Drum Corps International and Music for All finished on top in a popular Facebook voting campaign sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, each earning a $25,000 grant. Now they need Hoosier participation to help them achieve up to $500,000 in a second online voting phase.
INDIANAPOLIS – Two Indianapolis-based non-profits were each awarded a $25,000 grant from JP Morgan Chase this week after finishing among the top 100 ranking organizations voted on by Facebook users across the globe in a campaign called Chase Community Giving.
Drum Corps International (DCI), the world’s leading event producer for youth marching music ensembles, and Music for All (MFA), one of the country’s largest and most prestigious scholastic music education organizations, were the only Indianapolis non-profits to land in the top 100.
The unique philanthropic campaign, created several years ago by the JP Morgan Chase company, will award a total of $5 million in grants by the culmination of two online election periods. Round one of voting ended Wednesday, May 4, awarding the $2.5 million in grants. Round two of voting will kickoff May 19 as advancing organizations vie to be a top 25 non-profit for a second grant that could result in additional awards up to $500,000.
DCI and MFA are major contributors to the performing arts scene in Indianapolis and across the nation by offering performance and education experiences that build talented youth into strong leaders of their communities. They also produce two of nation’s largest marching music events – the Drum Corps International World Championships and Bands of America Grand National Championships, which are held in Lucas Oil Stadium each year. Both organizations are part of an ongoing effort to increase the performing arts presence in Indianapolis through a coalition known as Music Crossroads.
Music Crossroads has been attracting arts organizations to Indianapolis as an effort to strengthen their non-profit missions while benefiting the city through tourism and economic growth.
Going into round two of the Chase Community Giving campaign, both organizations will need to garner tremendous voter participation from throughout the region and the country in order to have a chance at the top prizes. In this second round, each organization must submit their “big idea,” outlining how they will spend the second grant if awarded.
Drum Corps International’s vision is focused primarily on the creation of additional, dynamic educational and leadership development opportunities for potentially tens of thousands of young people, through a number of innovative programs delivered by its member organizations located throughout the country. Noting the increasing impact of budgetary cuts affecting the scholastic performing arts, DCI intends to leverage its sizable industry influence and high-visibility presence within the music education community to increase arts accessibility to students and their families through a series of performances and interactive educational experiences.
Music for All’s mission is to create, provide and expand positively life-changing experiences through music for all. Through the Chase donation, MFA aims to inspire and activate the next generation of arts education advocates in order to help perpetuate healthy music and arts programs in schools nationwide. Through public performance opportunities and by working with master teachers, participants would develop advocacy skills that will help reach MFA’s larger goal: saving music and arts education through music for all.
City officials, organizations and schools throughout the area are encouraging Facebook users to help push these two local non-profits to top ranks in this campaign so they can continue to touch lives and provide remarkable opportunities to students throughout the country, while providing leadership which speaks volumes about their collective roots in the Circle City. Facebook users will have five votes to use and can visit www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving to search for organizations and cast their ballot. Voting ends May 25.
Supporters can visit Drum Corps International (www.DCI.org/chase) and Music for All (www.MusicforAll.org) websites to learn more about the respective missions of these two outstanding Indianapolis organizations.
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About Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International (DCI) is the world leader in producing events for the world’s most elite and exclusive marching ensembles for student musicians and performers. Founded in 1972, Drum Corps International has developed into a powerful, nonprofit, global youth organization with far-reaching artistic, educational and organizational influence. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Drum Corps International is Marching Music’s Major League?„?. Learn more about the exciting world of Drum Corps International and its member corps on the Web at DCI.org.
About Music for All
Music for All (MFA) is one of the nation’s largest organizations in support of active music-making. Headquartered in Indianapolis, MFA uniquely combines regional and national music-event programming with awareness campaigns and advocacy aimed at expanding access to music in schools and communities. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization, MFA’s programs include 25-plus annual events, including the Bands of America Grand National marching band championships, Regional marching band championships across the country, the Music for All National Festival and the Music for All Summer Symposium. Learn more at www.musicforall.org.
Music for All is supported by the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the City of Indianapolis, by the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission and by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
About Music Crossroads
Advancing quality of life through the attraction, support, collaboration & evidence based outcomes of leading art entrepreneurs.
