The Mockingbird Foundation, an all-volunteer nonprofit founded and run entirely by Phish fans, has announced fifteen new grants totaling $131,870 in support of music education for children. The grants come from Mockingbird’s 23rd round of competitive grant-making, are among the largest single rounds of grants in the Foundation’s history, and include the Foundation’s 400th grant.
The grants were enhanced by funds from Phish’s own WaterWheel Foundation (WW), which allowed the board to double two of the grant requests, as well as the Kristy Anastasio Manning Memorial Fund (KAMM), which provided 50% of one of the grants. Mockingbird also increased four grants beyond the requested amounts, having been particularly impressed by those applicants.
These newest grants support the following programs at schools, centers, and non-profit organizations in thirteen states:
- $10,000 for instruments at Beyond The Grade (Austin, TX) – matched by KAMM
- $12,000 for instruments at Brooklyn Environmental Exploration School (Brooklyn , NY) – increased from $6K
- $3,500 for staffing at Cascade School District (Cascade, ID)
- $10,000 for various expenses at Create Now (Los Angeles, CA)
- $10,000 for equipment at Echo Valley Community School District (Orange/Washington, VT) – doubled by WW
- $2,700 for instruments at Farmington R-7 (Saint Louis, MO) – increased from $450
- $10,000 for general funds at Foundations Of Music (Chicago, IL)
- $10,000 for general funds at Girls Choral Academy (Grand Rapids, MI)
- $10,000 for staffing at Harmony, Hope & Healing (Chicago, IL)
- $4,000 for instruments at Hillcrest Elementary School (North Bend, OR) – increased from $1,000
- $19,800 for instruments at Integrated Charter Schools (Staten Island, NY) – doubled by WW
- $7,370 for equipment at Lake Region High School (Eagle Lake, FL)
- $2,500 for instruments at Mannsville School (Mannsville, OK) – increased from $816
- $10,000 for instruments at Musical Empowerment (Carrboro, NC)
- $10,000 for instruments at North Middle School (Everett, WA)
These fifteen grantees were selected from among 966 initial applicants who requested a total of more than $5.9 million, far beyond the Foundation’s resources. Due to such high demand, Mockingbird’s two-tiered online application process remains one of the most competitive in the nation. Each year, we are able to fund a slightly higher percentage of inquiries, making grants slightly less competitive, thanks to the tremendous generosity of fans. We hope that you will consider making a tax-deductible donation through the Foundation’s website at www.mbird.org so that we can continue to increase the percentage of applicants whom we are ultimately able to fund.
The Mockingbird Foundation has been operated entirely by volunteer fans, with no salaries or paid staff, since its inception. Mockingbird is now a leading provider of historical information about the band Phish and its music, having cultivated intellectual property through phish.net since 1994. Also a leading grantmaker in music education for children, the Foundation has now made 400 grants, in all 50 states, totaling $1,443,523.40. Proceeds are generated by celebrating the music of Phish through books, recordings, art, donations, and special events, including poster exhibitions, poker tournaments, and golf tournaments.
For more information about Phish, see the official Phish.com or Mockingbird’s own fan-run Phish.net.
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