The D. Linda McKechnie Scholarship Fund was established in 2004, for the purpose of the helping individuals and programs that promote education in elementary schools or with special needs populations. The assistance may be in the form of a scholarship for an individual working in one of these areas to attend a Handbell Musicians of America national event, or a grant to support programming in one of these areas. For 2026, one scholarship will be awarded to National Seminar that supports the cost of registration, 6 hotel nights (to be booked by HMA), and $300 towards travel reimbursement.

Application Criteria & Instructions

• Applicant needs to be an Individual member of Handbell Musicians of America, affiliated with a recognized Group member organization, or participant in a group directed by a Handbell Musicians of America member.
• Applicant must be actively affiliated with a program serving elementary schools or people with special needs in an educational setting.
• Applicant must demonstrate financial need.
• Applicant is to describe their desire to attend the event, articulate their goals to be realized by participating, and provide detail on how the knowledge gained there will be shared.
• If applicant is not a member of HMA, a statement of support is required from an Individual or Group HMA member, sharing why they believe the applicant would benefit from attending the event. This statement should be emailed to HMA executive director, Linda Onorevole, [email protected], by April 1, 2026.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM (eastern) on April 1, 2026. Scholarship recipients will be notified by email.