Music Grants for Women: Funding Opportunities for Female Artists

I spend a lot of time at bars and restaurants with live music here in Chattanooga. It's one of my favorite things about this city. But here's something I've noticed over the years that bugs me: the ratio of talented women artists I see performing versus the ones I see getting funding, press, or industry attention is way off.

The music industry has a well-documented gender gap. Women make up only about 20-25% of artists on major charts, and the numbers get worse when you look at producers, composers, and executives. But here's the thing—it's not a talent gap. I keep meeting women artists who are absolutely crushing it creatively but struggling to find the resources to take things to the next level.

That's why grants specifically for women musicians exist. They're designed to address this imbalance by creating funding opportunities specifically for artists who face additional barriers. And there are more of these programs than you might think.

Why Women-Specific Grants Exist

Before diving into the specific programs, it's worth understanding why these grants were created in the first place.

The music industry's gender disparity isn't just about who gets signed. It affects:

• Funding access — Studies show women-led projects receive less investment capital
• Industry connections — Networks tend to be male-dominated, limiting opportunities
• Representation in decision-making — Fewer women in A&R, production, and executive roles
• Media coverage — Music press historically underrepresents women artists

Women-specific grants exist to level this playing field. They're not about giving anyone an unfair advantage—they're about correcting an existing disadvantage.

And from a practical standpoint: if you're eligible for these grants, applying to them is just smart strategy. Less competition than general grants, plus you're simultaneously eligible for all the general funding too.

Major Grant Programs for Women Musicians

Here are the programs I've found that specifically support women in music. I've tried to include both well-known organizations and some that fly under the radar.

International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM)

IAWM offers several funding programs:

• Search for New Music by Women Composers — Composition competition with cash prizes
• Programming Awards — For performers and organizations presenting music by women
• Educational Grants — Support for incorporating women's music through commissions or guest artists

Best for: Composers, performers, and organizations focused on women's contributions to music.

New York Women Composers — Seed Money Grants

These $1,000 grants support concert projects featuring works by NYWC members. Not a commissioning grant—it's designed to help get existing works performed.

Best for: Solo performers, ensembles, or presenters planning concerts that include women composers' works.

Anonymous Was A Woman Award

This one's significant: $25,000 unrestricted grants for women artists over age 40. Named after Virginia Woolf's observation about anonymous women creators throughout history.

Best for: Established women artists 40+ looking for career-sustaining support without project restrictions.

Women Make Music

Offers scholarships, workshops, and grants for female artists and technicians. Programs include studio time support and skill-building opportunities.

Best for: Artists looking for hands-on support like studio access alongside funding.

PRS Foundation — Women Make Music (UK-based, but expanding)

Up to £5,000 for women, trans, and non-binary songwriters and composers. Supports creation, performance, and promotion. Originally UK-focused but has expanded its reach.

Best for: UK-based artists or those with international eligibility.

Luna Composition Lab (NAMM Foundation)

Mentorship and performance opportunities for female and nonbinary composers. Part of a broader initiative to develop emerging talent.

Best for: Emerging composers looking for mentorship alongside funding.

Genre-Specific Opportunities

Some programs target women in specific musical areas:

Classical & Composition

• OPERA America Discovery Grants — Up to $15,000 for women composers exploring opera. Supports libretto readings, workshops, and working performances.
• New Music USA Creator Fund — While not women-exclusive, includes the Thea Musgrave Performer-Composer Collaboration Grant ($10,000) specifically supporting women in new music.

All Genres

• Women Supporting the Arts (Martin Arts) — Annual grants to individual artists across disciplines
• State Arts Council Programs — Many state arts councils have diversity initiatives that prioritize underrepresented groups including women

Application Tips for Women's Grants

Applying for women-specific grants is similar to applying for general grants, with a few additional considerations:

Address the "Why" Authentically

Many of these applications ask why you're applying to a women-focused program specifically. Be authentic here. You don't need to have faced dramatic discrimination—you can simply acknowledge that as a woman in music, having access to these additional resources helps level a playing field that's historically been uneven.

Highlight Community Impact

Many women's arts organizations care about your potential impact on other women in music. Do you mentor? Collaborate with other women artists? Create spaces for women in your local scene? Include this if relevant.

Don't Downplay Your Achievements

Research shows women often understate their accomplishments in applications. Be direct about what you've achieved. If you headlined a show, say you headlined—don't say you "got to play."

Submit Your Best Work

This applies to all grants, but it's worth emphasizing: your work samples matter enormously. Submit recordings that represent your artistic vision clearly, even if they're not perfectly polished studio productions.

Don't Stop at Women-Specific Grants

Here's something important: women-specific grants are additional opportunities, not your only options.

Every general music grant out there is also available to you. State arts councils, private foundations, programs like MusicBoost—all of these are open to all artists regardless of gender.

Smart strategy looks like this:

• Apply to women-specific grants where you're eligible
• Simultaneously apply to general grants
• Look for grants targeting other identities you hold (geographic, genre-specific, career stage, etc.)
• Build a diversified funding approach

A $2,000 grant from MusicBoost plus a $1,000 NYWC seed grant plus a $5,000 state arts fellowship adds up to $8,000 in funding. Stacking grants is a legitimate strategy.

"I applied to everything—women's grants, local grants, national grants. Out of 12 applications, I got 3 funded. That $6,500 total was enough to record my EP. You just have to throw a lot of lines in the water."