Live Music Society Announces 2024 Toolbox Grant Applications, Providing Up to $10,000 Per Venue to Support Sustained Growth in Small Music Venues

Non-Profit Has Given $3.7 Million To Support Small Music Venues Since 2020

August 5, 2024 – Today, Live Music Society, the nonprofit that has provided $3.7 million in grant funding to small venues and listening rooms across the United States since 2020, announced the opening of its Toolbox grant applications for its 2024 grantees. Grant applications open on August 5, 2024, closing on September 3, 2024 at 11:59 pm Pacific, with grantees to be announced in November. The Toolbox grants are designed to support the practical needs of small music venues, offering up to $10,000 per venue to address challenges and enhance the live music experience. This marks the third round of Toolbox grants, following two rounds in 2023, which granted $300k to 43 small music venues.   

Go to the Live Music Society website to learn more about the Toolbox grant applications. 

The purpose of Live Music Society’s Toolbox grant is to assist venue owners in tackling a unique and practical project, designed to enhance the experience for those involved and invested in the venue, including the owners and staff, musicians, and their audiences. Some examples of grant money uses include but are not limited to: improving safety and comfort, incorporating innovative technology to maximize operations, engaging consultants to assist with a practical challenge (acoustics, ticketing, fundraising, branding), and fostering staff development through training and education.

What 2023 Toolbox grantees are saying:

“At xBk we strive to be a welcoming and accommodating space for all. We have many performers at xBk that have mobility issues and our ability to install a truly ADA-compliant stage will be a game changer for those performers and help us continue on our mission to be supportive and inclusive to all within our community.” — Tobi Parks, xBk

"With the Live Music Society Toolbox grant, we were able to reinvigorate and increase the visibility of the Grand Annex Music Hall, just in time for our 15th Anniversary. We now have a contemporary new logo and a dynamic new neon-style sign above the stage. The new sign is a dream come true. Now, every photo taken of our stage and posted on social media carries our brand, inviting new audiences to the Grand Annex and into our community." — Taran Schindler, Grand Annex Music Hall

“Being an underground music venue in a historic building presents us with daily challenges but perhaps none more than the heat in July and August. In the fall of 2023 we found out about the toolbox grant to help small businesses and were miraculously accepted! The grant enabled us to purchase two commercial AC units, quite literally saving our business.” — Christopher Jones, Belltown Yacht Club.

General Eligibility Requirements for applicants include venue and grantee business entity locations within the United States or its territories, a legal capacity of 50-300 individuals (including standing room), operational status on or before January 1, 2020, a primary focus on live music (featuring solo artists or bands), a minimum of 50 annual music performances, and management or ownership by the applicant. Funding opportunities allow applicants to request up to $10,000 per submission, with applicants required to provide a supporting budget breakdown for the amount requested.

Toolbox grants will be evaluated according to two primary criteria: the project's vision for enhancing the live music experience for artists, audiences, or workers at the venue, and the project's feasibility, based on submission of a well-considered plan with a budget outlining utilization. Funded projects must be implemented within the grant period, between December 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025. 

The opening of the Toolbox application comes at an exciting time for Live Music Society. In June, the nonprofit hosted its inaugural Music in Action Summit in New Orleans, bringing together representatives of 31 Music in Action grantee venues from across the U.S. for the first time. The event represented a new direction for the organization, facilitating expertise sharing, inspiring attendees, fostering networking, and sparking future collaborations. Including a panel of experts, breakout sessions, and opportunities for group discussion and feedback, , the summit provided Live Music Society with valuable insights from its grantees to inform future strategy and underscores Live Music Society’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the vital ecosystem of independent venues nationwide.

In May, Live Music Society announced the recipients of their second annual Music in Action grant, totaling $710,000 and awarded to 24 small venues. The grant emphasizes economic growth, audience and community engagement, and empowers small venues to take steps towards equity and equality through curated live event programming. Read more at Billboard. The first Music in Action grant debuted in 2023, and awarded $500,000 to 17 small performance venues.

About Live Music Society: 

Live Music Society’s mission is to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States so that live music can remain accessible to all. Since its founding in 2020, the nonprofit has distributed $3.7 million through 176 grants to 155 venues, supporting live music spaces, emerging talents, established musicians, and affordable access to music in underserved communities. In 2023, they introduced two grant programs aimed at long-term growth and support, earning them NIVA's Community Development Award that year. The Music in Action program focuses on engaging communities and expanding audiences, while the Toolbox program supports practical projects that enhance the live music experience. In 2024, they hosted the first Music in Action Summit, bringing together 31 grantee venues to share knowledge and inspire collaborations, underscoring their commitment to strengthening the independent venue ecosystem nationwide. Their partnerships with organizations like NIVA, the House of Songs, and the Americana Music Association show their dedication to fostering creativity and protecting the spaces where musicians can grow.