WMSHC Travel Grants

Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Community, Inc. (WMSHC) encourages singers to travel to established singings in order to learn from experienced singers and to participate in the broader Sacred Harp community. In order to support singers in this capacity, WMSHC, Inc. provides a limited number of grants each year to assist singers with travel expenses. These grants are intended for singers who would otherwise find it difficult to travel. Grants may be awarded to local singers who regularly sing in western Massachusetts or to singers from outside of western Massachusetts who wish to attend events sponsored by WMSHC, such as our yearly convention in March.

Travel Grant Criteria

1. Applicant must be a regular/local singer in Western Massachusetts who wishes to travel outside of Western MA to sing, or
2. A singer from outside of Western MA who wishes to travel to an event sponsored by WMSHC, such as our yearly convention in March or our All Day singings in June/July and November.
3. Singing events must be at least one full day long: generally conventions, all day singings and Camp Fasola.
4. Financial Need. Grants are intended for singers who would otherwise find it difficult to travel. We do not investigate your financial situation.
5. When possible we will give preference to new singers, singers who have not traveled extensively, those who have not received a grant in the last year, and those with student status.
6. Grants are usually in the amount of $100 but may be as low as $50 or up to $300, please see the application for more details.
7. Grants are awarded at least 3 weeks prior to the event. This is to allow for the advance purchase of less expensive airline fares. Grants will not be given if the application is made after the singing event.
8. Grants are awarded in three annual cycles:

   Cycle 1: Applications due January 31 for travel grants to attend singings from the 1st Sunday and Saturday before in March to the last Sunday and Saturday before in May.

   Cycle 2: Applications due, April 30 for travel grants to attend singings from the 1st Sunday and Saturday before in June to the last Sunday and Saturday before in September.

   Cycle 3: Applications due August 31 for travel grants to attend singings from the 1st Sunday and Saturday before in October to the last Sunday and Saturday before in February.

   All applications received during a given cycle will be held until the deadline, and then considered by the Travel Grants Committee. Notifications will be sent out a week after the deadline.

   Note: Applications for travel grants to attend Camp Fasola may be submitted for consideration during either the first or second grant cycles.

9. Individuals will be granted only one travel grant per year.
10. Members of the travel grant committee, current board members and their families are ineligible to receive grants. For details, see “Disqualified Person,” WMSHC, Inc. Travel Grant Policy, Article II, Section1.
11. The grants are given as reimbursements for travel expenses or tuition to Camp Fasola. Receipts or copies of the receipts are required for tuition or travel expenses at least up to the amount of the grant.

If this description applies to you, please read and fill out the application and return it to:

WMSHC, ATTN: Travel Grants Committee
PO Box 633
Northampton, MA 01061-0633.

You can also e-mail your application to: travelgrants@wmshc.org.

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