Guitars Over Guns

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.

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

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

• Youth music mentoring
• Arts education programs
• Nonprofit youth development
• Music instruction services
• Community youth programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Tiered sponsorship program ($500-$100,000+) providing marketing benefits, event access, and brand integration at partner events
4. Annual Galas and Events: Revenue generation through ticketed events like the Choose Your Sound Gala, benefit concerts, and community activations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UCAN (Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UCAN brought the first GOGO Chicago program to life in 2014.
• Ingenuity (Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/guitarsoverguns
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/guitarsoverguns
• Facebookfacebook.com/GuitarsOverGuns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guitars-over-guns
• Instagraminstagram.com/guitarsoverguns

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guitars Over Guns