The Laufey Foundation
The Laufey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2025 by GRAMMY-winning artist Laufey that provides financial grants and world-class instruments to youth orchestra programs worldwide, including BYSO, YOLA, Carnegie Hall NYO2/NYO Jazz, and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2025
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Laufey Foundation does
The Laufey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2025 by Icelandic-Chinese GRAMMY-winning artist Laufey to expand access to music education and orchestral training for young musicians. The foundation's core products are financial grants and donations of world-class musical instruments and equipment, distributed to youth orchestra and music education programs globally. Its current grantee portfolio includes seven founding and partner youth orchestra programs: Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (500+ students ages 5–18), Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (~100 students ages 12–18), Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (1,500+ students ages 6–18), Global Arts (underserved LA youth), Carnegie Hall's NYO2 and NYO Jazz ensembles, Halle Youth Orchestra (UK), and Upbeat NYC. The foundation seeded operations with a $100,000 founding donation from Laufey and operates from a 1–10 employee footprint.
The foundation generates revenue through a diversified set of donation streams. Direct individual contributions are collected tax-deductibly via the Donorbox platform. Recurring embedded donations are sourced from Laufey's commercial activity: $1 from each ticket sold on the A Matter of Time world tour across the US, UK, and EU, and $1 from each sale of the Mei Mei The Bunny plushie and Laufey's children's book. Corporate funding comes from founding partners AEG Presents, Sony/AWAL, and Steinway & Sons, plus additional benefactors Catbird, Gibson Gives, and Warner Chappell Music. Distribution occurs via the foundation's own website (Squarespace), social channels (Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook), email newsletter, and direct integrations with Laufey's concert and merchandise infrastructure.
The foundation's value proposition rests on the unique celebrity endorsement, audience reach, and authentic personal narrative of its founder. Laufey's own trajectory — through youth orchestras and Berklee College of Music to global streaming success and 2x GRAMMY wins (youngest ever for Best Traditional Pop Album) — provides role-model credibility that competing youth-music nonprofits cannot easily replicate. The foundation directly connects supported students to the professional orchestra venues where Laufey performs, creating a tangible pathway from grant to stage. Its competitive position is structurally tied to Laufey's continued touring, streaming, and brand momentum, making the foundation's growth trajectory and fundraising capacity largely a function of its founder's ongoing commercial activity.
The Laufey Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Laufey Foundation
- Legal name
- The Laufey Foundation
- Website
- https://thelaufeyfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2025
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Laufey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2025 by GRAMMY-winning artist Laufey that provides financial grants and world-class instruments to youth orchestra programs worldwide, including BYSO, YOLA, Carnegie Hall NYO2/NYO Jazz, and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Laufey Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Music Education Nonprofit
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
Keywords
Where The Laufey Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The Laufey Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individual donors through Donorbox platform. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with tax identification number 33-1275769.
- Merchandise Royalty: $1 from every Mei Mei The Bunny plushie and Laufey's children's book sold benefits The Laufey Foundation, providing ongoing donations tied to product sales.
- Tour Ticket Donation: $1 from each ticket sold on Laufey's A Matter of Time tour in the US, UK and EU benefits The Laufey Foundation.
- Brand Partnerships: Partnerships with companies who donate to further the foundation's goals, including founding partners AEG Presents, Sony/AWAL, Steinway & Sons, and additional benefactors Catbird, Gibson Gives, and Warner Chappell.
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Laufey Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Laufey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides financial grants and world-class musical instruments to youth music programs and youth orchestras worldwide. It supports young musicians who lack the financial resources to access quality music education, partnering with prestigious institutions such as the LA Philharmonic's YOLA, Carnegie Hall's NYO ensembles, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. The foundation funds scholarships, equipment access, and program operations for youth orchestras serving thousands of young musicians globally.
Product overview
The Laufey Foundation is a single unified non-profit offering centered on providing accessible music education and resources to young musicians. The core offerings consist of financial grants and world-class musical instruments/equipment distributed to youth music programs worldwide. The foundation partners with multiple youth orchestras including BYSO, Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, YOLA, Carnegie Hall's NYO2 and NYO Jazz, Global Arts, Halle Youth Orchestra, and Upbeat NYC. Supplementary fundraising is supported through merchandise including Mei Mei The Bunny plushies and children's books, with proceeds benefiting the foundation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Youth Music Program Grants Financial grants awarded to youth music programs and youth orchestras around the world, supporting programs that provide young musicians with mentorship, education, and performance opportunities. Recipients include founding partner programs such as Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, YOLA, Carnegie Hall NYO2/NYO Jazz, Global Arts, Halle Youth Orchestra, and Upbeat NYC.
- Musical Instruments and Equipment Donations World-class musical gear and instruments donated to youth music programs to ensure aspiring musicians have access to professional-quality resources. Instruments are sourced through corporate benefactor partnerships with Steinway & Sons (pianos) and Gibson Gives (guitars and other instruments).
- Mei Mei The Bunny Plushie A plush toy featuring the Mei Mei The Bunny character, sold through store.laufeymusic.com and meimeithebunny.com. $1 from each sale is donated to The Laufey Foundation to support youth music education.
- Mei Mei The Bunny Children's Book A children's book written by Laufey and illustrated by Lauren O'Hara, published by Penguin Random House. $1 from each sale benefits The Laufey Foundation to support youth music education programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500+ young musicians served through Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Laufey Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Laufey Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Laufey Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered founding partner, benefactor, founding youth orchestra partner and partner.
