Debbie Duncan Legacy Fund gives microgrants to needy Minnesota musicians

Always generous, Minneapolis vocal stylist Debbie Duncan believed in supporting her fellow musicians. If Minnesota's First Lady of Song wasn't onstage, she was in the audience in a Twin Cities club, cheering for her friends or checking out newbies to whom she'd offer sage advice.

So, it's not surprising that some of the late singer's friends have set up a fund in her name to help out members of the music community in need. This month the newly launched Debbie Duncan Legacy Fund began giving out $500 microgrants to singers, instrumentalists and technical crew.

"It's very simple," said Dakota proprietor Lowell Pickett, a co-founder of the fund. "We want the bar to be low."

Applicants, who must be 18 or older and live in Minnesota, go to a website and answer a few questions, chiefly "How has COVID-19 financially affected you or the person you are nominating?"

"We've given away $7,000 so far," said Pickett. "It's not a large amount of money, but it can make a difference to people."

The fund started with money from a GoFundMe campaign to cover expenses after Duncan had a series of strokes last fall. She died in December.

"The need is so much greater than our capacity right now," Pickett said. "Donations are accepted. They are tax deductible."

Pickett and co-founders Ginger Commodore, Lori Dokken and Stuart Paster meet weekly to evaluate applications.

Applications can be found at dakotacooks.com/debbie-duncan-legacy-fund-application.

More than $20,000 has been raised for the nonprofit fund, administered in cooperation with Mixed Blood Theatre. Donations can be made at mixedblood.com/product/debbieduncan.

Twitter: @JonBream • 612-673-1719