Willie Mae Rock Camp

What Willie Mae Rock Camp does

Willie Mae Rock Camp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 in Brooklyn, NY, providing tuition-free music, technology, and STEM education to girls and gender-expansive youth ages 10-17 across New York City. Its core product portfolio includes a one-week Summer Rock Camp, a year-round Music Lab Afterschool structured around three progressive series (Foundations, Skills & Practice, Creative Independence), three-day Minicamps during school breaks, in-school programs delivered at partner schools across NYC's five boroughs, community workshops with partner organizations, and free field-trip workshops at its Brooklyn facility. In 2024 it added a paid Alumni Fellowship providing $15,000 stipends to program alumni ages 18-26 for original creative work.

The technology backbone is the Brooklyn Sound Laboratory, opened in 2021 at 540 President Street, housing over 30 digital, analog, and modular synthesizers, computer stations, iPads, guitars, basses, electronic drum kits, and a quadrophonic sound system. The curriculum integrates audio production, songwriting, coding, electrical engineering, original composition, and digital art production, including Hydra live-coding patches. A separate Project Library functions as an online living archive of student-created songs, visual art, multimedia works, lessons, and streamed events.

Willie Mae Rock Camp generates revenue almost entirely through philanthropic sources: 74% from foundation grants, 10% from government funding (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYS Council on the Arts, Brooklyn Borough President), 7% from corporate support and in-kind gear, 6% from individual donations, 2% in-kind donations, and 1% earned revenue. FY2024-25 total revenue was $1.18M against expenses of $1.12M, with funding drawn from 40+ partners including the Mellon Foundation, Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation, Ableton, Native Instruments, Make Noise, Teenage Engineering, and others. The organization serves approximately 639 youth annually, of whom 88% are people of color and 75% are from low-income backgrounds.

Name

Willie Mae Rock Camp

Legal name

Willie Mae Rock Camp

Website

https://williemaerockcamp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Willie Mae Rock Camp is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing tuition-free music, technology, and STEM education to girls and gender-expansive youth ages 10-17 across New York City, anchored by a dedicated Sound Lab with over 30 synthesizers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Music Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC), Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD)

Keywords

• Music education programs
• STEM music curriculum
• Youth mentorship
• Nonprofit arts education
• Community music workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: The largest revenue source at 74% of total revenue ($1.18M total). Grants from foundations such as Mellon Foundation, Altman Foundation, Hyde and Watson Foundation, Frank and Ruth E. Caruso Foundation, and others.
2. Government Funding: 10% of total revenue from government sources including New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and Office of the Brooklyn Borough President.
3. Corporate Support: 7% of total revenue from corporate sponsors and in-kind gear donations from companies such as Warner Music Group, Reverb, and various music equipment manufacturers.
4. Individual Donations: 6% of total revenue from individual donors, including monthly sustainers and matching gift programs.
5. In-Kind Donations: 2% of total revenue from in-kind gear and equipment donations from music industry partners.
6. Earned Revenue: 1% of total revenue from program fees and related earned income activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Willie Mae Rock Camp delivers tuition-free music and STEM education programs to girls and gender-expansive youth ages 10-17 in New York City. The core offering includes summer rock camps, afterschool music labs, school-break minicamps, in-school programming, and community workshops, all centered on the Brooklyn Sound Lab facility equipped with over 30 digital, analog, and modular synthesizers and music technology. A six-month paid Alumni Fellowship for program graduates ages 18-26 and an online Project Library of student work extend the program offering beyond the core youth audience.

