MusAid

What MusAid does

MusAid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by clarinettist Kevin Schaffter, headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut with a distributed team across the United States and India. Its mission is to connect musicians globally through educational exchanges designed to inspire individual and community transformation. The organization's flagship product is the Teaching Artist Summer Lab — a competitive two-week international fellowship in which selected musicians (ages 20-35) pay an $850 fee and travel to teach and perform at partner music schools serving at-risk youth, with pre-arrival pedagogical training led by faculty drawn from institutions including Curtis Institute, Juilliard, the New York Philharmonic, and Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. Adjacent offerings include Instrument Repair Workshops that fix equipment while training local staff, a Mini-Grant Program funding aligned community projects, and a Teaching Artist Training Curriculum.

The organization operates with no proprietary technology platform; program delivery relies on human capital, cross-cultural travel, and in-person workshops across nine or more countries (Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Burma, Haiti, Belize, El Salvador, Bolivia, the Philippines, India, and Antigua). Revenue derives from a mix of tax-deductible individual donations, competitive fellowship program fees that cover less than half of stated per-participant costs, mini-grant cycles, and targeted foundation grants (with the D'Addario Foundation cited as an early supporter). Distribution is community-led: word-of-mouth among music educators, partnerships with conservatories and El Sistema-inspired programs, conference presence, and a Vimeo-hosted media room drive both applicant flow and donor pipeline.

Name

MusAid

Legal name

MusAid

Website

https://www.musaid.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MusAid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a competitive Teaching Artist Lab fellowship placing selected musicians at partner music schools in 9+ countries to teach at-risk youth, supplemented by instrument repair workshops and a mini-grant program, funded by donations, program fees, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Education Nonprofit

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Theory, Ear Training & Musicianship (EDAMANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ)

Keywords

• Music education exchange
• Teaching artist training
• International music fellowship
• Instrument repair workshops
• Community music grants

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Teaching Artist Lab program fees of $850 per participant cover tuition, room & board, in-country transportation, cultural excursions, and 24/7 on-the-ground staff support. The cost per participant to run the program is stated to be over double the asking fee, indicating subsidy from other sources.
2. Individual Donations: MusAid relies on generous contributions from donors to support partner schools providing music education to at-risk youth. All donations are tax-deductible as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
3. Foundation Grants (Mini-Grant Program): MusAid will award mini-grants to individuals and ensembles doing projects aligned with their mission. The grant program focuses on building connections through musical interactions, creating access to musical experiences, and celebrating cultural exchange.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MusAid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates an international Teaching Artist Summer Lab fellowship, sending competitively selected musicians (ages 20–35) to teach and perform at partner music schools in developing countries during two-week summer workshops. It also runs Instrument Repair Workshops at partner sites and a Mini-Grant Program funding mission-aligned musical projects.

