GLAAD announced today that it is accepting applications for the 2018 Rising Stars Grants at the Concert for Love & Acceptance in Nashville.

The GLAAD Rising Stars Grant Program celebrates young people’s commitment to accelerating LGBTQ acceptance within their communities and culture at large.

The new grant, named after out country music star, Ty Herndon, is offered to support young people for their commitment to enhancing LGBTQ inclusion and representation in music. The recipient of the Ty Herndon Rising Stars Grant will receive $2,500 to further fund their work and initiatives and will be honored by GLAAD at an event to be named later.

Ty Herndon at the 2015 GLAAD Media Awards. Getty Images for GLAAD.

To become a recipient of the Rising Stars Grant, applicants must complete the online application form located on glaad.org/risingstars, and submit a short video responding to a prompt. In your application video, tell GLAAD why you think LGBTQ inclusion and representation in music matters, explain how would you use this grant to improve LGBTQ inclusion and representation in the music industry, and how and in what ways would you would use the media to amplify mission and increase the initiatives’ impact. The grant is available to a person or team of people and applicants can apply as individuals or as a team. Applications are due Sunday, July 8th, 2018 by midnight PST.

Former Rising Stars Grant recipients have been honored for their thoughtful work to address many issues facing their local communities, including: producing music videos to feature LGBTQ storylines and hire LGBTQ actors and production members, increasing diversity of performers on college campuses by funding transgender entertainers and speakers, fostering conversation around diversity and inclusion in business through launching a podcast, and more.

2018 GLAAD Rising Stars Grant recipient, Priscila Alegria Nunez. Getty Images for GLAAD.

The details:

A GLAAD-appointed committee will select recipients based on the strength of the following criteria:

• Applicant’s initiative works to accelerate acceptance for LGBTQ people in the music industry.
• Applicant’s initiative positively affects marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ people.
• Applicant’s initiative uses media advocacy to enhance representation for LGBTQ people.
• Applicant’s initiative uses an intersectional approach to LGBTQ advocacy.

Key dates for applicants:

• Thursday, June 7th, 2018: applications available.
• Sunday, July 8th, 2018: applications due by midnight PST.
• Wednesday, August 1st, 2018: All applicants are notified of status; recipients notified.