Levitt Family Foundation – 2027 Festival Grants
Grants of Up to $5,000 for Free Outdoor Music Festivals Across the United States
The Levitt Family Foundation 2027 Festival Grants will provide grants of up to $5,000 to U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations presenting free outdoor festivals in 2027.
Eligible festivals must take place outdoors in a public space, be completely free to attend, and feature music and performances by professional musicians who are compensated for their work.
Applications open October 1, 2026, and are due Friday, November 20, 2026.
Organization: Levitt Family Foundation
Support Type: Festival grants
Funding Amount: Up to $5,000
Geographic Focus: United States
Application Opens: October 1, 2026
Deadline: November 20, 2026
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About the Funder
The Levitt Family Foundation supports communities through free live music experiences that bring people together and activate public spaces.
Through its grantmaking, the Foundation helps nonprofit organizations expand access to high-quality live music while strengthening community connection, belonging, and local vitality.
The Festival Grants program provides funding to nonprofit organizations presenting free outdoor festivals in communities across the United States.
What This Program Supports
Festival Grants support free outdoor festivals in public spaces where music and live performance are a meaningful component of the event.
Eligible festivals may center on or incorporate:
Music & Performing Arts
Festivals featuring live performances by professional musicians and other performers.
Arts & Culture
Events celebrating creativity, cultural expression, and local artistic traditions.
Community Connection
Festivals designed to bring residents together and strengthen community relationships.
Cultural Heritage
Events celebrating the history, traditions, and cultural identity of a community.
Placemaking & Public Spaces
Festivals that activate parks, plazas, downtown areas, waterfronts, and other outdoor public gathering spaces.
Eligibility
Applicants must be:
- U.S.-based organizations
- Recognized as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
Eligible festivals must:
- Take place in 2027
- Be held outdoors
- Take place in a public space
- Be completely free to attend
- Feature music and performances
- Include professional musicians who are compensated for their performances
Festival Requirements
A central goal of the program is to make live music accessible to the broader community.
Festivals should therefore be designed to remove financial barriers to participation and create welcoming public experiences.
Music and live performance must be a meaningful part of the festival rather than an incidental element of the event.
Applicants should also be prepared to demonstrate their ability to produce a well-organized public festival and compensate participating professional musicians appropriately.
Funding Amount
Selected organizations may receive:
Up to $5,000
Funding is intended to help support costs associated with presenting an eligible free outdoor festival in 2027.
What Makes a Strong Application?
Competitive applicants are likely to demonstrate:
Meaningful Community Benefit
The festival should provide a clear benefit to the surrounding community and create opportunities for people to gather and connect.
Accessible Programming
The event should be designed to welcome a broad audience without admission fees or other financial barriers.
Strong Live Music Component
Professional music and performance should play a significant role in the festival experience.
Quality Artistic Programming
Applicants should present thoughtful programming that contributes to the cultural vitality of their community.
Effective Festival Planning
Organizations should demonstrate the capacity to successfully organize and deliver a public festival.
Timeline
📅 Applications Open: October 1, 2026
📅 Application Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2026
📅 Funded Festivals: Must take place during 2027
Organizations interested in applying may want to begin preparing festival plans, budgets, artist information, and nonprofit documentation before the application opens.
Application / Request Process
Applications for the 2027 Festival Grants will open through the Levitt Family Foundation on October 1, 2026.
Applicants should be prepared to provide information about:
- Their nonprofit organization
- The proposed festival
- Festival location and dates
- Music and performance programming
- Community served
- Expected community impact
- Festival budget
- Plans for compensating professional musicians
Apply / Learn More:
➡️ https://levitt.org/festivals/
Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit
This opportunity is a particularly strong fit for nonprofits that:
- Produce community festivals featuring live music
- Offer events completely free to the public
- Use outdoor public spaces as community gathering places
- Have experience producing festivals, concerts, or cultural events
- Can demonstrate meaningful community benefit
- Want to expand access to professional live music
- Need a modest grant to help strengthen or enhance an existing festival
Because the program is available to eligible nonprofits throughout the United States, it may be especially attractive to community-based arts, cultural, downtown development, and placemaking organizations seeking national corporate or foundation support.
Corporate Grants Guide Notes
Funding Amount: Up to $5,000
Applications Open: October 1, 2026
Deadline: November 20, 2026
Geographic Focus: Nationwide / United States
Applicant Type: U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
Festival Year: 2027
Best Suited For: Nonprofits presenting free outdoor festivals featuring professional live musicians and performances
Key Requirement: Festivals must be outdoors, held in a public space, free to attend, and compensate participating professional musicians
