NATS Foundation
The NATS Foundation is an active partner of NATS, Inc. and is responsible for support for part of the work of the Association. Created in 1976, the Foundation's purpose is to generate assistance to aspiring and talented singers and teachers through the development and management of various endowment funds used to provide some of the prize money for the NATS Artist Awards Competition for Singers (NATSAA) and the National Music Theater Competition (NMTC). The Foundation also co-sponsors the Van Lawrence Fellowship.
The NATS Foundation also utilizes its resources to help finance innovative programs such as the NATS Intern Program, the NATS Emerging Leaders Award, and the Voice Pedagogy Award.
To make a contribution click to the NATS 75th Anniversary Fund page for details, or send a check payable to the NATS Foundation to the NATS National Office, 9957 Moorings Drive, Suite 401, Jacksonville, FL 32257.
There are many ways that you can contribute to the work of the NATS Foundation.
ENDOWED FUNDS
Named funds used to support the NATSAA Final and Semi-Finalists and NATS Conference Speakers. You may select a specific endowed Fund from the following list:
Shirlee Emmons/Berton Coffin Fund
- provides funding for speakers at NATS National Conferences and Workshops.
NATSAA Award Funds:
- Edward Baird-Bruce Lunkley Award Fund
- Orville Borchers Award Fund
- Irvan Bushman Award Fund
- Lee Cass Award Fund
- Berton Coffin Award Fund
- Irma Cooper Award Fund
- Todd Duncan Award Fund
- Annemarie Gerts Award Fund
- Ruth & Robert Grooters Award Fund
- Louis Nicholas Award Fund
- Herald Stark Award
- Bernard Taylor Award Fund
- Karl Trump Award Fund
- William Vennard Award Fund
- Mary Wolfman Award Fund
NATSAA Most Promising Singer Award:
- James Browning and Dorothy Kirsten Award Fund
National Music Theater Competition Award:
- Bill Hayes Fund
ESTABLISHED FUNDS
These funds require additional contributions to become Endowed. Contributing to an Established Fund will help secure the fund in perpetuity. You may select a specific fund from the following list.
- Geraldine Cate Fund
- Barbara Doscher Fund (Designated for NATS Intern Program)
- Alpha Mayfield Fund
- James McKinney Fund (Designated for NATS Intern Program)
- Oklahoma Memorial Teachers Fund
- Kenneth Pennington Fund
- Harvey Ringel Fund
- West Central Region Award
- Jean Westerman Gregg Fund
- Roy Delp Fund
- Paul Kiesgen Fund
- National Music Theater Competition Fund