Product overview

Willie Mae Rock Camp is a tuition-free music laboratory for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 10-17 in NYC, integrating music, technology, and STEM. The core offering is a portfolio of free youth programs centered around the Brooklyn Sound Lab — a facility housing over 30 digital, analog, and modular synthesizers, computer stations, iPads, guitars, basses, electronic drum kits, and a quadrophonic sound system. Programs include Summer Rock Camp, Music Lab Afterschool (three progressive series: Foundations, Skills & Practice, and Creative Independence), three-day Minicamps during school breaks, In-School Programs partnering with NYC schools, and Community Workshops conducted with partner organizations citywide. The Alumni Fellowship provides a six-month paid track for program graduates ages 18-26. The Project Library serves as an online archive of student work and streamed performances, while Field Trips bring groups into the Sound Lab for hands-on experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Rock Camp A one-week collaborative summer music program where campers pick an instrument, form bands, and write and perform an original song, with hands-on workshops in electronic music exploration and DIY projects. Open to girls and gender-expansive youth ages 10-17 in NYC; tuition-free.
• Music Lab Afterschool A STEM-based afterschool program teaching digital music production through three progressive series (Foundations, Skills & Practice, and Creative Independence), covering audio production, songwriting, coding, electrical engineering, and original composition. Free for girls and gender-expansive youth at the Brooklyn studio.
• Minicamps Three-day full-day camps held during school breaks (Mid-Winter Recess, Spring Break) centering students as creators engaging with Detroit Techno, Hip-Hop, and interactive audio-video practices, culminating in a showcase. Open to girls and gender-expansive youth; free.
• In-School Programs Partner programs with schools across NYC's five boroughs delivering STEM-informed music education that blends music, coding, and creativity for middle and high school students. Delivered directly at partner schools; tuition-free for participants.
• Community Workshops and Partnerships Community-based hands-on workshops and series conducted throughout NYC in partnership with community organizations and institutions, providing access to creative expression and youth engagement. Free to participants.
• Alumni Fellowship A six-month paid fellowship launched in 2024 for program alumni ages 18-26, providing a $15,000 stipend, mentorship, and access to the Brooklyn Sound Lab to develop original creative projects in music and audio-related fields.
• Project Library An online living archive of student-created work including songs, digital art, and Hydra live-coding patches; also hosts streamed events, lessons, and performances featuring women and non-binary musicians and artists.
• Field Trips Free hands-on music and STEM workshops hosted at the Willie Mae Rock Camp Sound Lab in Brooklyn, featuring stations for live coding, digital art, sampling, and experimentation. Schools and community groups can reserve by emailing [email protected].

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brooklyn Communities CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership organization supporting Brooklyn-based programming initiatives.
• Heritage of Pride Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization producing NYC Pride events; partner in community programming.
• The National Constitution CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner for programming initiatives.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Ableton (Music Learning Labs / Beats & Beyond): Music software company with formal education programs that donate licenses, hardware, and curriculum to schools and youth programs. Comparable as an in-kind tech donor and ecosystem partner; WMRC has named Ableton among its core equipment donors.

Direct peers

• Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: Non-profit providing musical instruments and music education support to under-resourced schools. Comparable as an instrument-provision and music-education funding organization aligned with youth music equity missions.
• Rock 'N' Roll Camp for Girls: Portland-based non-profit founded in 2001 as the first U.S. rock camp for girls. Directly comparable to WMRC as a tuition-free, volunteer-empowered girls' music education organization with afterschool, summer, and band-based programming for youth.
• Girls Rock Camp Alliance: International coalition of girls' rock camps serving as an umbrella and resource network. Direct peer as the coordinating body for the same girls' rock camp movement in which WMRC is a member organization.
• Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock): National non-profit providing free music education, instruments, and curriculum to under-resourced public schools. Comparable as a tuition-free, equity-focused youth music education non-profit with national partner-school distribution model.

Regional players

• Symphony Space: NYC-based performing arts non-profit offering concerts and arts education programming for families and schools. Comparable as a NYC-rooted arts education non-profit with youth programming and outreach, though broader in artistic scope.
• Brooklyn Conservatory of Music: Long-established Brooklyn-based non-profit music school offering instruction across instruments, genres, and ages. Comparable as a NYC-rooted music education non-profit, though broader in genre and age range and less focused on gender/equity than WMRC.

Broad incumbents

• VH1 Save The Music Foundation: Music industry-funded non-profit providing instruments and music programs to schools nationwide. Comparable as a high-profile music education grantmaker supporting youth access to music-making, though operating at much larger scale across K-12 schools.
• National YoungArts Foundation: National non-profit identifying and supporting exceptional young artists ages 15-18 across disciplines. Comparable as a youth-arts talent development organization, though broader across art forms and more selective in admission.
• Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute: Education arm of Carnegie Hall producing free music programs for NYC students, teachers, and families. Comparable as a NYC music-education non-profit serving diverse youth, with broader scope and significantly larger institutional backing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/williemaerock
• Facebookfacebook.com/williemaerockcamp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/willie-mae-rock-camp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Willie Mae Rock Camp