The Chicago Flute Club is proud to launch the Florence Nelson Leadership in Music grant for the second time in January 2027. This biennial grant supports developing leaders in the music field by awarding $2,000 to one winner in support of a project proposal of their choosing. The grant is dedicated to our long-time board member and lifetime honoree, Florence Nelson, who played piccolo in the New York City Opera and served as a union officer in the American Federation of Musicians during an era where she helped train dozens of women officers and advocate for fair treatment for musicians of all backgrounds. 

Florence Nelson’s leadership skills encouraged officers in the American Federation of Musicians to promote her to Director of Symphonic Services, responsible for all aspects of the symphony, opera, and ballet organizations in the US and Canada. During her time in AFM, Nelson developed mentoring programs to encourage women to take leadership positions in an industry historically resistant to female pioneers. As the first woman elected to a national office in the American Federation of Musicians, Florence proudly witnessed the number of female officers in the AFM rise from 8 to 100 during her tenure.

Florence Nelson holds honorary officer titles in the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians and was named Secretary-Treasurer Emerita of the American Federation of Musicians upon her retirement. She looks forward to supporting potential leaders who want to advance the music field by providing structure, wisdom, and resources through this grant. To read our Fall 2024 Pipeline article featuring Florence’s story, click here. 

We encourage applicants of all musical aspirations to apply for this grant, whether their goals lie within union governance, performance, pedagogy, arts administration, entrepreneurship, and so on. Applicant proposals may target a variety of projects, including but not limited to community advocacy or education, professional development, research, or the creation of new works. We look forward to reviewing your proposal!

 

 

Grant Award

The CFC will award $2,000 to one flutist to support a project proposal of their choosing.

 

Timeline

The grant application will open on January 1st with a submission deadline of February 1st. The grant will be awarded in April 2027.

 

Purpose and Criteria

Awarded biennially, this project-based grant provides financial assistance to flutists pursuing careers in music including performance, teaching, union governance, entrepreneurship, and arts administration. Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate a record of success in at least two of these fundamental principles: Leadership, Performance, and Advocacy.

 

Fundamental Principles

• Leadership: the recipient demonstrates engaged leadership in the music field.
• Performance: the recipient demonstrates performance experience at the national and international level.
• Advocacy: the recipient demonstrates tangible contributions to a cause related to the music field.

 

Eligibility

• There is no age limit for this grant.
• Applicants must have CFC Membership at the time of application.
• Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree in music with flute as their major instrument.
• Applicants must live and work in the US or its Territories. They may hold American citizenship or otherwise permanent residency.
• Applicants must not have previously received this award.

 

Application Requirements

To apply for the Florence Nelson Grant please provide the following documents:

• There is no application fee for this grant.
• Complete the application form through our website which includes basic information to identify the applicant and project. (Application opens January 1st, 2027 and closes February 1st, 2027.)
• A narrative statement (maximum of two (2) pages) that includes the following:
  • Objectives and significance of the proposed project.
  • Description of how the project relates to the fundamental principles outlined for this grant (Leadership, Performance, and Advocacy).
  • The short and long-term benefits of the project.
  • A timetable of deliverables. Project execution must aim to be completed and reported by January 2029.
  • A detailed budget for the project and explanation of how the grant funds will be used.
• A resume stating the applicant’s full legal name, date and place of birth, current residence address, email, education, and professional experience.
• A video featuring the applicant’s personal explanation of the project and its significance. Video length must not exceed 4 minutes. The video must be an Unlisted YouTube link and titled with the last and first names of the candidate followed by FNGRANT—for instance, Underwood_Susan_FNGRANT.

 

If you are interested in donating to the Florence Nelson Leadership in Music Grant, you may DONATE HERE.

 

Questions regarding the Florence Nelson Leadership in Music Grant may be sent to Lizzy O’Brien at grants@chicagofluteclub.org.