Loyola has received $400,000 from an appropriations bill for the 2010 fiscal year, according to Thomas Screen.

The Center for Music and Arts Entrepreneurship opened its doors in 2008, with the help from a grant awarded by the Louisiana Board of Regents and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“For the past few years we have submitted a request for a federal appropriations grant,” said Screen, director of Government Relations and director of the Institute of Politics.

Once a proposal is submitted to Congress, there is very limited control by the people who submitted the request.

“There are a variety of reasons why the request could have been denied in the past,” Screen said.

Congress annually considers several appropriations bills, which fund numerous activities, like national defense, education, and homeland security said the Senate’s website. The federal Omnibus grant is funded by these appropriation bills.

To apply for this grant, a request is submitted to our senators, Mary Landrieu and David Vitter. They then submit the request to the appropriations committee, according to Screen.

“I think the government saw the strength of the university, recognized that Loyola is located in a town recognized for its music, and that it would be a great opportunity to teach students how to make a living as a musician,” Screen said.

Once Loyola is able to secure the grant, Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Research Goerge Capowich then works on actually receiving the grant, Screen said.

“Because it is a congressionally awarded grant, it goes to the U.S. Department of Education, who then sends us a formal application to process. It’s then my job to work with (John) Snyder, (professor and program coordinator of music industry studies) to write the proposal, budget, and to coordinate the submission, which is all electronic,” Capowich said.

This grant will help to continue and expand CFMAE, said Capowich. “The CMFAE also benefits the community through its partnerships with other New Orleans universities, and through its involvement with music and arts community in the city,” Capowich said.

Yvonne Cappel-Vickery can be reached at [email protected]