We Are Moving The Needle’s Early-Career MicroGrants series are specifically designed to be a flexible fund for rising seniors and recent college graduates that supports smooth transitions into the workforce. Grants will range from $500 to $1,000 to provide immediate assistance that can turn the impossible into the possible.

• Early-Career MicroGrant applicants must be a rising senior, recent graduate (≤1 year) of a college or university, or early-career professional with 0-5 years of experience.

We Are Moving The Needle’s Mid-Career MicroGrants support creators with 5+ years of experience who are ready to elevate and expand their work. These $2,500 grants are intended to help recipients invest in the next stage of their careers, whether through new projects, professional development, equipment, or other growth opportunities. Applicants should be able to articulate a clear career goal and demonstrate how this funding will help them take the next meaningful step toward achieving it.

Grants will be awarded in alignment with We Are Moving The Needle’s mission to empower women, trans, and non-binary creators in the music industry with a demonstrated commitment to production and engineering.

• Applicants must be over the age of 18 to receive a grant from We Are Moving The Needle.

• To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent U.S. residency status.

MicroGrants are here to “close the gap” on career development needs. Possible uses include (but are not limited to):

• Purchase of studio gear or software for completion of a project or build-out of new home studio;

• Gap support of travel expenses or cost-of-living for an unpaid internship;

• Studio rental time;

• Attendance fees or travel expenses for a professional development workshop or educational opportunity (must be outside of We Are Moving The Needle’s existing scholarship offerings).

• Other tangible projects related to audio production and engineering career development.

In general, the following items are not considered eligible for grant funding:

• General rent or living expenses;

• Supplementary income for a paid internship or job; 

• Marketing and promotion related to EP completion or artist projects. 

• Catering, sponsorship, or costs associated with hosting of an event;

• Tuition, fees, or associated expenses for completing undergraduate or graduate degrees or other educational programs supported by We Are Moving The Needle’s Scholarship Program.

• Student loan payments or other loan repayment.

Applicants will be asked to provide a clear explanation of the need for grant funds and how this will advance your career in audio. Successful applicants will have a clearly defined set of goals which this funding can tangibly “close the gap” to help make possible.

MicroGrant funds are intended to support professional skill development and career-advancing needs, rather than artist development.

Some projects that would be considered eligible:

• Songwriters recording demos

• Composers assembling sync reels

• Producers booking studio time to build a portfolio

MicroGrant applications are reviewed by We Are Moving The Needle’s scholarship committee, which is composed of leaders across the industry (from both the creative and business side) and mentors. Applications are evaluated using a qualitative and quantitative rubric that assess candidates’ articulation of their career goals and commitment to production and engineering, and how this MicroGrant will meaningfully impact their stated goals. 

Successful applications vary program to program depending on the scholarship or grant call in question, however the following considerations might be considered to strengthen your overall application package: 

• Thorough and thoughtful written responses. Successful candidates make the fullest use of the suggested word counts, provide clear and compelling answers, and demonstrate an overall thoughtfulness to the written components of the application as well as the portfolio and supplemental materials. 

• Clear articulation of goals that include growing skills and leadership behind the board. We Are Moving The Needle drives equity for producers, engineers, and those working in technical roles in the recording industry. Many successful alumni are multi-faceted creators and also work as songwriters and artists, but they maintain a commitment to learning, growing, and leading behind the board as well as in front.   

• A comprehensive portfolio that clearly highlights skills behind the board. Applicants are evaluated based on the skills relevant to their specific program of study. For example, candidates applying to an audio engineering program should demonstrate the technical skills and strengths expected of an engineer at the appropriate level, while songwriting majors should show clear ability and potential as songwriters. Portfolios are also reviewed in the context of where you are in your academic journey, so a freshman’s portfolio will naturally look different from that of a graduate student.

Successful applicants will provide a range of work samples demonstrating their experience and commitment to the technical side of music. School projects, independent work, and professional work are all acceptable. We recommend applicants provide a variety of work examples demonstrating their technical skills and experience, particularly projects they have produced or engineered, either for themselves or others. Acceptable work samples can include demo tracks, sound designs, original compositions, etc. School projects, independent work, and professional work are all acceptable.

Acceptable formats include:

• Spotify, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, etc.

• Website (must have audio samples)

• Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.

Applicants are required to disclose the use of generative AI in their work samples, and, if used, provide a brief explanation on the use of this tool (i.e. how it was used, why this was used artistically, etc.). Applicants with work samples that make use of generative AI are highly encouraged to include secondary work samples without the use of AI as well. Please ensure all projects in your portfolio are clearly labeled to distinguish from one another.

Yes. Due to the nature of these MicroGrants, awardees granted over $600.00 will receive a 1099 income form by the end of the tax year.