Musicians Foundation
Musicians Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1914, that provides one-time financial assistance grants (typically $500–$3,000) to US-based professional musicians in need, funded via individual donations, foundation grants, planned giving, and benefit events, and delivered across all 50 states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1914
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Musicians Foundation does
Musicians Foundation, Inc. (EIN 13-1790739) is a New York-incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1914 by The Bohemians, a New York-based musicians club. It is the country's oldest independent nonprofit dedicated to providing direct financial assistance to professional musicians and their families in times of need, crisis, or transition. The foundation's single product is a one-time grant program, typically $500–$3,000 per grant, paid as vendorized checks made out directly to billers (doctors, hospitals, dentists, landlords, mortgage companies, utility providers) and mailed to approved applicants. To date it has awarded 25,000+ individual grants totaling $15M+ and supports musicians across all 50 US states.
Eligibility is restricted to US-resident professional performers, composers/arrangers, and educators with at least five years of professional music work and five years of musician tax filings. Applications are submitted through an always-open two-part online process hosted on Submittable (musiciansfoundation.submittable.com), with Part 1 for initial eligibility screening and Part 2 (by invitation) for detailed documentation and committee review. Eligible applicants typically receive assistance in one to two weeks. The foundation's stated operating model is a lean, endowment-financed administration with all donated funds going directly to musicians; it markets a "singular focus" with no ancillary programs.
Revenue is sourced from individual one-time and recurring donations, planned giving and estate bequests, foundation grants (e.g., Howard Gilman Foundation, Frederick R. Koch Foundation, Steven B. Lichter Foundation, Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, The Bernhill Fund, The Achelis & Bodman Foundation), government arts funders (NEA, New York Council on the Arts), corporate support (notably Sweetwater), benefit concerts and fundraising events, and a named endowment sub-brand — the Ronald Julian Davis Legacy Fund. Distribution and referral reach are extended through a consortium of strategic partners including Entertainment Community Fund, American Federation of Musicians, AGMA, AGVA, MusiCares, Sweet Relief, Jazz Foundation of America, The Haven Foundation, and Episcopal Actors Guild. Governance rests with a Board of Directors and an Advisory Council of prominent musicians. As of 2026, David Gracia serves as Executive Director following the May 2026 passing of B.C. Vermeersch, who led the foundation for over 26 years.
Musicians Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Musicians Foundation
- Legal name
- Musicians Foundation, Inc.
- Website
- https://musiciansfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1914
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Musicians Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1914, that provides one-time financial assistance grants (typically $500–$3,000) to US-based professional musicians in need, funded via individual donations, foundation grants, planned giving, and benefit events, and delivered across all 50 states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Musicians Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Foundation Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
Keywords
Where Musicians Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Musicians Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals who wish to support professional musicians in need.
- Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including Howard Gilman Foundation, New York Council on the Arts, Steven B. Lichter Foundation, Frederick R. Koch Foundation, National Endowment of the Arts, Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund, The Bernhill Fund, and The Achelis & Bodman Foundation.
- Benefit Events and Fundraisers: Revenue generated from benefit concerts, events, and charitable initiatives coordinated to support the foundation's mission.
- Planned Giving / Estate Gifts: Unrestricted bequests, royalty donations, fixed amounts, or percentage of estate/assets left to the foundation through planned giving programs.
- Ronald Davis Legacy Fund: Named endowment fund established in memory of jazz drummer Ronald Julian Davis, which grows through contributions and directly supports professional musicians.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Financial assistance grants to professional musicians in need |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donations to support musicians |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Musicians Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Musicians Foundation provides one-time financial assistance grants to professional musicians experiencing unexpected hardship such as medical or dental situations, natural disasters, housing crises, or crime victimization. Grants typically range from $500 to $3,000 and are paid as vendorized checks made directly to billers on behalf of approved applicants. The foundation supports its grant program through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, benefit events, and planned giving, and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 1914.
Product overview
Musicians Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a single focused product: one-time financial assistance grants for professional musicians in times of need. The core offering is the Grant Program, which uses a two-part online application process (via Submittable) to award grants typically ranging from $500 to $3,000. Supporting services include donation processing (via PayPal), a planned giving program for estate contributions, and the Ronald Julian Davis Legacy Fund (a named endowment sub-brand). All services support the organization's singular mission of providing direct financial aid to musicians since 1914.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Ronald Julian Davis Legacy Fund: A legacy fund established by Ronald Davis's brother, Dr. Kenneth Davis, to support professional musicians across the United States living in times of need, crisis, and transition. Grants from this fund help eligible musicians pay essential bills like medical treatments and past-due rents.
