Singing for Change

What Singing for Change does

Singing for Change (legally SFC Charitable Foundation, EIN 65-0565248) is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit foundation established by Jimmy Buffett in 1995 and headquartered in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. Per the foundation's own materials, it funds non-traditional, grassroots organizations that conventional funders tend to overlook, with a stated focus on children, families, the environment, and disenfranchised groups. Its primary output is grant capital directed to community-based nonprofits working on self-sufficiency, housing, education, healthcare access, and violence prevention.

The foundation has distributed over $17 million in grants since 1995 to a diverse roster of grassroots recipients, including The Doe Fund (transitional work for formerly incarcerated individuals), Insight Garden Program, Al Wooten Jr. Youth & Adult Cultural Education Center, Beyond Shelter, Bicycle Action Project, Help for Abused Women and Children, Canine Assistants, Breaking Ground, Manhattan Youth Recreation and Resources, and Healing the Children. Distributions are made through a grant application process, with the foundation explicitly favoring non-traditional applicants.

Revenue is generated through two streams: individual donations accepted via PayPal and check, and a Tennessee Margaritaville specialty license plate program ($35 plus a $1.50 credit card processing fee per plate) created by Tennessee state legislation, with plate proceeds restricted to support the Singing for Change grant program within Tennessee. The foundation is governed by a board of directors and a small staff with no disclosed headcount, no technology products, no APIs, and no commercial offerings; it operates with traditional nonprofit mechanics rather than a technology-enabled growth model.

Name

Singing for Change

Legal name

SFC Charitable Foundation

Website

https://singingforchange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Singing for Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation founded by Jimmy Buffett in 1995 that grants funds to grassroots nonprofits serving children, families, and disenfranchised groups, supported by individual donations and a Tennessee Margaritaville specialty license plate program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation / Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation
• Nonprofit grants
• Grassroots philanthropy
• Community funding
• Social services grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Sullivans Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation accepts donations from individuals via PayPal and check. Donors can contribute to advance Jimmy Buffett's desire to give back and share success. The foundation states its EIN is 65-0565248.
2. Specialty License Plate Sales: Tennessee Margaritaville specialty license plates are sold for $35 plus $1.50 credit card processing fee. Funds from plate sales and renewals are used exclusively in Tennessee to support the Singing for Change Grant program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Singing for Change (SFC Charitable Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation founded by Jimmy Buffett in 1995 that accepts donations from individuals and distributes grants to non-traditional, grassroots nonprofit organizations serving children, families, the environment, and disenfranchised groups. The foundation also generates funds through the Tennessee Margaritaville specialty license plate program, with proceeds restricted to Tennessee-based grantmaking.

Product overview

Singing for Change is a charitable foundation (SFC Charitable Foundation) established by Jimmy Buffett that provides grants to non-profit organizations supporting self-sufficiency and community improvement. The organization operates as a traditional nonprofit with no commercial product offerings. Its primary activities include: grantmaking to grassroots organizations focused on children, families, and community development; accepting donations via PayPal and check; administering a Tennessee Margaritaville specialty license plate program; and publishing an annual report. The organization has no technology products, software platforms, or SaaS offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SFC Grant Program Grantmaking program that provides financial grants to small, non-traditional, grassroots nonprofit organizations focused on helping individuals become more self-sufficient. The program targets organizations serving children, families, low-income communities, and addressing homelessness, education, youth development, domestic violence, animal assistance, and healthcare access. Grants are administered through a formal application process available on the foundation's website.
• Tennessee Margaritaville Specialty License Plate Specialty license plate created by Tennessee legislation to benefit Singing for Change. Priced at $35.00 per plate plus a $1.50 credit card processing fee. Plates are produced only after 1,000 pre-orders are secured, and all funds from plate sales and renewals support the Singing for Change Grant program exclusively within Tennessee.

Quantifiable outcome

• $17 million in grants donated since 1995
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Food Lion Store #385 (Virginia Beach, VA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSinging for Change made a contribution to Children's Miracle Network hospitals on behalf of Food Lion Store #385 in Virginia Beach, VA. Food Lion has been a corporate sponsor of Children's Miracle Network for 14 years.
• Lowcountry Parrothead Club of CharlestonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Lowcountry Parrothead Club of Charleston pledged to paint ceiling fans, rockers, Adirondack chairs, and porch railings at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston using Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville theme colors and lyrics.
• Tennessee LegislaturecoreOthersThe Tennessee Legislature passed legislation creating a Margaritaville specialty license plate to benefit Singing for Change. The plate requires 1,000 pre-sales before production and all funds from plate sales and renewals support the Singing for Change Grant program exclusively in Tennessee.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• (RED): Co-founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006, (RED) leverages celebrity-driven partnerships and consumer-product tie-ins to fund global health programs. Comparable as a celebrity-founded philanthropic brand that channels cultural capital into mission funding.
• Robin Hood Foundation: New York-based poverty-fighting foundation that funds high-impact, often non-traditional programs serving low-income families and children. Comparable as a private foundation that prioritizes underserved grassroots grantees and emphasizes measurable outcomes (e.g., $3.60 taxpayer ROI per grant dollar, mirroring Doe Fund metrics cited by Singing for Change).
• The V Foundation for Cancer Research: Founded by ESPN and Jim Valvano, this cancer research charity channels sports/celebrity brand affinity into high-impact grantmaking. Comparable as a celebrity-anchored private foundation with focused mission-driven giving and grassroots appeal.
• Dollywood Foundation / Imagination Library: Dolly Parton's personal foundation, best known for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library which provides free books to children. Highly comparable as a music-celebrity-founded philanthropic organization focused on children and families.
• Newman's Own Foundation: Founded by Paul Newman in 1982, this celebrity-founded private foundation channels profits from Newman's Own food products to charitable causes. Directly comparable to Singing for Change as a celebrity-legacy foundation with grassroots grantmaking and brand-driven fundraising.

Broad incumbents

• Skoll Foundation: Jeff Skoll's foundation is a major global grantmaker focused on social entrepreneurship and systemic change. Comparable as a high-profile individual-founder private foundation, though operating at a significantly larger scale than Singing for Change.

Emerging players

• Tiger Woods Foundation: Athlete-founded youth development foundation focused on education and college access for underserved students. Comparable as another celebrity-athlete-anchored private foundation serving youth and families through nonprofit grantmaking.
• Tony Hawk Foundation: Athlete-founded foundation funding youth-skatepark infrastructure and programs for at-risk youth. Comparable as a celebrity-anchored private foundation supporting youth and community development through grants.
• Mohammed Ali Center / The Ali Center Foundation: Celebrity-anchored cultural and philanthropic institution preserving Muhammad Ali's legacy through grants and community programs. Comparable as a celebrity-named private foundation turning cultural capital into ongoing grantmaking activity.

Others

• Pinkaloo / Charitable-Giving Vendor Platforms (e.g., Network for Good): Donor-management and online giving platforms used by small to mid-sized nonprofits. Comparable as adjacent ecosystem infrastructure that foundations like Singing for Change could leverage to upgrade their PayPal-and-check donation infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/singingforchangefoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Singing for Change