Strong Funding Continues in 2026-2027 MPTF Budget

June 1, 2026

As we close out another fiscal year, the financial position of the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) remains strong and stable. Signatory revenue held steady as growth across the music industry matures. US recorded music revenue hit a record of $11.5 billion, a meaningful testament to the ongoing value of music and a direct reflection of the AFM and its musicians whose historic 2017 labor agreement continues to underpin our work.

Each year, we establish an annual grant budget and allocate funds to the AFM locals based on total membership. We are proud to announce that our 2026-2027 budget is $4.5 million. Looking back, this past fiscal year we sponsored more than 5,000 events, representing nearly $5 million in funding and granted scholarships, directly supporting communities across the United States and Canada. These numbers reflect not only financial investment, but also meaningful performances, connections, and educational opportunities between musicians and audiences.

Looking ahead, we will continue deepening our partnership with the AFM and amplifying the initiatives that matter most to this community. These include Women’s History Month, Black History Month, Juneteenth, and Jazz Appreciation Month. We were thrilled to support a total of 1,000 events during these initiatives. We remain equally committed to Music in the Schools programs and performances in senior centers and assisted living facilities, where live music provides genuine quality of life for some of our most appreciative audiences.

This year, we have the distinct privilege of marking a historic milestone: the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. This extraordinary moment offers a unique and visible opportunity to showcase the richness and diversity of American music in communities across the country.

We continue to invest in the next generation of musicians and music educators. Since 2020, the MPTF has received more than 1,500 scholarship applications and has awarded over $700,000 to more than 600 students across North America. Our Music Family Scholarship extends that legacy, reaching students primarily from outside union households and connecting a new generation of musicians to the fund and the broader AFM community. Together, these programs represent our commitment to continuity: honoring the past while building what comes next.

The MPTF’s mission does not exist in the abstract; it lives in every performance, every community event, and every musician who shows up and does the work. The most effective path to growing MPTF support remains 50/50 matching grants, a model proven effective throughout the fund’s 75-plus year history. We applaud every local pursuing this path, and we celebrate the spirit and dedication of AFM locals everywhere who are making music available to everyone, young and old, to all corners of this continent.

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