Live Music Society Gave $5M to Support Small Venues, New Grant

Live Music Society opens applications for its fourth annual Music in Action grant; the foundation has given over $5 million to small venues since 2020.

Non-profit foundation Live Music Society, whose mission is to uplift and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States, has announced the opening of applications for its fourth annual Music in Action grant. Applications are open now and close on 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.

First launched in 2023, Music in Action grants aim to support initiatives that will improve the venue experience for musicians, audiences, and staff, while cultivating an engaged community and achieving long-term business health and growth.

The Music in Action grant is designed to empower venue owners and operators to develop programs that expand audiences, grow earned revenue, and foster networks of artists, patrons, volunteers, staff, donors, and sponsors. Projects that increase access and opportunity for historically marginalized communities, including BIPOC, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and disabled individuals, are given particular focus.

Since 2020, Live Music Society has awarded more than $5 million in grants to small venues nationwide, helping to 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.

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 primarily focus on live music (featuring solo artists or bands), and a minimum of 30 annual music performances per year.

Grants will be evaluated based on five main criteria:

• Innovation and 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 prioritized 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.

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 U.S. As independent live music continues to face economic challenges, the organization remains focused on long-term sustainability for these communities.