Submissions For Musicounts TD Community Music Grants Now Being Accepted

February 26, 2014

$200,000 IN GRANTS TO BE AWARDED

MusiCounts and TD Bank Group are working together for the second year in a row with the MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants program. Now accepting submissions, this program is designed specifically to provide transformative opportunities for youth in underserved communities across Canada. MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants help provide musical instruments and equipment to community centres, after-school programs and other non-profit organizations serving local communities from coast to coast.

“Last year, we were excited to be able to expand MusiCounts’ programming beyond the classroom for the first time, which wouldn’t have been possible without TD’s support,” says Allan Reid, Director, MusiCounts. “We were moved by the unique stories of the many programs that applied for funding. The phenomenal work being done by these programs and the work that they are doing with youth highlights the need that exists on a national level for the funding provided through the MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants.”

Grant applications are being accepted beginning February 26, 2014 at www.musicounts.ca, with a submission deadline of May 9th, 2014. The grants will be distributed in allotments up to $25,000 totaling $200,000. The announcement of the grant recipients will take place in July, 2014.

“We are thrilled to support MusiCounts and this program, which gives young people the opportunity to be exposed to music and to be involved in music education,” says Alan Convery, Senior Manager, Community Relations, TD Bank Group. “With over 120 applications received in the inaugural year of the program last year, it is evident that music makes an incredible impact on everyone, and this program makes it possible for more organizations to continue making an impact on our youth.”

Playing an integral role in the program is Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew, who inspired the initiative with his intent to get involved with creating support for programs serving at-risk youth that may not be exposed to music education and discovery through their schools with MusiCounts. Last year, Drew participated in the grant announcement presentation, collaborating with recipients at SKETCH Working Arts Program on two original compositions that he and the group created entitled, Need a Little More Time and This That This.

“Kids today now more than ever need to make an actual connection. They need to find a way to make an effort towards an opportunity that can evoke passion. Music does exactly this,” said Drew. “Last year was a success and brought a lot of community centres the chance to provide programs with musical instruments. We are doing it again. Send in your applications and take advantage of making a change for the ones who deserve it.”

Last year, SKETCH Working Arts Program located in the Parkdale neighborhood of Toronto received $20,000 to purchase recording studio equipment for the creation of a mobile recording / production studio that can be taken to various priority neighborhoods across the city. In total, the MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants program received over 120 applications in 2013, amassing $200,000 worth of grants that were given to 15 selected recipients.

2013 MusiCounts TD Community Music Grant Recipients:

À deux mains/ Heads & Hands – Montréal, QC Artscan Circle – Newmarket, ON (Operating in 3 provinces and the territories) Brander Gardens Rocks – Edmonton, AB Broadway Neighbourhood Hip Hop Academy – Winnipeg, MB Carnegie Community Centre – Vancouver, BC Eka Cooperative Highland Gong Society – Vancouver, BC Fédération culturelle de Î’Ile-du-Prince-Édouard – Charlottetown, PE The Hammer Band – Toronto, ON Heart of the City Piano Program – Edmonton, AB iHuman Youth Society – Edmonton, AB Jeunes musiciens du monde – QC (Operating in 4 different communities) The Saint James Music Academy – Vancouver, BC The Salvation Army – Scarborough, ON SKETCH Working Arts Program – Toronto, ON Status4 Inc., – Winnipeg, MB

*Learn more about the 15 nation-wide selected recipients here

MusiCounts TD Community Music Grants are open to non-profit organizations that operate outside of Provincial Departments of Education. Both non-profit and/or registered charitable organizations with pre-existing music programs and/or non-profit organizations that want to introduce a music program to complement their current programming are also eligible for grant consideration.

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