2026 Native American
Vocal Scholars Program
at The Plimpton Foundation

Application Opens: March 1, 2026
Application Deadline: April 17, 2026
Scholar Announcement: May 2026

Overview

The Native American Vocal Scholars Program at The Plimpton Foundation is a national scholarship designed to support Native American musicians entering college to study voice. The scholarship aims to amplify the next generation of Native vocal artists across classical, musical theatre, contemporary, traditional, and interdisciplinary vocal practices.

This program aims to uphold The Plimpton Foundation’s mission to promote diversity, inclusion, and excellence in the performing arts by amplifying the voices of Native, Indigenous, and other under-represented Americans.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply, you must be:

• An incoming (accepted) or current (enrolled) undergraduate student at an accredited U.S. college or university for undergraduate studies

• Majoring in or (intending to major) in voice (classical, contemporary, traditional, or interdisciplinary vocal studies)

• An enrolled member of a federally or state-recognized tribe, or a descendent of an enrolled member

Evaluation

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• Artistic promise and commitment to voice

• Clarity of educational and professional goals

• Demonstrated connection to tribal community

Expectations for Scholar Awardees

We are proud to have close contact with many of our past scholarship recipients and are committed to providing mentorship and assistance in as many ways possible, even after the scholarship period has ended.

To stay connected to The Plimpton Foundation, we ask that scholars:

• Submit a brief annual update/reflection 

• Acknowledge The Plimpton Foundation in biographies when appropriate 

• Optional: Participate in/attend foundation programming such as promotional videos or performances of The North American Indigenous Songbook

There are no performance/service requirements tied to the award.

Questions or concerns?

If you have any questions about the scholarship, application process, or Google form, please reach out to Anna Louise Martin at annalouise@theplimptonfoundation.org.