Our grant program is central to our mission.

• Our grants have helped choruses form and thrive in rural and in underserved urban communities. Grants have made choruses of all kinds healthier by allowing them to consult experts in administration and audience development.
• Our grants have supported the creation or first performance of over 90 new choral works and made possible innovative programs that bring new insight into lesser-known works and new excitement to known masterpieces. Grants have supported recordings that have broadened the repertory and increased public appreciation for choral music. Grants have helped to establish music libraries and other resources for choruses throughout the region.
• Through grants we can support collaborations between choruses and the broader community that promote understanding of other people and cultures, and often include a direct financial contributions to local community needs. Grants also enable artistic collaboration between choruses so they can realize major productions that could never be done individually.
• Our grant support helps choruses to reach out to new audiences, often with free or low-cost performances, and explore innovative approaches to engage their audiences.
• Our grants help bring the beauty and excitement of choral music to young people both as participants and in audiences, through direct support of child and youth choruses, support of intergenerational choruses and outreach programs led by adult choruses, and the training of choral teachers.

Grants are awarded annually, with applications due on the last day of February each year. They are read and evaluated by a committee composed of members of the Board, which, in accordance with the Bylaws, is assisted by a group of between three and five Artistic Advisors—professional choral or vocal musicians chosen by the committee to advise on the artistic merit of the proposals. The committee's recommendations are generally presented for approval to the full Board in April.

The availability of grants is announced through print and web publications, social media, and via an email message sent annually to a list of interested contacts and to all of the choruses in the Choral Arts New England online directory. Application forms have been online since 2014, and electronic submissions have been required since 2017.