside sources. If you can identify a need and have a way to help meet that need, there are more organizations willing to assist than you might think. If you’re seeking grant funding for your project, of course you’ll want to approach your state and local arts councils as primary sources of support. But don’t overlook sources such as:

•  Other local arts groups—if you have a good   idea, and if other organizations think they can   build some goodwill in the community by getting involved in your project, many of them will jump on the bandwagon.

•  Civic groups—including local Kiwanis, Rotary, Exchange clubs, and any other such groups in your community. 

•  Foundations.

•  Utility Companies.

•  The IOLTA Fund—this fund was created by attorneys from interest accruing on trust accounts for the purpose of doing good works in the community. Contact your local bar association to see if this is available in your area.

        Applying for grants can be frustrating, and you won’t always get a positive response. It is one way, however, that stations with limited financial resources can reach out beyond their airwaves to do good in their communities, to build goodwill, and to build better working relationships with other arts and service organizations.