The main obstacle to raising money is being afraid to ASK!” Nora Sands told me recently, with a laugh. “If you don’t ask, you’ll never get anywhere.”
Sands, the guiding force behind the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS), has been teaching singers how to raise money for years. AIMS, held every summer in Graz, Austria, is the launching point for many singers looking to begin a European singing career, but the fund-raising principles Sands advocates aren’t just for singers looking for a stint overseas. The same ideas can be put to use by singers who need money to further their careers in other ways.
“You do have to know people–people who are real prospects. And you do have to ask. But you also have to make it a package. Know your presentation. Have a folder for them if you’re asking for individual help. Tell them why you need the money, why you want to do this particular project, and why this is the best time for it–why this is the best place for it.”
Fund raising is common for singers attending the AIMS seminars. “We’ve seen the best results with benefit recitals,” Sands told me. “These are often sponsored by a group of some kind, often a choir.
“Some people have had luck going to foundations, applying for a particular award or grant. Certainly some foundations have very stringent profiles, but if you fit those requirements, there is money around that many people don’t even know about.”
Fund raising for money to attend an event sponsored by a nonprofit organization, such as AIMS, is the most successful. “For Graz, individuals can also make tax-deductible donations for a singer’s use. Those donors make the actual donation to our organization, and then we pass it along to the singer. Churches may also collect money and pass it along in the form of scholarships or grants.
“We’ve also noticed more and more students coming to AIMS because their schools have reserved funds for study abroad, usually between the junior and senior years. I’m sure not every school has such a fund set up, but those that do may be able to offer a significant percentage of the tuition.”
Whether it’s a Fulbright fellowship, a loan from your school, or a few hundred dollars raised by your hometown church, there are a few pointers Ms. Sands passed along to me that apply to us all.
“If you’re going to try to raise money doing a recital, know when you have to have help. Don’t try to do everything yourself. This is a time when a choir or other group can see to the business details of your benefit recital and allow you to focus on the music and your performance.
“Have a statement prepared for potential donors, detailing what you plan to do with the money. Reassure those people that this is for a good cause and explain that cause to them in layman’s terms.”
She then added something I found particularly meaningful. “Always say that if you’re successful, you will try to help another singer–to repay what was done to help you. When your project is complete, or when you get back home, make a report and maybe give another recital and explain what you did with the money. It isn’t a matter of returning the money in kind. Say something along the lines of ‘I promise that in the future I will help someone who’s in my situation.’ There’s a feeling of responsibility–and realistically, if people are going to donate, you can’t pay them back now! But what you can do is pass along their generosity when you yourself are successful.”
Nora Sands is the general director of the AIMS program, held each summer in Graz, Austria. Currently in its 29th season, AIMS is geared to the emerging young opera professional, with lessons, classes, concerts, and agent auditions.
