c

c The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is a public agency that supports new and

established arts. It
 provide leaderships in arts education by funding grants. The application

process to apply for a grant is a tedious one. Applicants must first meet the deadline that¶s

assigned. Once the applicant turns in application on time they receive an applicant receipt. The

applications are then forwarded to the program staff. This is when the staff review the

applications to make sure everything is complete and eligible. The applications are then sent to

the panel list before the panel meeting. The panel is made up of experts with recognition and

experience within the area that¶s being under review. Depending on the application loads the

panel usually meets from one to five days. The panel then reviews each and every applications

and rate it. Then the staff reconciles the panel recommendations with the available funds and

forwards them to the National Council on the arts. Here the applications are reviewed in open

session and the council makes recommendations on which applications should be funded and

which applications should be rejected. The Fast-Track grant applications receive an expatiated

review. Then the recommendations are then forwarded to the chairman who makes the final

decision on all grants that are awarded. Then the applicants that are not funded are notified with

a letter. Applicants that are recommended for funding may sometimes be contacted to revise.

Fast-Track applicants that are funded receive a preliminary letter of notification. Finally,

grantees receive an official grant award notification with information on legal requirements.
 There are several granting opportunities for music. One of them being, Learning in the

Arts for children and youth. This grant¶s purpose is to advance arts education for children and

the youth in school-based or community request. This grant offers funding for projects that will

help children and youth obtain knowledge on the skills in arts. The grant amount starts from

$5,000 and goes up to $150,000. Another grant available for music titled Challenge America

Fast-Track. This granting opportunity is available for small or mid- sized organizations for

projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations, meaning for those who are

limited to opportunities to experience the arts because of geography, ethnicity, economics or

disabilities. This grant funds for $10,000.

The NEA has granted many talented people. They¶re know as lifetime honorees. One

remarkable 2010 lifetime honorees are the Marsails Family (Ellis, Jr, Wynton, Delfeayo, Jason

and Branford) I personally think they won this prestigious award because they are all talented

individuals that seem to really love and enjoy what they do. All of them seem very humble and

helpful because they¶re helping and challenging the future of Jazz. For example Branford has

shared his knowledge in several universities and has even founded his own record label called

Marsails Music, which allows him to produce his own projects and new and established jazz

artist. What¶s surprising about this Family is that they all have accomplished so much together

and individually. They have made great contribution to the preservation and future of jazz and

are great examples what makes up successful jazz artists.

Another NEA lifetime honoree is