College basketball’s “March Madness” is on the horizon, which means “bracketology” will soon be on everybody’s minds. Drum Corps International is excited to once again take part in the Brackets For Good fundraising challenge, but this year, on an expanded national level.
After raising money through the Indianapolis-based local challenge in 2016, DCI has been selected from more than 1,530 nonprofit organizations across the country to participate in the national edition of Brackets for Good in 2017.
“The Brackets for Good program is a fun and engaging way for nonprofit organizations to raise awareness for their ongoing activities, in a head-to-head contest where everybody wins,” said Susan Kuehnhold, DCI’s senior director of events, community and corps relations. “Our 2017 participation will enable us to shine a spotlight on several key programs and initiatives which support our growing reach beyond drum corps competition. A strong response from fans and friends of marching music could net us an additional $100,000 to help support these important efforts.”
Starting Friday, February 24, DCI will rally its supporters to help the organization advance in an online single-elimination bracket-style fundraising tournament, AKA #CompetitiveGiving.
As a leading advocate for music education with growing worldwide influence, DCI continues to develop a number of programs in support of its mission. Participation in the Brackets for Good Challenge will provide additional resources for ongoing development and growth of the following initiatives.
• BANDtastic! Honor Bands – A program to provide exposure to the DCI gold standard – the pursuit of personal excellence – with students at the middle school level.
• Friends of DCI Scholarships – A scholarship program for exceptional participating corps members awarded each year at the DCI World Championships.
• Leaders Serving Leaders – A program providing resources for drum majors and student leaders to develop and refine their leadership skills for life beyond drum corps.
• Internship Programs – Resources to provide quality educational opportunities to students to experience first-hand the excitement of working behind the scenes for the Drum Corps International Summer Tour.
• Future Music Educators Experiences – College students working toward a degree in music education receive invaluable insights and real world skills. Post-graduate continuing education credits keep educators on the cutting edge of educational techniques in the classroom and on the field.
• Marching Music Health & Wellness Project – Continued development of a global network of practitioners and athletic trainers sharing information, insights and best practices to keep performers healthy and well prepared to make positive choices for a healthy lifestyle.
• Interactive Educational Experiences – From a virtual repository of marching music history to online learning libraries for corps directors, instructors, administrators, volunteers and performing members, comprehensive educational resources are being developed and are in need of additional significant support.
How you can help DCI score points
The six-round tournament takes place over five weeks kicking off on Friday February 24. The first round will last a week, with the semifinal and championship rounds each lasting three days.
During each week-long round, donors visit usa.bfg.org, select the nonprofits they wish to support, and donate money to help them advance to the next round ($1 = 1 Point). At the end of each round the nonprofit with more points advances and the points reset.
Nonprofits participate at no cost and retain 100 percent of the donations (minus a small administrative fee) raised during the tournament, regardless of advancement. The national tournament champion also stands to receive a $100,000 grand prize donation from the title sponsor.
Donations can be made to Drum Corps International online beginning Friday, February 24 at usa.bfg.org.