GivingTuesday Will Launch ’Keep Our Students Singing’

A new approach to NATS student aid focuses on service to chapters

A growing number of NATS members are working to fund student aid for aspiring singers who cannot afford to rigorously pursue the vocal arts.

From Texoma where money is being raised for free lessons to New England where students are offered aid for National Student Auditions finals, NATS is providing transformational experiences for singers who need financial assistance.

Systematic support for these efforts is available and NATS will leverage GivingTuesday this November to help chapters reach out for funding. The effort is called, “Keep Our Students Singing.”

“We want to make sure that when a chapter or region decides to start a program to provide aid to students who need financial support, the tools are already in place,” said NATS Development Director Bob Bryan. “Chapters need templates and messaging so that they don’t have to navigate additional logistics, except who might donate and who needs the money.”

GivingTuesday is a movement that encourages collaboration and innovation to catalyze generosity, empathy, equity, and justice. None of that is new to NATS members who routinely work to increase access to the vocal arts, often by paying their students’ way to auditions and discounting lesson fees.

This year NATS chapters will be able to use resources provided by national staff members to leverage GivingTuesday to raise funds for local student aid. This aid can be used to provide financial support for auditions programs, vocal music fellowships, or any creative mission-driven opportunities for students who cannot afford to fully participate in NATS activities.

For the past two years, NATS has asked members to consider a gift during GivingTuesday to the NSA Scholarship Fund. This year in addition to making a personal gift, members have the opportunity to reach out to friends, family members, or colleagues with an invitation to support a student scholarship fund that helps local students of NATS members.

Every chapter now has a fund established for them in the NATS Endowment. Very few of these have been activated at this time, but it’s a resource available without having to request it. Each chapter will also have a donation page that can be linked from their website, posted on social media, and emailed to donors.