Save The Music

Name

Save The Music

Legal name

Save The Music Foundation

Website

https://savethemusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education Non-Profit

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD)

Keywords

• Music education charity
• School music grants
• Music technology grants
• Nonprofit music foundation
• School instrument donations

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Save The Music receives donations from individuals through its website, monthly giving programs, one-time gifts, and memorial/honor donations. The organization has operated since 1997 based on charitable contributions.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Major technology and music industry partners (Apple, Bose, Guitar Center, AT&T) provide funding, products, and technology grants. Partners receive recognition and association with the foundation's mission.
3. Planned Giving and Endowments: The organization accepts planned gifts, endowment contributions, donor-advised fund grants, and gifts of appreciated securities for long-term financial sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Save The Music Foundation provides no-cost grants of musical instruments, music technology, curriculum, and teacher support services to public schools in underserved communities across the United States. The grants are tiered by grade band — Intro To Music Grant (PreK-5), Core Grant for band/strings/mariachi (Grades 3-8), and the J Dilla Music Technology Grant (Grades 9-12) — and are complemented by a free online resource library of more than 150 music education materials, professional development webinars, and tutorial videos.

Product overview

Save The Music Foundation operates as a nonprofit music education organization offering a portfolio of grant programs and educational resources designed to help public schools establish and sustain music programs. The core offerings consist of three grant programs structured by grade level: the Intro To Music Grant for elementary schools (PreK-5) providing approximately $35,000 in instruments and resources for general music; the Core Grant for band, strings, mariachi, and Sonidos Latinos programs serving grades 3-8 with approximately $87,000 in instruments; and the J Dilla Music Technology Grant for high schools (grades 9-12) focusing on electronic music production. These grants are complemented by an extensive library of over 150 free educational resources including tutorial videos for making beats, professional development programs for SEL integration, and career pathway resources. The organization does not operate as a technology platform but rather as a grant-giving foundation that partners with school districts to provide instruments, technology, and support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• J Dilla Music Technology Grant: A music technology grant program for high schools (grades 9-12) that provides equipment and curriculum for electronic music creation, recording, and production. Named in honor of hip-hop producer J Dilla.
• Core Grant
• Intro To Music Grant

Products and services

• Intro To Music Grant No-cost grant program for public elementary schools (Grades PreK-5) providing approximately $35,000 in developmentally appropriate instruments and resources for general music instruction, including acoustic guitars, digital pianos, Orff instruments, world drums, recorders, concert ukuleles, hand-held percussion, and classroom method books, delivered to underserved Title I districts that commit to scheduling general music instruction during the regular school day.
• Core Grant – Band, Strings, Mariachi, or Sonidos Latinos No-cost grant program for public elementary and middle schools (Grades 3-8) that restores or expands instrumental music programs in Band, Strings, Mariachi, or Sonidos Latinos formats. Provides grants valued at approximately $87,000 including beginner instruments, music stands, method books, and program services; schools must commit to hiring a certified music teacher and scheduling instrumental music during the regular school day.
• J Dilla Music Technology Grant No-cost grant program for public high schools (Grades 9-12) providing equipment and curriculum for electronic music creation, recording, and production. Bundles computers, MIDI controllers, audio interfaces, studio monitors, microphones, headphones, and DJ equipment with content developed alongside Pharrell Williams' i am OTHER, Arizona State University's Consortium for Innovation and Transformation in Music Education, Apple, and Bose; authorized under license from the J Dilla estate and Pay Jay Productions.
• Music Tech Set-Up Guide Step-by-step online guide for music educators that walks through building a classroom music technology lab, covering foundational concepts, recording theory, software and hardware setup, classroom configuration, DJing, podcasting, and curriculum integration. Created in partnership with We Make Noise and distributed free via savethemusic.org.
• Learn & Make Your Own Beats Tutorial Videos Free online tutorial video series that teaches students and educators how to produce music using Soundtrap and GarageBand on iPad, including creating tracks, layering instrument loops, connecting MIDI controllers, and recording vocals. Produced in partnership with Pharrell Williams' i am OTHER and ASU's Consortium for Innovation and Transformation in Music Education, with AT&T sponsorship.
• Student Empowerment Through SEL in Music Education Free professional learning program for music educators that embeds social-emotional learning into music teaching practice, packaged as nine on-demand webinars, an introductory SEL video, and a reflection guide. Delivered in partnership with the Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning (ArtsEdSEL).
• Explore Career Pathways in Music Free online resource that introduces students to careers in the music industry, covering music production, audio engineering, composition, scoring for film/TV/games, concert production, live sound, and performing as a professional musician, with curated content from partners including 1500 Sound Academy, GRAMMY Museum, and the NAMM Foundation.
• Online Resource Library Curated online library of more than 150 free music education resources for students, teachers, and families, spanning music history to music theory and traditional music to studio production, organized by grade level (PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12), subject area, and content type (apps, articles, curriculum, videos, webinars).

