Music Heals Funding: How it Works

Music therapy programs in BC don’t operate by default, they exist through external funding – with a significant portion coming from Music Heals.

Despite growing evidence of its benefits, music therapy remains one of the most underfunded and underrepresented forms of therapy. While traditional forms of treatment are often prioritized, music therapy is often seen as a niche approach, even though it has helped thousands of people find connection, regulate emotions, support cognitive function, and heal in a variety of ways traditional therapy alone cannot always reach.

Music therapy is currently not covered under most public or extended health care plans in Canada. That means facilities that want to offer music therapy to their clients must find their own funding. Knowing this, many programs turn to Music Heals. 

 

“Programs come to us because without funding for music therapy, these programs often struggle to reach the volume of people seeking this kind of care, or people have to pay out of pocket to access this critical health care service in ways that they don’t have to do with other health care.” – Juliana Fraser, Executive Director of Music Heals

 

 

The Funding Process

Programs and facilities that offer music therapy apply for funding through Music Heals to help sustain and expand their program. These applications provide a detailed look into each program, including the populations they serve, how sessions are structured, and the impact music therapy has had on participants, often supported by testimonials and feedback. Music Heals reviews each application to determine the monetary needs of each program with an aim to match the current funding and amplify the program’s impact. 

To ensure funding can reach as many communities as possible, grants are typically capped at $20,000 per program. This allows Music Heals to distribute funds across a wider range of organizations, helping more people access music therapy throughout the province.

Funding is then directly applied to certified music therapists to provide more hours and increase the number of sessions available to music therapy clients. Therapists are given the agency to decide what is best for their specific programs and use the backing from Music Heals to further support their clients needs.

 

Scale and Impact

The final stage of this funding model is the impact made on music therapy clients. The increased access and stability offered to these programs by donations means more people are reached by the healing power of music. 

But the demand for music therapy continues to grow. In the 2025/2026 year funding cycle, Music Heals received over $800,000 in funding requests, while being able to distribute $555,000 – highlighting the gap between need and demand.

 

Since 2012, Music Heals has funded:

• Over $5 million to music therapy programs throughout BC and across Canada
• More than 90 programs 
• Over 73,000 hours of music therapy for people of all ages 

Each of these numbers represent real sessions, real change, and real people accessing care that would not otherwise be available.

 

 

“Stable funding for music therapy means stable employment for music therapists, which means a stable and reliable connection for clients who are served through music therapy by having that individual there to support them through their journey.” – Juliana Fraser, Executive Director of Music Heals

 

Awareness to Access

This impact begins long before funding is distributed. A large part of Music Heal’s work is raising awareness and educating people about music therapy, done in large part by sharing stories from the programs we support. By highlighting real experiences – from hospitals, to childcare, to senior homes or recovery centres – we aim to help people understand the value of music therapy and the difference it can make on people’s lives.

This awareness is what drives donations. Through community support, local partnerships, and fundraising initiatives, our goal is to turn your contributions into tangible resources for music therapy programs in BC. Together, these efforts help bridge the gap between need and access. As awareness continues to grow, so does the potential to expand the reach of music therapy. 

Funding isn’t just about sustaining these programs – it’s about giving people the opportunity to heal and express themselves in ways traditional approaches can’t always reach. 

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2026/2027 Funding Applications are now open! To see if a program is eligible for funding or learn more about the requirements, click here.

To explore the scope of our funding and Music Heal’s full impact report, click here.