MANW Grant applications link for 2023 2024 school year is closed. 70 Schools were awarded a grand total of $340,000. This is a record! 40 schools are still unfunded. This is also a record! An easy way to support this growing and needed program is to purchase a license plate or donate directly to MANW.
What is happening with 2025 Music Aid Northwest Grant Applications?
Music Matters License Plates were inspired to help struggling school music programs acquire needed resources and repairs. In 2012, Music Aid Northwest, the owners of the license plate initiative and WMEA formed a partnership to provide grants from the license plate sales. This young partnership has gone from providing a total of $12,000 to a couple school programs in the first year to providing a total of $340,000 to over seventy schools in 2024! Music Aid Northwest’s fundraising is outperforming the license plate sales.
This growth has unearthed operational issues in managing the grants around timing the applications and the awards. Teachers often change jobs and school locations each year. We found that a teacher who applied for a grant would often not get to spend the grant money they applied for because they were no longer at the school where they applied from by the time the checks were received. We felt that this was an injustice.
For the 2025 school year, applications will be accepted starting August 1, 2025. The window will close on October 15, 2025. Grant award winners will be notified early November. Checks will be mailed by December 5, 2025, after we confirm the correct mailing address and personnel to receive the checks, ensuring that the teacher who applied for the grant will be in the building to complete the process.
Applications are screened by a grant committee made up of members from the WMEA Board, the Music Aid Northwest Board and WMEA members serving as school administrators or music supervisors and not serving on either board.
MANW will be looking for teacher and friends to volunteer at the Play it Forward Gala at the Triple Door in Seattle, April 26, 2025, from 6:00 to 10:00 PM. This is an amazing event that you will not want to miss! contact scott.ketron@wmea.org for more information.
Music Matters License Plates
The Music Matters License Plate project, a program created by Music Aid Northwest and administered by WMEA was passed by the Washington State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Christine Gregoire in 2012. A portion of the license fees are set aside to augment school music program funds to enable the purchase equipment, supplies, and repairs beyond their normal budgeted expenses. Music Aid Northwest has expanded the granting through fundraising, particularly from their annual event, the Play it Forward Gala and expanded their support for schools through Music Aid Northwest Grants. Music Matters License plates will continue to support for music programs statewide. Consider purchasing a plate to advocate for music in our schools. For more information, please download a copy of the FAQs
DONATING YOUR LICENSE’S PROCEEDS to the school music department of your choice is also easy. Purchase the plates either online at the DOL website or at any authorized outlet. Once you receive the green registration form, make a copy of it and then follow these three simple steps:
- Write your e-mail address on the copy of the form.
- Write the school name and city on the copy of the form.
- Mail, or e-mail the copy of the form to:
WMEA-Music Matters
PO Box 19410
Hwy 99, Ste A #133
Lynnwood, WA 98036
Phone 425-712-9632 | 800-324-9632
E-mail: musicmatters@wmea.org