Grants are made from the Music Analysis Development Fund according to the procedures set out below.

Grants to Individuals

The Music Analysis Development Fund offers grants of £600 to offset out-of-pocket expenses for conference attendance, a research project, access to resources, publication costs or a comparable scholarly activity in the area of music analysis.

Criteria and conditions for awarding the grant

  • Academic strength and relevance to music theory and/or analysis.
  • Financial need. Students, independent scholars, early-career academics and academics without (sufficient) institutional support are especially encouraged to apply.
  • Eligibility:
    • Applicants must be based in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
    • Applicants must be current members of the Society for Music Analysis for a period extending to at least six months prior to their application.
  • Available funding within the scheme.

Development fund grants do not cover research in ineligible fields and disciplines, sabbatical leave and research assistants.

Application Procedure

  • Provide an account of up to 400 words of your research explaining its relevance to music analysis. Provide details of the conference you will be attending, if applicable.
  • Include a breakdown of expenses.
  • Give details of any other applications for support if applicable, and/or explain why funding is not available from other sources.
  • Student applications should be supported by a letter of reference from their supervisor.
  • Applications should be emailed to the SMA administrator (administrator@sma.ac.uk).
  • Applications will be considered and awards made by a sub-committee of SMA trustees and members of the Music Analysis Editorial Board (https://www.sma.ac.uk/about/committee/).
  • There are no application deadlines; each application will be considered on receipt.
  • Applicants may normally expect a decision within one month of their application.

Terms & conditions for successful applicants:

  • Successful applicants will not be considered for a further award for a period of one year.
  • Grants are not given in advance but upon receipt of proof of expenses.
  • Recipients should acknowledge the SMA’s support in a relevant paper, post, or publication as applicable.
  • Recipients may be expected to submit a short conference report or report on research activities (c. 500–1000 words), as appropriate, to be published on the Society’s website and in its newsletter.