Kevin Gilbert, in addition to being a masterful composer, musician, lyricist, performer and musical scholar, was also a friend to every musical person who came to him seeking his advice, assistance or just a friend to hang out with, sing and perform songs. His studio was open to people who showed dedication and promise. His respect for their ideas, musical taste, and love of music was real. He understood that the gift of music was both a blessing and a burden and that those with such a gift needed the opportunity to experience it. He gave that opportunity during his life and the Memorial established in his name continues to give that opportunity in his memory.

Provision of suitable musical instruments and/or funds for musical scholarships may be made available from the Kevin Gilbert Memorial Fund in the California Community Foundation for the purposes of helping young people who are musically gifted, but financially challenged, to realize their musical potential. The selection of recipients is supervised by the Gift of Music Committee and directed by the Trustee of the Kevin Gilbert Memorial Fund. The Committee is composed of four persons selected and appointed by the Trustee and one person chosen by the California Community Foundation, all of whom serve without compensation. The Gift of Music Committee will direct such distributions from the Fund as the Committee shall, in its discretion, deem appropriate to accomplish the purposes of the Fund, all subject to the approval of the Trustee.

The procedure for selecting such recipients of musical instruments and/or scholarship funds shall be as follows:

1. Preference will be given to students regularly attending school in the 5th through 11th grades who are musically gifted and who are unable to realize their gift of music because they lack access to or use of suitable musical instruments and/or instruction.

2. Applicants will most likely have demonstrated their unique musical talents through their activities and interests at school or at their place of worship. Thus it is expected that initial applications for consideration for a grant from the Gift of Music Fund will come from a music teacher, from someone with credibility as a musician or a musical performer, or perhaps from a religious minister. The applications will be endorsed by the principle of the middle school, junior high school, of high school at which the applicant is in attendance and be submitted to the Fund at the address above.

3. Applicants will be judged primarily on their recognized gift of music, their inability to obtain and use regularly a musical instrument suitable to their talents because of financial need, and their scholastic adequacy, community awareness and such other factors as the selection committee shall from time to time consider appropriate. Their qualification as responsible citizens will be illustrated by being a regularly enrolled student and having achieved a passing grade level in the grading system employed by their school. It will further be illustrated by examples of providing service to the school or community, involvement with a religious organization of the family's choosing, and congeniality with fellow students, staff and faculty. Services to the school or religious organization may be illustrated by involvement in such activities as clubs, service activities, chorus, choir, bands or orchestras, etc. Services to community may be illustrated by volunteer activities with nonprofit organizations, community involvement projects, etc.

4. Selection will be made without regard for race, color, national origin, age, or sex of the candidate.

5. The committee will meet as often as it is deemed necessary, but at least once a year.

6. The amount of any grant will be at the sole discretion of the Committee and the Trustee at the time the grant is given.

7. Grants or scholarships will be awarded periodically based upon the recommendations of the Gift of Music Committee and the approval of the Trustee.

8. The Committee will not be under any obligation to distribute funds if no suitable candidates are found in a given time period.

9. The recipient of a Gift of Music grant can be expected to develop his or her musical talents and thus over time the recipient may be in need of a more complete instrument or a more professional model. Under such circumstances, the recipient may ask to demonstrate the growth in his or her musical capabilities for the Gift of Music Committee and the Committee may judge the recipient to be worthy of receiving a second grant from the Fund to provide a more advanced instrument. The current financial circumstances of the recipient may also be reviewed at this time by the Committee. The Committee may then provide a second grant for the advanced recipient or it may determine that the resources of the Fund are better used to support other initial recipients of its grants.

10. No members of the families of the Gift of Music Committee or the Trustee, nor employees of the California Community Foundation shall be eligible for receipt of a grant from the Gift of Music Fund.

11. Neither the Gift of Music Committee nor the Trustee nor the California Community Foundation shall be liable for the acts, negligence or defaults of any person employed by the Committee or by the Trustee, selected with reasonable care, for any error in judgment, or act done or steps taken or omitted upon the advice of counsel, for any mistakes of fact or law, or for anything the Committee of Trustee may do or refrain from doing in good faith.