- AEG Presentsfounding partnerAEG Presents is a founding partner of The Laufey Foundation. As a major live entertainment company, AEG Presents supports the foundation's mission through tour ticket donations and promotional support for the A Matter of Time world tour.
- Sony/AWALfounding partnerSony/AWAL serves as a founding partner, providing music industry expertise and promotional support for The Laufey Foundation's initiatives.
- Steinway & Sonsfounding partnerSteinway & Sons, the renowned piano manufacturer, is a founding partner of The Laufey Foundation, providing world-class instruments to support youth music education programs.
- CatbirdbenefactorCatbird is an additional benefactor of The Laufey Foundation, contributing to the foundation's goals through donations and partnership support.
- Gibson GivesbenefactorGibson Gives is an additional benefactor supporting The Laufey Foundation with donations of musical instruments to youth music programs.
- Warner Chappell MusicbenefactorWarner Chappell Music is an additional benefactor of The Laufey Foundation, contributing to funding the foundation's music education initiatives.
- Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO)founding youth orchestra partnerBYSO is a founding youth orchestra partner serving over 500 young musicians ages 5-18 from across New England. The foundation provides financial grants to support their ensemble training programs.
- Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestrafounding youth orchestra partnerThe Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra is a founding partner with approximately 100 advanced musicians ages 12-18 from Northeast Ohio. Foundation supports their world-class training programs.
- Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA)founding youth orchestra partnerYOLA is a founding partner and pioneering initiative of the LA Philharmonic reaching over 1,500 students ages 6-18. Foundation provides grants for their free, high-quality music education.
- Global Artsfounding youth orchestra partnerGlobal Arts is a founding partner based in Pico Union neighborhood of Los Angeles, providing free after-school music classes to underserved youth. Foundation grant supports their new building space.
- Carnegie Hall (NYO2 and NYO Jazz)founding youth orchestra partnerThe foundation supports two of Carnegie Hall's national youth ensembles, NYO2 and NYO Jazz, bringing together the brightest young American instrumentalists for training and performances on world stages.
- Halle Youth OrchestrapartnerHalle Youth Orchestra is partnered with The Laufey Foundation to support their youth music education programs.
- Upbeat NYCpartnerUpbeat NYC is partnered with The Laufey Foundation to support youth music education initiatives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Laufey Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- VH1 Save The Music Foundation: A long-running nonprofit that provides musical instruments and music education resources to schools and youth. Directly comparable as a celebrity/brand-backed music education grantmaking foundation supporting young musicians.
- Berklee City Music: Berklee College of Music's nonprofit network providing music education to underserved youth. Highly comparable — Laufey is a Berklee alum and the foundation explicitly cites Berklee-style mentorship in its mission.
- Youth Orchestra of the Americas: An orchestral training program for young musicians from the Americas and the Caribbean. Closely comparable as a youth orchestra-focused organization that the Laufey Foundation's mission could naturally extend to partner with.
- D'Addario Foundation: Music industry-backed nonprofit that supports sustainable, scalable music education programs. Comparable as a music industry grantmaker focused on access to instruments and music education for underserved youth.
- Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock): Provides free music education, instruments, and teacher training to underserved schools. Directly comparable in mission and target beneficiary (underrepresented youth), with a focus on access to music education.
- Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: Donates musical instruments to schools and youth music programs nationwide. Comparable as a foundation whose primary product is instrument donations to youth music programs — closely aligned with The Laufey Foundation's core offering.
- Education Through Music: Partners with schools to provide music education as a core part of the curriculum for underserved students. Similar grantmaking model funding music programs serving youth from low-income communities.
Broad incumbents
- MusiCares: The Recording Academy/Grammy Foundation's music-focused charity. Comparable as a music industry-affiliated nonprofit, though its mission centers on music professionals in crisis rather than youth music education.
- Global Citizen Foundation: A larger nonprofit leveraging celebrity partnerships and live entertainment to drive donations toward global causes. Comparable mechanism (entertainment-driven philanthropy) though broader in mission than youth music.
Emerging players
- Notes Education Foundation: A smaller nonprofit focused on increasing music education access for children. Comparable mission and beneficiary profile, though smaller in scale and lacking the celebrity backing of The Laufey Foundation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
The Laufey Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Laufey Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Laufey Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Laufey Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Laufey Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Laufey Foundation
What does The Laufey Foundation do?
The Laufey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides financial grants and world-class musical instruments to youth music programs and youth orchestras worldwide. It supports young musicians who lack the financial resources to access quality music education, partnering with prestigious institutions such as the LA Philharmonic's YOLA, Carnegie Hall's NYO ensembles, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. The foundation funds scholarships, equipment access, and program operations for youth orchestras serving thousands of young musicians globally.
Is The Laufey Foundation a public or private company?
The Laufey Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Laufey Foundation founded?
The Laufey Foundation was founded in 2025. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Laufey Foundation based?
The Laufey Foundation is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Laufey Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Royalty, tour Ticket Donation and brand Partnerships.
Who are The Laufey Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Berklee City Music, Youth Orchestra of the Americas, D'Addario Foundation, Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock), Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and Education Through Music. Broad incumbents are MusiCares and Global Citizen Foundation. Notes Education Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Laufey Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Laufey Foundation.
What industry is The Laufey Foundation in?
The Laufey Foundation's product category is Youth Music Education Nonprofit. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAJ, Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGADAC, After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813211.