Echo Fund Guidelines

***The 2023 Echo Fund application is now closed and recipients have been chosen. The next application cycle will take place in Summer 2024.***

Echo Fund supports working musicians by funding creative, non-performance projects that support new growth and spur creative and career development. Project budgets may not exceed $5,000.

Residency requirement: This round of funding is for musicians in the greater Portland metro area (zip codes 970xx, 971xx, 972xx) and Vancouver metro area: (zip codes 9866x, 9868x).

BEFORE APPLYING:

Read through all of our guidelines for applying below.

See sample projects and budgets here.

Check out our FAQs here.

HOW TO APPLY:

  1. Create an account at Good Grants. Click here for a tutorial on how to create a Good Grants account.

  2. Once you have created an account and have verified your email address, access the application. Click here for a tutorial on how to fill out the application. You may want to prepare your responses in another program (like Word or Google Docs) and copy/paste into the application.

  3. Review the guidelines below to ensure your project is eligible for this round of funding.

  4. Submit your application by the due date (2024 TBD).

  5. If you need more assistance, please email us at contact@musicoregon.org.

PROJECTS WE'RE LOOKING TO FUND

Projects must fit one or more of the following categories. Please note that using local vendors, contractors and resources is highly encouraged!

  • Production (tracking, session players, engineering, production, mixing, mastering, recording project management, studio rental, etc.)

  • Promotion (promo materials, website development, EPK, publicity, photography, videography, digital and print advertising, merch design and inventory, posters, printing, design)

  • Distribution (physical media replication (vinyl/CD), distribution platform fees (Distrokid, CD Baby, etc), mailing costs)

  • Resources (purchases of instruments, gear, software, performance-related equipment, pedals, amplifiers, etc.)

Here are some sample projects that fit within our guidelines.

INELIGIBLE PROJECTS

Due to a limited pool of resources for this round of awards, we’re unable to fund the following activities at this time:

  • Activities related to live performances, events, and touring

  • Compensation for artists' time to carry out the grant activities (such as writing music, recording, hiring contractors, etc) and artists' personal expenses such as rent, groceries, childcare, etc.

  • Paid or brokered placement on streaming playlists/platforms

  • Education, training, lessons, etc.

  • Gas, food, travel expenses

  • Rehearsal space rental costs

  • Activities that do not take place between October 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024. We cannot support activities that happen before or after these dates. This includes: work already done on an album, a fee for a past gig, something you already purchased or plan to purchase after these dates, etc.

  • A project that’s not related to music.

  • A project that exceeds $5000.

WHO CAN APPLY?

  • Independent, working musicians residing in the Greater Portland metropolitan area in the following zip codes: Portland Metro: 970xx, 971xx, 972xx; Vancouver Metro: 9866x, 9868x. “Independent, working musician” means that you are working as a musician in commercial environments like clubs and other venues. "Independent" means that you are not employed full time by a nonprofit music institution for which you earn a salary for performance, such as a symphony, opera, a professional ensemble, etc. NOTE: Future rounds of funding will be available to musicians residing throughout the state of Oregon.

  • Individuals and businesses. We make grant awards to independent, working musicians operating as individuals, sole proprietors, Limited Liability Companies (LLC), partnerships, and other legally organized entities.

  • Tax Status: You must provide MusicPortland with a W-9 form if you receive an award. The W-9 form must have a Social Security Number (SSN), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), or an Employer Identification Number (EIN) with your legal address in the Portland or Vancouver metro areas (see above). If you do not have one of these numbers, please email us at contact@musicoregon.org for confidential assistance.

  • One applicant and application per project. If you are a band, please designate ONE person as your applicant. Do not submit multiple applications for the same project.

WHO CANNOT APPLY

  • Non-musicians The Echo Fund is currently only open to musicians. If you are an event producer, engineer, venue or other individual or business working in the music industry but not creating music yourself, you are not eligible at this time.

  • Musicians who are full time employees of a nonprofit music institution for which you earn a salary for performance, such as a symphony, opera, a professional ensemble, etc.

  • Employees, board members and family members of employees and board members of MusicPortland, MusicPortland Bridge and/or LEAP

  • Nonprofit organizations, schools and school districts.

  • If you have questions about eligibility, please reach out to us by email at contact@musicoregon.org.

TO APPLY:

Go to MusicOregon Echo Fund and create an account with Good Grants. (Here is a video tutorial on how to create an account.)

Fill out the application and click submit. (Here is a video tutorial that walks through the application.)

Check out our FAQ page here.

Email us at contact@musicoregon.org for any questions or help with your application.