Live Music Society Opens Applications for Fourth Annual Music In Action Grant, Offering Up to $50,000 to Small U.S. Performance Venues for Community Engagement and Revenue Growth
Applications Open February 4 – March 12
Grant Period Runs August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027
The Nonprofit Has Provided Over $5 Million in Support to Small Venues Since 2020
Opolis (Norman, OK) Photo credit: Dylan Johnson
February 4, 2026 – Live Music Society, the nonprofit foundation whose mission is to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States, today announced the opening of applications for its fourth annual Music In Action grant. Initially launched in 2023, Music in Action grants are designed to support initiatives that will improve the venue experience for musicians, audiences, and staff, cultivate an engaged and connected community, and achieve long-term health and business growth. Applications open Wednesday, February 4 and close Thursday, March 12 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Applicants can request up to $50,000 in funding, with grant recipients to be announced in July.
The Music In Action grant empowers venue owners and operators to develop programs that expand audiences, grow earned revenue, and foster networks of artists, patrons, volunteers, staff, donors, and sponsors. Particular focus is given to projects that increase access and opportunity for historically marginalized communities, including BIPOC, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and disabled individuals.
Since 2020, Live Music Society has awarded more than $5 million in grants to small venues nationwide, helping strengthen the independent music ecosystem across major cities, rural communities, and small towns. Since its inception, Music In Action has supported 67 venues across the country. Hear from some of the previous grantees below:
“We launched our first Music in Action concert on September 5, 2025 and it was an undeniable success. The event featured renowned Cumbia artist Yeison Landero and drew an audience of more than 200 people, far exceeding our expectations for a first activation of the program.” – Sarah Travis, Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center (Berkeley, CA)
“We have seen a deep and meaningful interest in our cultural programming from significant higher education institutions that translate into a connection with their student population… Learning that our local colleges already appreciate and respect the Floyd Country Store's cultural impact on the area and are now signing on to be collaborators is a significant step towards impacting our regional position for years to come!” - Dylan Locke, Floyd Country Store (Floyd, VA)
“Our Music in Action programming has had a meaningful and visible impact on our venue, our audiences, and the broader Norman community. At the venue level, these events have strengthened Opolis’ identity as an accessible, community-centered arts space and expanded our capacity to serve as both a performance venue and an educational hub.” - Sarah Reid, Opolis (Norman, OK)
Go to the Live Music Society website to learn more about the Music in Action grant and the application process: https://www.livemusicsociety.org/grantinfo
Courtesy of Pie Shop (Washington, DC) - Music in Action grantee
Courtesy of Towne Crier (Beacon, NY) - Music in Action grantee
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), in operation and presenting shows on or before January 1, 2023, a primary focus on live music (featuring solo artists or bands), and a minimum of 30 annual music performances per year.
Music in Action grants will be evaluated based on five main criteria:
Innovation/Creativity: Is the project novel; does it solve a meaningful problem and/or create value for the venue?
Feasibility: Can the program be implemented and evaluated during the grant period?
Relevance: Does the project have special relevance for the venue, the audience, or the local community?
Reach/Inclusivity: How might the project increase accessibility for historically marginalized groups?
Potential Impact: How will the project be evaluated and its impact measured? Evaluation includes the intended outcome and quantitative methods used to track the project’s success.
The opening of the fourth Music In Action grant follows a period of significant momentum for Live Music Society. In December, the organization surpassed $1 million in annual grantmaking for its second consecutive year, including support for 33 venues across 19 states and Washington, D.C.through its annual Toolbox Grant. Live Music Society’s annual Toolbox grant delivers essential practical support to small venues and fosters their long-term growth and success.
Last month, Live Music Society also announced the return of One Night Live, its national touring initiative created in partnership with D-TOUR, Salt Lick Incubator, and Midtopia. Launched in 2025 in response to mounting economic challenges facing emerging artists and small venues, One Night Live was designed to address critical gaps in the touring ecosystem by pairing artist development, venue support, and direct financial assistance into a single, collaborative model.
Unlike traditional touring structures, One Night Live prioritizes sustainability over scale, offering artists curated routing, shared door splits, and direct stipends while encouraging venues to program local support and engage their communities. Each One Night Live show is structured as a collaborative event, with participating venues and performing artists receiving a stipend from Live Music Society to help offset marketing and production costs.[1]
The 2026 One Night Live spring tours will span more than 30 dates across the East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest, featuring Colorado-based rock band Jesus Christ Taxi Driver and a co-headlining run with Claire Ernst and Dani Offline. Since its launch, One Night Live has produced four tours and featured developing artists including Kid Tigrrr, Ellie Williams, Sofia Lafuente, and Farayi Malek.
Music In Action and One Night Live are two initiatives within Live Music Society’s broader efforts to support small venues and artists across the country. As independent live music continues to face economic challenges, the organization remains focused on long-term sustainability for these communities.