Society for American Music — Hampsong Education Fellowship in American Song (2026)

This one is for people who teach with song rather than perform for a living. It funds the making of a teaching project built on American song — a set of classroom materials, an online resource, a lecture-recital, an illustrated performance, or a collaboration with people outside music — drawing on the Song of America database, the Voices Across Time guide, or other primary song sources. The point is using historic song to open up American history and culture.

"Educator" is read widely: K–12 teachers, home-schoolers, graduate students in education, university faculty, museum specialists, and performers who teach general audiences. It is open to any career stage, and to people working in English, poetry, American history and American studies as well as music. Teachers who have been through Voices Across Time training are singled out as especially welcome.

The award is up to $1,000, paid as a fellowship rather than reimbursed against receipts. There is no match-funding requirement mentioned. You submit a project description and a plan of work, each capped at 500 words, a detailed budget, and one reference letter from an educator who can speak to your work. Within a year of receiving the award you file a one-page budget and a final report.

The Society does not publish scoring criteria, but the questions asked — intellectual rationale, expected outcome, significance for the study and spread of American music — indicate what the panel is looking for. Past awards have gone to a wide spread of topics.