Americana Music Association
About The Foundation
Established in 2020 by the Americana Music Association, the Americana Music Foundation aims to preserve the beloved art form known today as Americana music. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, with a global vision, our Foundation serves as the charitable and educational resource through partnerships with cultural and educational institutions, including those with New York University, Salt Lick Incubator, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American Music, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Grammy Museum.
The Foundation’s mission is to educate current and future generations on the music that’s resonated with us and soundtracked our lives as an indelible piece of our culture. To continue the growth of the Americana genre, which includes the rich threads of country, folk, blues, soul, bluegrass, gospel and rock in our tapestry, we strive to accomplish this through educational programs and live events with some great music, of course.
As a 501(c)(3) organization, all donations to The Americana Music Foundation are tax-deductible. It’s as easy as clicking the small blue “Donate” tab on the right side of this page and complete the pop-up donation form. From $5 to $500, every dollar helps move this important education and preservation initiative forward.
How To Contribute
Your contributions will go directly towards funding our educational initiatives. In other words, every donation that we receive brings us closer and closer to helping us keep this incredible art form alive for your grandchildren — and beyond! Since the Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, your donations will be tax-deductible. We’ve made it super easy to contribute below, and you even have the option to set up reoccurring donations if you’d like.
Salt Lick Incubator Grants for AMERICANAFEST
Each year, AMERICANAFEST brings together legendary artists, rising stars, fans, and industry professionals for multiple days of music and education. To give more of our community members the opportunity to benefit from the insightful panels, seminars, discussions, and exclusive performances, the Americana Music Foundation is offering grants administered by Salt Lick Incubator to help them attend the event, increase their knowledge and engage in this rich exchange of ideas.
Each grant, valued at $1,750, covers up to $1,000 in travel expenses and includes a Silver Pass and a ticket to the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony. The event covers the interests and needs of artists, managers, labels, radio stations, publishers, agents, promoters, retailers, legal and business affairs executives, merchandisers, and new media professionals. This is not a grant to perform. All grant recipients are selected solely by Salt Lick Incubator.
Congratulations to the inaugural cohort of AMERICANAFEST grant winners administered by Salt Lick Incubator! Click here learn more about our outstanding 2024 grant recipients.
Applications have closed for 2025 grants. Winners will be announced this summer.
Roots To Pop
In 2023, we partnered with the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History for their inaugural Roots to Pop series. This initiative focused on connecting contemporary music to the genres at its root through conversations with renowned Americana artists.
Held and recorded in Washington D.C., it is now being presented online to the general public. The videos feature the artists who make the music and provide insight into American musical history, including Taj Mahal with Allison Russell, Flaco Jimenez with Max Baca, Rhiannon Giddens, and Blind Boys of Alabama with Ruthie Foster.
The series explores the American musical past and how it might affect present-day American music. In a conversation format punctuated by live music, Krystal Klingenberg, musicologist, curator and host of the museum’s Collected podcast, explores important genres of American music with these artists, discussing their work, influences and legacy. Recordings of the four-installment Roots to Pop series are available online via the link below.