Sponenburgh Memorial Trust Grants

The Sponenburgh Memorial Trust Grants, administered by the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition (LCCC) on behalf of the Lincoln County Foundation, were established through a bequest from the estate of Mark Sponenburgh following his death in 2013. The fund is specifically dedicated to enhancing arts education for youth in Lincoln County, Oregon, with a clear priority on music instruction. The grants are designed to support arts instruction for elementary and middle school students, affirming Sponenburgh’s legacy as a patron of the arts and advocate for cultural enrichment. The funding available through the Sponenburgh Memorial Trust is generated annually through interest earned by the Trust. Grant awards from this fund can reach a maximum of $3,500 per project. The fund supports educational programming that delivers arts instruction, with a particular emphasis on music, to children in public or nonprofit educational settings. Projects must align closely with the Trust's mission to enhance access to arts education for Lincoln County youth and demonstrate both educational value and community benefit. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and public entities such as county agencies, municipal departments, or schools. Individual applicants are not directly eligible unless they secure fiscal sponsorship from a qualified nonprofit organization. Applicants must demonstrate significant matching support for their proposed projects. This may include in-kind contributions, but some level of direct financial support from the applicant organization is expected. The Trust does not aim to be the sole funder of any project and encourages applicants to cultivate additional support. The application process is coordinated by LCCC, with FY2026 applications due by March 6, 2026. While not mandatory, applicants are encouraged to attend a grant-review panel meeting to respond to questions and strengthen their proposals. An optional grant application workshop will be held on January 29, 2026, to support prospective applicants. Each applicant may submit one request per calendar year but may also submit separate applications to both the Sponenburgh Memorial Trust and Lincoln County Cultural Coalition funds for different or even the same projects. In the latter case, applications are reviewed independently, and funding from one does not influence the outcome of the other. Applications will be evaluated based on several criteria: how well the proposal aligns with the mission of the Sponenburgh Trust, clarity and feasibility of goals, innovation or creative program design, the perceived need and potential impact of the project, level of community and partner engagement, DEI considerations, realistic timelines, budget clarity, and strength of evaluation methods. Successful applicants are required to attend the awards ceremony and submit a final project report within one month of completion. Failure to submit a final report may result in ineligibility for future funding rounds.

Applicants are encouraged to attend the panel meeting to respond to proposal questions.