NAMM Awards $404,400 in Grant Funding

NAMM (the International Music Products Association) today announced $404,400 in new grants, continuing the organization’s mission to fund programs that increase participation in music making and help strengthen the global music products industry.

“NAMM’s circle of benefits continues to give back to our Members and the industry,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. “On behalf of our Board of Directors and Executive Committee, we couldn’t be more pleased to fund so many worthwhile and valuable programs that we believe will stimulate demand for music products and keep the circle going.”

The following organizations will receive funding in 2005:

• Little Kids Rock, Inc., an organization that provides music classes and musical instruments to children in public elementary schools, was awarded $80,000 to expand its music programs and public relations activities. This successful grassroots program offers integrated music instruction providing basic music making, improvisational skills and songwriting teacher training for general education teachers, elementary music educators and after-school youth workers. The group will use the funds to expand its program to encompass percussion, keyboard and harmonica lessons.
• Piano Manufacturers Association International (PMAI), was awarded $83,000 for its 21st Century Piano Project, a collaborative effort between PMAI, MTNA, RPMDA, PTG and select music retailers implementing a survey to gather statistics about the piano market and music makers in general. The survey will help determine how the piano industry can better serve the diverse interests different demographic segments and help increase the number of active music makers.
• A $55,000 grant was awarded to the Coalition for Music Education in Canada. The funding will help create a nationwide annual public relations music education advocacy event in Canada called Music Monday, enhance the coalition’s Web site and continue other public relations and advertising efforts.
• $55,000 was also awarded to the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) to help expand its Teacher Guitar Workshop. Since its inception, this program has established itself as an industry model introducing more than 660,000 students to guitar for an estimated fiscal impact of more than $47 million. The funding will help the association to train more music teachers, expanding to impact an estimated 24,000 additional students in 2005.
• To provide music education for all students in grades K-6, NAMM awarded $36,000 to expand the Guitars in the Classroom program. The funds will add 10 new regional programs, refine after school music programs, promote lunchtime guitar clubs at schools and pilot a new intergenerational model for the program. The current program currently impacts about 40,000 students every year.
• $52,900 was awarded to Ethnomusic, Inc. to establish an annual week-long accredited certification training program for general classroom and music teachers interested in implementing the Roots of Rhythm program. This innovative program provides standards-based music instruction, integrated with social studies, science and other academic curricula. The funding will provide training and certification for 50 teachers impacting approximately 4,500 students in Fiscal Year 2006.
• The Percussion Marketing Council (PMC) was awarded $30,000 to expand market development programs such as the “Developmental Drumming” program for pre-K children and “PLAYDRUMS!”—a five-minute first drum lesson CD tutorial. The funding will also allow further development of standards-based integrated music curricula and will assist in the continued promotion of International Drum Month and other successful outreach activities in collaboration with the Percussive Arts Society.
• The International House of Blues Foundation was awarded $12,500 to supplement 10 one-day Roots of Rhythm workshops for music teachers and general education teachers at House of Blues locations across the country.

For more information on NAMM’s grant-funding process, interested parties can visit www.namm.com/marketdevelopment/grants.