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• idobi RadiocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026idobi Radio's Summer School Tour pledges to donate $0.50 per ticket sold to support music education in public schools. The 2026 tour lineup includes Honey Revenge, Chase Petra, South Arcade, Winona Fighter, and Games We Play.
• AppleflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Apple provides musical instruments and Apple technology including iPads, Apple Pencils, and AirPods Max to support students in creating and learning music. CEO Tim Cook visited Wadleigh Secondary School in Harlem to demonstrate the program. Apple expanded partnership to reach nearly 50 additional public schools in 2026.
• Guitar CentercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGuitar Center is a sponsor of the idobi Radio Summer School Tour supporting Save The Music's music education mission.
• Peta2minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPeta2 is a sponsor of the idobi Radio Summer School Tour supporting Save The Music's music education mission.
• SJC DrumsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSJC Drums is a sponsor of the idobi Radio Summer School Tour supporting Save The Music's music education mission.
• BosecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBose partnered with Save The Music to deliver a J Dilla Music Technology Grant to Metro Detroit, providing music technology equipment to support students in creating and learning music production.
• Music Performance Trust FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 5+ years of collaboration bringing live orchestral performances to students in culturally rich communities. MPTF provides funding for Save The Music to collaborate with symphonies and bring professional musicians directly into schools across the United States.
• New Jersey SymphonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Jersey Symphony produces chamber music performances delivered to students across six Northern New Jersey Title I school districts. Woodwind Quintet delivered twelve educational performances reaching 3,359 students.
• Pay Jay Productions, Inc.coreOthersPay Jay Productions authorized Save The Music's use of the J Dilla name in connection with the J Dilla Music Technology Grants honoring the legacy of James DeWitt Yancey (J Dilla).
• Estate of James DeWitt Yancey (J Dilla)coreOthersThe Estate of James DeWitt Yancey authorized Save The Music's use of the J Dilla name in connection with the J Dilla Music Technology Grants honoring J Dilla's legacy.
• AT&TcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAT&T provided generous contribution making the Music Tech Grant Tutorial Videos possible. Videos help students learn music production using Soundtrap and GarageBand.
• i am OTHER (Pharrell Williams' Creative Collective)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharrell Williams' creative collective collaborated with Save The Music and Arizona State University to create the Learn & Make Your Own Beats tutorial videos and educational content for the J Dilla Music Tech Grant program.
• Consortium for Innovation and Transformation in Music Education (Arizona State University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project between Save The Music's J Dilla Music Tech Grant and ASU's Consortium for Innovation and Transformation in Music Education to create tutorial videos and educational content for music production education.
• We Make NoiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWe Make Noise partnered with Save The Music to create the Music Tech Set-Up Guide. We Make Noise harnesses music and technology to advance global gender equity with 30 regional chapters working in 51 cities worldwide.
• Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning (ArtsEdSEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtsEdSEL partnered with Save The Music to present the Student Empowerment Through SEL in Music Education professional learning program including nine webinars and reflection guides for music educators.
• Music IS Education CoalitioncoreOthersSave The Music is a member of the Music IS Education Coalition, a group of organizations believing music education is crucial to the development of all students. The coalition advocates for high-quality music programs in every school.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation donates musical instruments and equipment to schools and individual students in need across the U.S. It is the closest direct counterpart to Save The Music in funding school-based music programs through instrument grants and partnerships with music industry sponsors.
• Little Kids Rock (Music Will): Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock) is a national nonprofit providing free music instruction, instruments, and curricula to under-served public schools, with programs spanning elementary through high school grades. It competes directly with Save The Music for Title I district partnerships and music industry sponsorships while emphasizing modern band instruments and teacher professional development.
• Education Through Music (ETM): Education Through Music partners with under-resourced schools to provide music instructors, instruments, and curriculum as a long-term, sustainable program model. ETM's partnership-plus-teacher-staffing approach overlaps heavily with Save The Music's instruments-plus-teacher-commitment grant structure, particularly in New York and partner districts nationally.
• D'Addario Foundation: The D'Addario Foundation supports music education programs in underserved communities through grants, instrument donations, and music industry partnerships. It draws on a single corporate founding family but operates a similar instrument-grant model for Title I and at-risk youth music programs across the U.S.
• Hungry for Music: Hungry for Music donates musical instruments to underprivileged children, schools, and music programs across the U.S. and abroad. While smaller in scale, its donation-driven, instruments-to-schools model is functionally comparable to Save The Music's core grant activity.
• Guitars in the Classroom: Guitars in the Classroom trains teachers to integrate music into K-12 curricula and donates instruments to participating classrooms. It addresses the same music-education-access gap Save The Music targets, focused on elementary general music and teacher capacity-building rather than full instrumental ensembles.
• Give a Note Foundation: Give a Note Foundation supports middle and high school music programs through grants, advocacy, and music education research. Its grant-making focus on school music programs and its role in the Sounds of Learning coalition place it directly alongside Save The Music in the Title I school funding ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Berklee City Music: Berklee City Music is Berklee College of Music's nonprofit outreach program providing tuition-free music education, instruments, and scholarships to underserved youth. While more constrained by Berklee's geographic hubs, its instrument-plus-instruction model for low-income youth mirrors Save The Music's broader national approach.

Broad incumbents

• National Association for Music Education (NAfME): NAfME is the largest professional association for music educators in the U.S., advocating for music education policy, providing teacher resources, and supporting the network of partner schools Save The Music serves. It is not a direct grant-making peer but operates in the same ecosystem of advocacy, teacher training, and program funding.

Others

• Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation - state affiliates and NAMM Foundation Music Education programs: The NAMM Foundation supports music education research, advocacy, and school-based music programming through grants and industry convening. It complements rather than competes with Save The Music, sharing the same corporate music-industry sponsorship base and overlapping on advocacy coalitions like Music IS Education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/savethemusicfdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCw9t_GbkwjqF70aNB0BAWZQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/savethemusic
• Instagraminstagram.com/savethemusic

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Save The Music