Guitars Over Guns
Guitars Over Guns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, professional-mentor-led music instruction (guitar, vocals, production, songwriting) to youth from vulnerable communities in schools and community sites across Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersMiami, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Guitars Over Guns does
Guitars Over Guns (legal entity: Guitars Over Guns Organization, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008 and headquartered in Miami, Florida. The organization delivers music mentorship programs pairing students from vulnerable and underserved communities with 100+ professional musician-mentors across four U.S. cities (Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City). Its core offering is the Music Mentoring Program, providing free instruction in guitar, bass, piano, vocals, drums, rap, songwriting, music production, and visual art, anchored in a Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework documented in CEO Chad Bernstein's doctoral dissertation from the University of Miami (2012). The curriculum is delivered via after-school programs, community-based sites, and summer programming including Camp GOGO residential camp, with supporting infrastructure of Haven Studios (recording facility) and Haven Cinema (screening and events venue). Auxiliary programs include the M-Power Mental Health Program (group facilitation, individual wellness coaching, crisis/case management), SHINE Album Series student recordings, and signature fundraising events such as the Choose Your Sound Gala.
The organization operates with a disclosed $7M annual budget, 35 staff plus 100+ independent contractors, and has reached over 11,000 youth since inception. Its GTM motion is event-driven and institutionally funded, anchored by high-profile galas, school district partnerships (Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, USC Hybrid High, NYC Department of Education schools), and a tiered corporate sponsorship program ("The Label") ranging from $500 to $100,000+. Revenue comes from individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants (Florida Blue Foundation, Moss Foundation, The Children's Trust, The Miami Foundation, Elevate Prize Foundation, Quest Foundation), and government support from Florida (Department of State, Miami-Dade County) and Illinois. Tech stack is minimal — Google Analytics and Mailchimp — with PCI-DSS, CCPA, and ADA/504 compliance maintained for donations and program accessibility.
Guitars Over Guns firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Guitars Over Guns
- Legal name
- Guitars Over Guns Organization, Inc.
- Website
- https://guitarsoverguns.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Guitars Over Guns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, professional-mentor-led music instruction (guitar, vocals, production, songwriting) to youth from vulnerable communities in schools and community sites across Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Guitars Over Guns industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Arts Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE), Music Theory, Ear Training & Musicianship (EDAMANAF), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Music (Instruments, Voice, Music Theory) (EDAAAGAC), Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD)
Keywords
Where Guitars Over Guns is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Miami
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Guitars Over Guns business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, families, and corporations at various partnership tiers from $500 to $100,000+. Corporate partners receive marketing exposure, event access, and VIP benefits.
- Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from foundations (Moss Foundation, Florida Blue Foundation, Children's Trust) and government entities (Illinois Legislature, Miami-Dade County, State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture). Grants support specific programs and operational costs.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Tiered sponsorship program ($500-$100,000+) providing marketing benefits, event access, and brand integration at partner events
- Annual Galas and Events: Revenue generation through ticketed events like the Choose Your Sound Gala, benefit concerts, and community activations
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free programs for youth participants |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Guitars Over Guns product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Guitars Over Guns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing free music mentoring and arts education to youth from vulnerable and underserved communities. It pairs students with professional musician-mentors for instruction in guitar, piano, drums, vocals, rap, songwriting, and music production through after-school, community-based, and summer camp program formats across four U.S. cities. Supporting programs include mental health and wellness services, residential summer camps, and student-produced music recordings.
Product overview
Guitars Over Guns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts-based youth development organization offering a portfolio of music mentoring and mentorship programs. Its core offering is the Music Mentoring Program — an after-school, community-based, and summer music instruction program that pairs students from vulnerable communities with professional musicians for lessons in guitar, bass, piano, vocals, drums, rap, creative writing, songwriting, music production, and visual art. Supporting the core program are the M-Power Mental Health Program (wellness coaching and crisis management), Camp GOGO (annual residential summer camp), and the SHINE Album Series (student-created music recordings). The organization also operates physical facilities — Haven Studios (recording studio) and Haven Cinema (screening/events venue) — and hosts signature events including the Choose Your Sound Gala and Band Together. Its first-ever album, The Rain May Be Pouring, features original music by mentors, students, and alumni.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Music Mentoring Program After-school and community-based music mentoring program pairing students from vulnerable communities with professional musicians for instruction in guitar, bass, piano, vocals, drums, rap, creative writing, songwriting, music production, and visual art. Provided at no cost to participants.
- Camp GOGO Annual residential summer camp for 7th and 8th graders and high school mentees featuring songwriting, recording, outdoor activities (volleyball, canoeing, rock climbing, zip lining, swimming), and collaborative music creation.
- M-Power Mental Health Program Mental health and wellness program featuring group facilitation, individual wellness coaching, crisis and case management, and documentation using the CGAS (Children's Global Assessment Score) to support participants' social-emotional development.
- Haven Studios Music production and recording studio facility operated by Guitars Over Guns, used for student recordings and professional productions.
