Mission The mission of the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota is to support and inspire a community of choral musicians. Purpose The F. Melius Christiansen (FMC) Endowment Fund of the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota (ACDA-MN) was established in 1996 to champion and foster the choral art in Minnesota. Members of the FMC Endowment Fund Committee are committed to providing the leadership and resources to guarantee a vibrant future for exemplary choral music in the state of the Minnesota. Since 1997 the FMC Endowment Fund Committee has awarded nearly $85,000 in grants to members of ACDA-MN to attend national and divisional ACDA conferences, ACDA-MN Summer Dialogue, the World Symposium on Choral Music, and graduate school. Additionally, the FMC Endowment Fund assists ACDA-MN with some administrative expenses. Founded in 1962, ACDA-MN hired its first full-time executive director in 2009 to administer the organization’s many activities. Contributions to the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund are tax-deductible and may be made at any time. Testimonials from ACDA-MN member grant recipients: "In addition to making so many new choral director friends and learning so many new things, Summer Dialogue provided the inspiration and fuel for both mind and heart that I needed to start the year off right." Kayla - 2008 Summer Dialogue Grant Recipient "The World Choral Symposium in Copenhagen, Denmark was one of those “once in a lifetime” experiences. As teachers we’re always striving to create those ‘special’ experiences for our students. Thank you to the FMC Endowment Fund for fostering continued growth and leadership in our choral art!" Thomas - 2008 World Symposium on Choral Music Grant Recipient "How lucky we are as choral music educators to have a group such as ACDA-MN who so willing offers financial assistance to its members in their quests for educational and professional advancement." Kyle - 2008 Graduate School Grant Recipient "Summer Dialogue was a fantastic experience. Not only were my eyes opened to what a powerhouse of choral music the state of Minnesota has, but I also gained a wealth of practical knowledge that I can use on a weekly basis with my choirs. Without the FMC Endowment Fund grant I would not have been able to attend. I will encourage all the choral conductors I know to attend Summer Dialogue next year and plan on attending as long as I live in Minnesota." Curtis - 2009 Summer Dialogue Grant Recipient Your contribution is greatly appreciated. Thank you! Please visit our websites for additional information: ACDA-MN - http://acda-mn.org/ FMC Endowment Fund - http://fmcendowment.org/