Product overview

MusAid is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that connects musicians across the globe through educational exchanges. The organization operates primarily through its Teaching Artist Summer Lab program—a competitive fellowship that sends musicians to teach and perform at socially driven music programs internationally. Supporting this core program are Instrument Repair Workshops, which address equipment needs, and the Mini-Grant Program, which funds aligned community projects. Together, these offerings form an integrated approach to empowering musicians through international educational exchanges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 34% decrease in reported violence in El Salvadoran youth studying music (World Bank Study, 2014)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Conservatory of KyrgyzstancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusAid donates printed music, strings, reeds and instrumental accessories to the conservatory serving 360 students and professionals.
• Afghanistan National Institute of MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusAid donated 28 instruments including brass, woodwinds and strings in 2010. ANIM, founded by Dr. Ahmad Sarmast, serves orphaned and street-working children.
• El Sistema, El SalvadorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Secretary of Culture bringing donated instruments and volunteer music teachers for pedagogical training and masterclasses through the MusAid Fellowship Program.
• National Youth Orchestra of BelizecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Youth Orchestra of Central America. MusAid provides volunteer music teachers through Fellowship Program and donates instruments and materials.
• Ang Misyon, PhilippinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusAid organizes fellowship workshops and brought Guest Faculty Juan Felipe Molano from Los Angeles Philharmonic to train teaching fellows and satellite program coordinators.
• Kolkata Symphony Orchestra & Oxford Mission SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for 2019 and 2020 Teaching Artist Labs. Located in Kolkata, India where Avery Waite (President of Board) is based.
• Bolivia ClásicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner music program in Bolivia supported through MusAid's 2016 workshop programs.
• Antigua & Barbuda Youth Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaribbean partner orchestra supported through MusAid workshops and teaching artist exchanges.
• BLUME HaiticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for getting involved with and making contributions to music schools in Haiti following 2010 earthquake.
• CEMUCHCA, Dessaix Baptiste & St. Trinitie, HaiticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic schools in Cap-Haitien, Jacmel and Port-au-Prince received instruments, strings and musical accessories in 2011-2012 following earthquake devastation.
• Curtis Institute of MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMary Javian, Chair of Career Studies at Curtis Institute, served as Teaching Artist Trainer for 2020 El Salvador program.
• The Juilliard SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerErin Wight, Curriculum Specialist for The Juilliard School, served as Teaching Artist Trainer for 2020 Kolkata program. Kevin Schaffter earned Master of Music from Yale School of Music.
• New York PhilharmonicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRichard Mannoia, New York Philharmonic Teaching Artist and Director of Juilliard Global K-12 Curricula, served as Guest Faculty for 2019 program.
• Carnegie Hall (Weill Music Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerErin Wight served as Teaching Artist for Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall. Carnegie Hall's Musical Connections program trained Toomai String Quintet.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: U.S.-based nonprofit that donates musical instruments to schools and supports music education access. Directly comparable to MusAid in mission (instrument donations + pedagogy) but focused primarily on U.S. school music programs rather than international El Sistema-inspired programs.
• VH1 Save The Music Foundation: Music education nonprofit that donates instruments to schools and advocates for music as part of core curriculum. Comparable as a music-education-focused nonprofit that leverages a music-industry brand and donor network to fund instrument access and teaching programs.
• Little Kids Rock: Nonprofit providing modern band/orchestra music education to underserved U.S. public schools. Directly comparable in serving at-risk youth through music education, though geographically focused on the U.S. rather than developing countries.
• El Sistema USA: U.S. affiliate of the global El Sistema movement promoting intensive music education for at-risk youth. Highly comparable as both organizations run El Sistema-inspired fellowship/workshop programs for music teachers serving underserved communities.
• Notes for Education Foundation: Nonprofit that provides donated musical instruments to underprivileged youth and supports music education programs internationally. Comparable mission of instrument donation and music education access for at-risk youth globally.
• Sing for Hope: Nonprofit leveraging the arts to bring creative opportunities to underserved communities through programs and instrument donations. Comparable mission of arts access and music education for vulnerable populations, with similar reliance on artist volunteers and institutional partnerships.
• Give A Note Foundation: Music education advocacy nonprofit that supports school music programs through grants, advocacy, and partnerships. Comparable as a nonprofit funding music education access and instrument acquisition for underserved school programs.

Emerging players

• Music National Service Initiative: Nonprofit promoting music engagement as a form of national service for youth development. Adjacent peer with overlapping social-impact-via-music mission but focused on U.S. service programs rather than international teaching exchanges.

Others

• Carnegie Hall (Weill Music Institute): Educational arm of Carnegie Hall running music education and community programs nationally. Already a partner of MusAid (Erin Wight serves both organizations); comparable as an institutional music-education program with elite faculty credentials.
• American Voices: U.S. State Department-affiliated organization running international music and arts exchange programs. Comparable international cultural exchange and teaching-artist placement work; Avery Waite of MusAid serves on its faculty, making it a partner/enabler rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MusAidOrganization
• Xx.com/MusAidOrg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/musaid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 MusAid