Levitt Foundation Launches Multi-Year, $120K Matching Grants to Strengthen Communities through Free Outdoor Concerts

Applications now open for grants, which will support organizations nationwide to present free outdoor concert series—
activating underused public spaces and building community through the power of free, live music

LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Levitt Foundation, a national social impact funder that supports the largest free outdoor concert series in America at the intersection of music, public space, and community building, today announced the open application period for its Levitt Music Series Grants.

Levitt Music Series Grants are an exciting, multi-year matching grant program bringing the joy of free, live music to towns and cities across the country. Each Levitt Music Series location presents 7-10 free outdoor concerts per year that inject new life into underused public spaces, creating joyous, inclusive community destinations. From rural communities with populations of less than 2,000 to our nation's largest cities and metro areas, Levitt Music Series reach a wide range of communities across America, presenting seasoned, award-winning artists to acclaimed, emerging talent in a broad range of music genres, spanning pop, rock, folk, World music, country, jazz, Latin, children's shows, blues, and more.

For the 2026–2028 grant cycle, the Levitt Foundation will be awarding matching grants of up to $40K per year (up to $120K over three years) to 501(c)(3) nonprofits nationwide to present free outdoor concerts in their communities. These locations will join over 50 other communities coast to coast in which the Levitt Foundation currently supports free, live music.

Reflecting the Foundation's commitment that all Levitt projects be community-driven, the top finalists will be selected through public voting in September (via online and text to vote). Grant recipients will be announced November 18, 2025. Interested nonprofits may view the eligibility criteria at levitt.org/music-series-grants and apply for this grant opportunity beginning May 1 through June 30, 2025.

"Since launching this grant program in 2015, we've seen the incredible positive impact of Levitt concerts in building thriving communities, creating pride of place and a sense of belonging, and spurring additional investments supporting the local economy," said Sharon Yazowski, President & CEO of the Levitt Foundation. "We are excited to open applications to towns and cities across America seeking to harness the power of free, live music to connect people of all ages and backgrounds and create joyful gathering destinations in their communities."

About the Grants

Levitt Music Series Grants encompass three grant opportunities: Levitt AMP, Levitt VIBE, and Levitt BLOC. Levitt AMP is geared to small to mid-sized towns and cities up to 250,000 people. Levitt VIBE takes place in large cities over 250,000 people. Levitt BLOC is open to communities of all sizes and takes place in multiple public spaces within a town or city. Levitt Music Series Grants are open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits across sectors—past grantees have included nonprofits from the arts, creative placemaking, parks, Main Street organizations, community development, affordable housing, colleges and universities, among others.

As all Levitt Music Series Grants are matching grants, each applicant must secure a dollar for dollar match of up to $40K each year (based on the number of concerts presented) from other sources such as local businesses, individual donors, municipal and county departments, and foundations, among other entities. Up to half of the matching requirement may be in-kind, such as donated sound equipment, professional services or contributed marketing. In addition to the monetary award, Levitt Music Series Grant recipients receive the Levitt Music Series Toolkit containing valuable resources to help them produce their concert series, in-person trainings with the Levitt Foundation, and access to peers within the national Levitt network of venues and concert sites. Also, applicants advancing to the public voting phase will receive a $1,500 mini grant from the Levitt Foundation to support their efforts.

Since 2015, the Levitt Foundation has provided funding to over 50 communities across America through Levitt Music Series Grants, activating underused outdoor public spaces, ensuring access to the arts, creating economic opportunities, and strengthening the social fabric of communities, by bringing people together of all ages and backgrounds through a free concert series featuring a diverse lineup of artists, music genres and cultural programming.

Special Grant Opportunities for Mississippi and Tennessee

The Levitt Foundation has partnered with the State of Mississippi and State of Tennessee for additional grant opportunities.

Tennessee

The Levitt Foundation has partnered with the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, with support from the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, to award up to six communities based in Tennessee with multi-year Levitt AMP matching grants, which will bring up to 180 free concerts across the state over three years.

This partnership applies to the Levitt AMP grant opportunity only. There is no separate application process to be considered and interested Tennessee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits should proceed with completing their application on the Levitt Foundation website. Levitt AMP grant applicants from Tennessee that advance to the public voting phase will be in the running with other Tennessee-based Levitt AMP grant applicants only—to learn more about this grant opportunity, visit levitt.org/partners-tn. Nonprofits based in Tennessee that are interested in applying for the Levitt VIBE or Levitt BLOC grant opportunity may still submit an online application, though if advanced to the public voting phase will be in the running with applicants from across the country.

Mississippi

The Levitt Foundation has partnered with the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) to award a public art grant combined with a multi-year Levitt AMP matching grant to two Mississippi-based communities. Each will receive a MAC grant award to create a public art installation, with additional funds from MAC and the Levitt Foundation to activate their public art site through hosting an annual series of 10 free outdoor concerts in 2026, 2027 and 2028.

A Letter of Intent period will open July 2025, with the full application open in August. Mississippi-based, community-focused 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to rural communities with populations under 25,000. The combined public art/music series grant opportunity is administered by MAC and applications must be submitted via the MAC website, where additional information about this grant opportunity may be found. Mississippi-based nonprofits interested only in a Levitt Music Series Grant without the public art component should proceed with completing their application on the Levitt Foundation website.

How to Apply

To learn more about the Levitt Music Series Grants, see eligibility criteria and access the application, please visit levitt.org/music-series-grants.

About the Levitt Foundation

The Levitt Foundation is a private family foundation that exists to strengthen the social fabric of America. We support changemakers and nonprofits across the country to activate underused public spaces through free outdoor concerts, creating welcoming and inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together, fosters belonging and social connections, creates economic opportunity, and invigorates community life. Levitt venues and concert sites attract people of all ages and backgrounds and reflect the character of their town or city, while benefitting from the framework and best practices of the Levitt program.

In 2025, the Levitt network is presenting 650+ free concerts in more than 50 towns and cities across the country, with a total audience of nearly a million people. In addition to funding free concerts, the Levitt Foundation supports advancing vibrant music ecosystems through research and partnerships. www.levitt.org

SOURCE Levitt Foundation