At a glance
- Primary grant writer since the organization’s founding in 2022
- Wrote the initial Mellon Foundation grant ($300,000 over three years) that provided catalytic seed funding for the organization to launch
- Wrote the second Mellon Foundation grant ($400,000 over three years), reflecting deepened funder confidence as the organization demonstrated traction
- Secured a $160,000 NYSCA grant, diversifying institutional support early ($860,000 in total grant funding secured)
- Supported growth from 9 founding musicians to a national network of 10,000+ musicians, students, and stakeholders
- Currently building an individual giving program, case for support, donor pipeline, and comprehensive grant strategy to support long-term sustainability
The Work Behind the Work
The Black Orchestral Network (BON) is a Black-led, national organization working to build a more robust future for American classical music. Founded in 2022 by nine working orchestral musicians, BON supports Black musicians through community building, career development, policy advocacy, and cultural preservation. In four years, it has grown into a national network engaging over 10,000 musicians, students, and stakeholders. Learn more at blackorchestralnetwork.org.
Two Five One has been a partner to BON since its earliest days, starting with the moment that matters most for a new organization: securing the initial funding that proves the model is investable.
Laying the Foundation
Rachel Pryzgoda Bravo served as BON’s grant writer from inception, working directly with the steering committee to translate the organization’s vision into fundraising language. This required partnering with leadership to craft a narrative that captured both the urgency of the need and what made BON’s approach distinctive: the idea that the orchestra is not a space to which Black musicians must be granted access, but a cultural form they have always shaped.
That narrative work resulted in BON’s initial $300,000 Mellon Foundation grant: catalytic funding that gave the organization the runway to build its programs, hire its first staff, and begin delivering on its mission nationally. Rachel then partnered on the second grant, a $400,000 three-year award that reflected the Foundation’s deepened confidence in BON’s model and trajectory. BON also secured a $160,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, bringing total grant funding to $860,000 and establishing BON’s credibility with institutional funders across the field.
Throughout, the approach was collaborative. Grant writing was embedded in ongoing strategic conversation with the steering committee about what to prioritize and how to tell that story.
Evolving the Approach
As BON has grown, the focus has expanded beyond early-stage grant funding to exploring and strengthening additional revenue pathways that support long-term sustainability. Two Five One has partnered with leadership to shape core fundraising narratives, identify opportunities for growth, and support strategic decision-making around development efforts.
This phase of work is ongoing and adaptive, reflecting the organization’s continued evolution. It includes developing internal frameworks, identifying prospective funding opportunities, and supporting leadership in aligning fundraising with organizational values and capacity.
Why This Work Matters
BON is the kind of organization Two Five One is built to support: growing fast and navigating the transition from entrepreneurial energy to durable institution. The work we’ve done together, from the first grant application to ongoing strategic fundraising support, reflects our belief that the best consulting relationships grow together rather than arriving fully formed.