- Haven Cinema Cinema facility operated by Guitars Over Guns for screenings, student showcases, and community events.
- Community-Based Programs Community-based programs offered at no cost to youth, featuring performances, workshops, and mentorship activities in neighborhood settings across multiple U.S. cities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93% of students said their mentor expects them to try new things and do their best
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Guitars Over Guns
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Guitars Over Guns technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Guitars Over Guns partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- UCAN (Chicago)corePartnership with UCAN brought the first GOGO Chicago program to life in 2014.
- Ingenuity (Chicago)coreExecutive Director Nicole Upton noted GOGO demonstrated commitment to Chicago Public Schools students through high-quality, culturally responsive music programming, growing from 2 partners in 2017-18 to 9 school programs.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Guitars Over Guns competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Education Through Music: Education Through Music partners with under-resourced schools to provide year-long music instruction as part of the school day across multiple U.S. cities. Comparable model: free music education, school-district partnerships, multi-city footprint, focus on equity of access to arts education.
- Berklee City Music: Berklee's nonprofit arm provides music education, scholarships, and performance opportunities to underserved youth in Boston and partner cities. Comparable as a tuition-free, mentorship-intensive music education program targeting the same vulnerable-youth demographic with measurable outcomes.
- Inner-City Arts: Inner-City Arts provides free arts education, including music, to underserved youth in downtown Los Angeles. Directly comparable in LA, in free arts-integration model, in serving vulnerable youth with professional teaching artists, and in leveraging dedicated facilities for programming.
- Music Will: Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock) provides free music instruction and instruments to underserved K-12 students across the U.S. It is the most directly comparable peer — both organizations deliver no-cost music education to vulnerable youth, leverage professional musicians as instructors, and scale through school district partnerships.
- VH1 Save The Music Foundation: VH1 Save The Music Foundation funds music education programs and instrument grants in under-resourced schools nationwide. Comparable as a national nonprofit leveraging brand recognition and corporate partnerships to expand equitable access to music education for vulnerable youth.
- Harmony Project: Harmony Project provides free music mentorship and ensemble instruction to low-income youth in Los Angeles, with documented longitudinal outcomes. Directly comparable: same youth-development-via-music thesis, free model, urban focus, and emphasis on sustained mentorship relationships.
- YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles): LA Philharmonic's YOLA program provides free ensemble music instruction and mentorship to LA youth. Overlaps with GOGO in city (LA), target population (underserved youth), free delivery model, and instrument-based youth development outcomes; differs in classical-ensemble focus versus GOGO's contemporary/hip-hop/songwriting emphasis.
- Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation donates musical instruments and supports music programs in under-resourced schools across the U.S. Comparable target beneficiary (underserved student musicians) and reliance on institutional/corporate partnerships to scale music access.
Emerging players
- SongwritingWith:Soldiers: SongwritingWith:Soldiers pairs professional songwriters with service members and veterans to write and record original music. Comparable in mentorship-through-songwriting model and trauma-informed creative expression approach, but focused on a different beneficiary population (veterans vs. at-risk youth).
Broad incumbents
- Carnegie Hall Musical Connections: Carnegie Hall's Musical Connections program brings interactive music programming to people in healthcare settings, correctional facilities, and community organizations. Broader in scope and institutional scale, but shares the use of professional musicians and music as a vehicle for social-emotional outcomes in marginalized populations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks2 records
Key highlights2 records
Customer concentration
Guitars Over Guns social profiles
Digital presenceGuitars Over Guns compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Guitars Over Guns financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Guitars Over Guns leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Guitars Over Guns funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Guitars Over Guns M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Guitars Over Guns
What does Guitars Over Guns do?
Guitars Over Guns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing free music mentoring and arts education to youth from vulnerable and underserved communities. It pairs students with professional musician-mentors for instruction in guitar, piano, drums, vocals, rap, songwriting, and music production through after-school, community-based, and summer camp program formats across four U.S. cities. Supporting programs include mental health and wellness services, residential summer camps, and student-produced music recordings.
Is Guitars Over Guns a public or private company?
Guitars Over Guns is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Guitars Over Guns founded?
Guitars Over Guns was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Guitars Over Guns based?
Guitars Over Guns is headquartered in Miami, United States, in the North America region.
How does Guitars Over Guns make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual and Corporate Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Government Grants, corporate Sponsorships and annual Galas and Events.
Who are Guitars Over Guns's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Education Through Music, Berklee City Music, Inner-City Arts, Music Will, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Harmony Project, YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) and Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. SongwritingWith:Soldiers is listed as an emerging player. Carnegie Hall Musical Connections is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Guitars Over Guns have an API?
No public API is recorded for Guitars Over Guns.
What industry is Guitars Over Guns in?
Guitars Over Guns's product category is Youth Arts Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAAAE, Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal), with a secondary code of EDAMANAE, Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College). Its NAICS code is 61161.