Program areas at MusiCares Foundation
Financial assistance: Musicares provides up to $10,000 annually for emergency basic living, medical, or other needs with a lifetime maximum of $15,000. Under extraordinary circumstances, grants may be extended to $25,000 based upon a unique need. Assistance is provided to recording industry personnel, including creative and technical personnel (i.e., musicians, composers, engineers, producers, etc. ), music business staff (i.e., record label staff, management companies, entertainment attorneys, music retailers), and other members of the music community who have been employed in the industry for at least five years. These grants are made available to music people facing an unforeseen medical, personal, or financial crisis. This can include payments for health care professionals and prescriptions, rent/mortgage payments, health insurance premiums, and costs for other basic living support services. Through its community outreach and education programs, the Foundation also provides workshops, seminars, and individual consultations to members of the music community on topics related to general health and human service needs. It also provides ideas and resources for proactively addressing those issues.
The day that music cares: the annual day of service brings music professionals and fans together to volunteer at the local level and make a difference in their communities. The day of service showcases the benefits of community on the music ecosystem's mental health.
Mental health & addiction recovery (formerly map fund): Musicares provides emergency financial assistance to individuals within the music community facing addiction. Assistance limits are $8,500 per year with a lifetime limit of $15,000. The program may provide payment for inpatient treatment, sober living, and/or other expenses related to recovery. The program also provides a support network of recovery resources for music people who are touring throughout the country. In addition, the Foundation provides workshops and coordinates meetings of industry professionals to discuss the problems of chemical dependency and discuss specific strategies for intervention for individuals within the music community.
Musicares also provides various grants to other tax-exempt organizations.