Anthony Penna Charitable Fund Awards & Grants

The Anthony Penna Charitable Fund seeks to help offset the costs and fees associated with participation in band, choir, and theatre, thereby enabling students to partake in these programs when financial circumstances might pose a barrier. Grants are intended for the direct support of students and are not intended for capital expense items such as lighting, risers, sound systems, etc.

Open to schools in the state of Delaware who offer primary and secondary education, and relevant non-profit organizations, Grant requests may be made on behalf of schools, programs, or individuals. At this time, our fund structure only permits us to grant awards to other 501(c)(3) organizations.

Eligible costs may include but are not limited to:

• Sheet music, commissioned music or production scores

• Play script purchases or musical contracts

• Instrument lease or purchase costs

• Wardrobe or costume costs

• Student fees associated with private lessons, tutoring, or competitions

• Student travel expenses associated with band, choir, or theatre performances and trips

2023 - 2024 Grant Recipients

October 2023 — The Anthony Penna Charitable Fund is pleased to announce the 2023-2024 Grant Recipients. We are thrilled to see the creativity of requests this year, funding programs in band, theatre, music, and after-school programs. Congratulations to the following Recipients:

Boys & Girls Club of Delaware: Funding to support their summer program for high school youths combining music production, theatre, voice and dance elements.

Caravel Academy: Funding toward the purchasing of a new piccolo and French horn giving students a chance to learn new instruments and participate in their marching band.

Christ the Teacher Catholic School: Funding toward their partnership with Dancing Classrooms for ballroom dance instruction which fosters self esteem, confidence, self-awareness and cooperation in young students.

Holy Angels School: Funding for their growing drama program, now in its second year, for the purchase of scripts, music and costumes.

Padua Academy: Funding toward the costs related to their spring musical in the spring of 2024.

Saint Edmond’s Academy: Funding toward the music score, licensing, and materials for their full production spring musical and lower form musical.

Saint Mark’s High School: Funding toward the licensing, scripts, music, and costumes for the production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” in the spring of 2024.

Sanford School: Funding toward World Music Drumming Curriculum benefiting their middle school general music classes, and then expanding to their lower school music program.

Serviam Girls Academy: Funding to support their newly revitalized theatre program, with two to three whole-school performances planned in the coming school year.

St. Ann School: Funding toward percussion instruments, shirts for band and choir members, and their collaborative artist initiative.

St. Anthony of Padua Grade School: Funding for ukuleles to enhance and grow their music program.

St. Elizabeth School: Funding toward licensing, scripts and costumes for two musicals performed by students in grades 3-8 and 9-12, with support provided by their high school tech and stage crews, incorporating whole-school involvement in the productions.

St. John the Beloved: Funding toward a new program for grades 1-5 for resonating bells that help teach harmony and melody while furthering the musical development of their students.

The Independence School: Funding toward guitar and drum sets for their middle school jazz and rock bands.

The Tatnall School: Funding toward the purchase of stringed instruments to support their middle and upper school band programs.

Wilmington Christian School: Funding toward royalties associated with their full-scale musical incorporating their visual arts, band, choral and drama departments.

PAST GRANT RECIPIENTS

All Saints Catholic School
Archmere Academy
Boys and Girls Club of Delaware
Caravel Academy
Christ the Teacher Catholic School
Choir School of Delaware
Greater Newark Boys & Girls Club
Padua Academy
Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic School
Saint Edmond’s Academy
St. Ann School

Anthony Penna AwardS Celebration 2018

December 2018: Six schools in our local community were the first to receive Grants from the Anthony Penna Charitable Fund: All Saints Catholic School, Archmere Academy, St. Elizabeth School, Tower Hill, Ursuline Academy, and Wilmington Christian School. They performed along with local talents Catherine Enslen, Sarah Rossi, Sydney Kenton and Frankie Frabizzio at our first Awards Celebration.

Please consider helping us support these programs and remove the barriers by making a Donation.