Funding search
Find who already funds work like yours.
Private foundations don’t post open calls, so nobody can search them. We read IRS filings instead — 9.6 million grants from 174,053 foundations and grantmaking charities, searchable by what the money was actually for.
12 funders with a record of paying for “conductor”
Where the money went
Largest: $75,000 to SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY — support christmas programs and guest conductor endowment fund
John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation (Consolidated)Chicago, IL
4 matching grants · $500,000 · through 2023Largest: $125,000 to Matthew Aucoin — macarthur foundation fellow award - composer and conductor
Largest: $473,164 to DALLAS SYMPHONY ASSOC — to underwrite the salary and expenses of the music director and guest conductors of the dallas symphony.
Largest: $10,000 to ZAMIR CHORAL FOUNDATION — for education and training of choral conductors to teach jewish choral music
Largest: $100,000 to PHOENIX YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA — scholarship, conductors and general
Largest: $100,000 to Santa Fe Opera — to support the hiring process of a female director and conductor
Largest: $30,000 to SUN VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL — for the 2025 associate conductor position
Largest: $22,000 to THE DANVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 54-1644022 — cover indirect costs related to rehearsal hall rent, utilities, insurance for liability and dso insturments/music housed in the rehearsal hall, as well as the honorarium for conduc…
Largest: $30,000 to GALVESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA — conductor expenses
Maine Community FoundationEllsworth, MECharity · may take applications
3 matching grants · $47,000 · through 2024Largest: $20,000 to Conductors Retreat at Medomak — performing arts
Largest: $30,000 to BUCKS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION — "fast tracks" to employment: locomotive engineer & conductor basic training program scholarship fund
Opera AmericaNew York, NYCharity · may take applications
3 matching grants · $23,600 · through 2021Largest: $10,000 to HOUSTON GRAND OPERA — opera grants for women conductors & directors
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Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV and Form 990 Schedule I, tax years 2019–2025. These are grants already paid, a record of what an organization funds rather than an open call. Private foundations rarely accept unsolicited applications and the route in is usually a program officer; grantmaking charities and associations more often run real application cycles, so check their website. How this data is built, and its limits →