Fueling Local Growth: Innovative Programs Supported by Freelance Co-funding

January 1, 2026

Wages Argott  -  AFM Director of Freelance Services and Membership Development

by Wages Argott, AFM Director of Freelance Services and Membership Development

Local leaders ask me all the time for ideas about how to employ Freelance Co-funding for their membership. Freelance Co-funding program is defined in AFM Bylaws as “[a]n operating budget of $100,000 annually … allocated to a program whose sole purpose is to assist locals in developing and maintaining programs and services beneficial to freelance and club-date musicians not employed under a CBA.”

The best application of Freelance Co-funding really depends on your community of musicians, the health and size of your local, and tailoring an idea to have the most impact within that musical community. These guidelines are broad, but they illustrate the encompassing ideals for requesting co-funding:

• Encourage and enable locals to participate in campaigns to organize freelance musicians in collaboration with the AFM’s Organizing Department and Education Department.
• Increase membership retention and recruitment.
• Support the appropriate, efficient, and innovative operation of locals.
• Seek active involvement of officers and rank-and-file membership in the development and implementation of local-based benefits or services.
• Enable the continuation of existing local benefits and services that are being considered for elimination as a result of an unexpected temporary decrease in revenue.

As of this writing, 30 requests from 25 locals have been completed or are in process for over $85,000 in funding against budgets totaling almost $250,000­—our previous high year was around $56,000. I’m thrilled to finally see the lion’s share of this allocation put to use. Here’s a brief overview of some of the 2025 requests:

Locals 99 (Portland, OR) and 161-710 (Washington, DC) addressed the need in their regions for a full-time organizer on their staff, for which Freelance Co-funding helped offset costs.

Locals 56 (Grand Rapids, MI), 65-699 (Houston, TX), and 94 (Tulsa, OK) identified communities of musicians in specific sectors of work as organizing targets and held social events, performances, and even educational training around these endeavors.

Locals employed performances as both member opportunities and organizing tools in Locals 30-73 (Twin Cities, MN), 553 (Saskatoon, SK), and 65-699.

Locals also made digital strides in providing performance opportunities for their musicians by enhancing their online referral and booking services for member musicians in Locals 40-543 (Baltimore, MD), 77 (Philadelphia, PA), and 190 (Winnipeg, MB). Local 380-443 (Twin Tiers, NY) took this role a step further by establishing a separate booking entity and promoting this service to member musicians across its large geographic jurisdiction.

Locals 105 (Spokane, WA), 279 (London, ON), and 293 (Hamilton, ON) invested in additional staff and material resources to better serve membership as well as aid in the promotion of the locals and their members. Locals 427-721 (Gulf Coast, FL), 518 (Kingston, ON), and 674 (Lewisburg, WV) provided practical training and professional development sessions for their members and musical communities.

Local 555 (San Juan, PR) debuted our transformative “Play Your Part” educational session for freelance musicians, utilizing co-funding for event costs and translation services.

Locals also reached new audiences directly: Local 1000 (Nongeographic) did so via exhibition in international conferences, and Local 542 (Flint, MI) through broadcasting a union internet radio station.

Locals 11-637 (Louisville, KY) and 67 (Honolulu, HI) provided opportunities closer to home by improving and making facilities available to musicians for practice, recording, and performance.

Co-funding requests must be made by local officers, so if you have an idea for an initiative, please reach out to your local leadership for more information. Officers may apply at AFMfreelance.org.

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