Products and services
- Musicians Foundation Grant Program
- Donation Processing
- Planned Giving Program
- Ronald Julian Davis Legacy Fund
Quantifiable outcome
- 25,000+ individual grants awarded since 1914
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Musicians Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Musicians Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Musicians Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Entertainment Community FundcoreA national human services organization founded in 1882 that provides support to the entertainment community with a unique understanding of challenges in a life in the arts. The organizations work in close coordination as strategic partners.
- American Federation of MusicianscoreThe largest organization in the world dedicated to representing professional musicians. Works in close coordination with Musicians Foundation to serve musicians in need.
- American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA)coreLabor union representing professional singers and dancers in opera, dance, and concert productions. Strategic partner in consortium to serve musicians in need.
- AGVA (American Guild of Variety Artists)coreLabor union representing variety artists including comedians, dancers, and other performers. Works in consortium with Musicians Foundation to provide relief to performers.
- The Haven FoundationcoreFoundation that provides support to entertainers and arts professionals. Part of consortium providing relief to musicians.
- MusiCarescoreProvides a safety net of critical health and welfare services to the music community including mental health, addiction recovery, health services, and human services. Coordinates with Musicians Foundation.
- Sweet ReliefcoreProvides financial assistance to career musicians and music industry workers facing physical or mental health issues, disability, or age-related problems. Strategic partner in musician relief consortium.
- Jazz Foundation of AmericacoreProvides housing assistance, pro bono medical care, disaster relief, and direct financial support to musicians in times of crisis through their Musicians' Emergency Fund.
- Sussman TrustminorPartner organization providing support to performers in need. Included in consortium of organizations serving musicians.
- Bagby Foundation for the Musical ArtsminorFoundation offering small grants to support opera and classical music professionals, with a focus on pensioners. Strategic partner in serving musical arts community.
- Howard Gilman FoundationminorGenerous supporter of Musicians Foundation providing financial contributions to support the organization's mission.
- New York Council on the ArtsminorNew York state agency providing arts funding. Generous supporter of Musicians Foundation.
- National Endowment for the ArtsminorIndependent federal agency that funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of the United States. Generous supporter of Musicians Foundation.
- Steven B. Lichter FoundationminorGenerous supporter of Musicians Foundation providing financial contributions to support musicians in need.
- Frederick R. Koch FoundationminorGenerous supporter of Musicians Foundation providing financial contributions.
- Morris and Alma Schapiro FundminorGenerous supporter of Musicians Foundation providing financial contributions.
- The Bernhill FundminorGenerous supporter of Musicians Foundation providing financial contributions.
- The Achelis & Bodman FoundationminorGenerous supporter of Musicians Foundation providing financial contributions.
- SweetwaterminorMajor music industry retailer and generous supporter of Musicians Foundation.
- Episcopal Actors GuildcoreProvides emergency aid and support to professional performers of all faiths and none who are undergoing financial crisis. Founded in 1923, dedicated to helping emerging artists through scholarships and awards.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Musicians Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Musicians Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceMusicians Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Musicians Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Musicians Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Musicians 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 Musicians Foundation
What does Musicians Foundation do?
Musicians Foundation provides one-time financial assistance grants to professional musicians experiencing unexpected hardship such as medical or dental situations, natural disasters, housing crises, or crime victimization. Grants typically range from $500 to $3,000 and are paid as vendorized checks made directly to billers on behalf of approved applicants. The foundation supports its grant program through individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, benefit events, and planned giving, and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 1914.
Is Musicians Foundation a public or private company?
Musicians Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Musicians Foundation founded?
Musicians Foundation was founded in 1914. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Musicians Foundation based?
Musicians Foundation is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Musicians Foundation make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants, benefit Events and Fundraisers, planned Giving / Estate Gifts and ronald Davis Legacy Fund.
Does Musicians Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Musicians Foundation.
What industry is Musicians Foundation in?
Musicians Foundation's product category is Charitable Foundation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAJ, Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.