The Foundation’s Primary Purpose is to award Springboard Grants to talented young musicians and theater arts students
Every year the Bruce Montgomery Foundation for the Arts awards four $2,500.00 Springboard Grants to talented individuals and/or student organizations from the Greater Philadelphia, tri-state and NYC region who are pursuing excellence in the performing arts.
Our Springboard Grants are now awarded every Spring at a festive Winners Showcase in Philadelphia. In addition to the uncertainties initially created by Covid 19, we believe the young artists we support are best served by a grant application process that takes place during the school year. This enables teachers to play a key role in helping applicants learn more about BMFA and provide guidance to students as they prepare their grant proposals.
Our next Springboard Grant Winners Showcase will take place on Monday, April 29 2024. This gala event showcases our 2023 winners and four new $2500 Springboard Grant recipients.
Applicants must be of high school through college age. Those interested in applying must demonstrate that a BMFA Springboard Grant would make a significant difference in their ability to achieve a specific project or goal.
Winners are required to attend the following year’s Awards Reception, where they will be asked to describe how their Springboard Grant benefited them by presenting live performances, a detailed report – or a short video (if distance prohibits someone from attending). This is an opportunity for our winners to shine for an always-enthusiastic audience.
BMFA’s Springboard Grants program was initiated through the extraordinary generosity of Marc Platt – Oscar, Tony, Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy award-winning producer of Wicked on Broadway, Empire Falls, Grease, Jesus Christ Superstar and Rent on TV, and multiple Hollywood blockbusters (Jerry Maguire; Sleepless in Seattle; the Legally Blonde movies, Into the Woods, Bridge of Spies, The Girl on the Train, La La Land, Mary Poppins Returns, to name just a few). Mr. Platt, a Bruce Montgomery protégé, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a former member of the Penn Glee Club and Penn Singers. BMFA will be forever grateful for Marc’s help in launching this important program during a period in our history when support for the arts becomes ever more challenging and vital.
Exceptional talent, a carefully thought-out plan, and financial need and will be among the major award criteria. To apply, please read the guidelines below.
February 28, 2024
Deadline for submitting applications for a 2024 Springboard Grant.
Grant Application Guidelines
The Foundation preserves Bruce Montgomery’s artistic legacy by awarding Springboard Grants annually to individuals and student organizations (high school through college age) pursuing excellence in the performing arts. “Monty” possessed a deep understanding of the needs of artistically talented young people. Accordingly, the Foundation provides funds for activities that often fall outside the parameters of educational scholarships awarded by most granting institutions. With schools being forced to drastically reduce their budgets for the arts, the type of assistance offered by the Foundation is important and timely.
Our Springboard Grants are awarded on the based on need and/or merit. Examples of the types of grants available could be as diverse as, but not limited to:
- Providing subsidies – outside of regular course work – for instruction in music composition, arranging, musical instruments, conducting, voice, acting, choreography, whereby extra financial assistance for private lessons could make the difference in realizing a dream. Assistance with the rigorous conservatory application process is also an area where BMFA can help.
- Encouraging up-and-coming composers, lyricists and playwrights by providing funding for such necessities as the copying of music; paying for orchestrations; commissioning set designs; theater rental, costume rental, etc.
- Providing financial assistance to student arts organizations for special projects, such as help with travel expenses; the printing of programs and posters; costume rentals; professionally filming/recording/editing student performances and productions, etc.
Applicants are asked to make a logical case for receiving a Springboard Grant, articulating the path they intend to follow to achieve the goal they have described. Performers are also requested to submit videos, mp3’s, mp4’s, CDs, links to Youtube,(or to mail a flash drive) demonstrating their talent for review. Please include any additional information you would like us to consider. Applications will be reviewed by our Grants Committee and submitted to our Board of Directors for approval. Finalists will be notified by the last week of February, after which each finalist will be scheduled for a personal interview with the Committee. Four winners will then be notified. To receive a grant, all winners must be available to attend BMFA’s April 1st Springboard Grant Winners Showcase in Philadelphia to accept their awards.
Once their projects are completed (within a one-year period), our Springboard Grant recipients are required to commit to attending the next year’s awards reception, or to submit a video if distance is a problem. They will be recognized again and will have an opportunity to perform and to describe how they benefited from their grants. This popular event provides valuable exposure for the past year’s recipients and serves as an inspiration for the current year’s winners.
