Music In Common, Inc.

What Music In Common, Inc. does

Music In Common, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in October 2005 by singer-songwriter Todd Mack as an evolution of FODfest (Friends of Danny Festival), a backyard concert honoring Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter murdered in Pakistan in 2002. The organization curates music- and dialogue-based programs designed to help communities in or at risk of conflict — across racial, religious, political, and national lines — find common ground through facilitated conversation and collaborative music creation. Its core methodology, branded JAMMS (Journalism As Music, Multimedia, and Songwriting), is an academically grounded intensive that combines structured conversation with collaborative songwriting and multimedia production; the approach draws on Gordon Allport's Intergroup Contact Theory, Elliot Aronson's Jigsaw Classroom, and 21st Century Learning's Four C's.

The product portfolio spans flagship community programs (JAMMS, Amplify, Around the MIC, FODfest), issue-specific projects (Black Legacy Project, Abraham JAMMS, United Songs of America), and a record label arm (MIC Records) producing albums, documentary films, and performance videos. Distribution operates through touring band performances at festivals and performing arts centers, free public concerts, week-long residencies at schools and community organizations, plus digital streaming of released music. Since 2005, programs have directly served more than 10,000 people across 400+ communities in the U.S., Israel, the West Bank, and Taiwan; 90% of surveyed participants report new learning about different faiths and cultures.

The organization operates with a lean team of four named core staff (Executive Director, Marketing & Development Coordinator, Program Coordinator, Business Manager) supplemented by volunteers, and is incorporated in Georgia with a mailing address in Atlanta. Revenue is sourced from individual donations (PayPal Giving Fund, credit card, check), tiered corporate sponsorships (Fan $1,000 through Legend $50,000 annual), and physical/digital album and merchandise sales ($10–$15), with most programs delivered free of charge.

Name

Music In Common, Inc.

Legal name

Music in Common, Inc.

Website

https://musicincommon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Music In Common is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs music- and dialogue-based programs to help communities in conflict find common ground. Founded in 2005 to honor Daniel Pearl, it serves schools, faith groups, corporations, and community organizations through residencies and live events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Bridge-Building Programs

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Production & Composition (Songwriting, Recording, DJing) (EDAMAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Songwriting & Composition (Topliners, Co-writers, Camps) (MPAIABAA), Remote Recording & Online Session Services (MPAIAHAL)

Keywords

• Community music programs
• Interfaith dialogue programs
• Cross-cultural bridge building
• Collaborative songwriting workshops
• Social impact nonprofits

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals made through PayPal, credit card, or check. MIC receives 100% of contributions through PayPal Giving Fund.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual sponsorship packages (Legend $50,000, Rock Star $25,000, Super Fan $10,000) and Event sponsorship packages (Legend $7,500, Rock Star $5,000, Super Fan $2,500, Fan $1,000) providing logo placement, VIP tickets, social media recognition, and various marketing benefits.
3. Album Sales and Merchandise: Sales of albums including Amplify '19 ($10 CD), FODfest '08 ($15 double disc), and documentary DVDs. 100% of profits from sales support Music In Common programs and events. Products available via PayPal, Amazon Smile, credit card, and check.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Music In Common curates facilitated-conversation and collaborative songwriting programs (such as JAMMS, Abraham JAMMS, Black Legacy Project, Amplify, Around the MIC, and FODfest) that bring together diverse and divided communities to find common ground through music. Programs are delivered as residencies, live events, and touring performances, and produce tangible multimedia outputs including songs, albums, documentary films, and performance videos distributed via MIC Records and digital platforms. Most programs are offered free to participants and supported by donations, sponsorships, grants, and a small share of album/merchandise revenue.

Product overview

Music In Common, Inc. is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of community-building programs centered on music and facilitated conversation. The core offerings include JAMMS (Journalism As Music, Multimedia, and Songwriting), a flagship intensive program; Amplify, which produces recordings and live performances of JAMMS songs; Around the MIC, a songwriter round format; and FODfest, the annual flagship concert series honoring Daniel Pearl. Major projects include the Black Legacy Project, Abraham JAMMS, and United Songs of America. The organization also operates MIC Records, which releases albums, documentary films, and music videos. Together, these programs have directly served more than 10,000 people in over 400 communities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Legacy Project: Musical celebration of Black history to advance racial harmony, bridge-building, and partnership. Includes residencies, documentary film, docuseries, and albums.
• Abraham JAMMS
• United Songs of America
• JAMMS
• Amplify
• Around the MIC
• FODfest
• MIC Records

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of MIC program participants report new learning about different faiths and cultures and resolve to reject stereotyping and increase respect for others
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Berkshire Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner for music programs and performances. Located in Pittsfield, MA.
• Tuskegee UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically Black university partner for educational programming and community residencies.
• Columbia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for educational programs and performances. Located in New York, NY.
• George Mason UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for educational programs and performances. Located in Fairfax, VA.
• Soka University of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for educational programs. Located in Aliso Viejo, CA.
• California Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for educational programs and performances. Located in Pasadena, CA.
• Coahoma Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college partner for educational programs. Located in Clarksdale, MS.
• Coffeyville Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college partner for educational programs. Located in Coffeyville, KS.
• Dominican UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for educational programs. Located in Chicago, IL.
• SUNY BrockportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState university partner for educational programs. Located in Brockport, NY.
• University of California, IrvinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for educational programs. Located in Irvine, CA.
• Walnut Hill School for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts school partner for educational programs. Located in Natick, MA.
• Sweetwater Music HallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic venue partner for performances and recordings. Located in Mill Valley, CA. Site of FODfest live DVD recording and Amplify '19 recording.
• GRAMMY MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural institution partner for performances. Located in Cleveland, MS.
• Bethel Woods Center for the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerforming arts center partner for performances. Located in Bethel, NY.
• The Guthrie CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic venue partner for performances. Located in Housatonic, MA.
• FreshGrass FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival partner for FreshGrass events in Bentonville, AR and North Adams, MA.
• The Black Legacy ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship project of Music in Common that is a musical celebration of Black history to advance racial harmony, bridge-building, and partnership. Has its own website (theblacklegacyproject.org) and brand identity.
• PayPal Giving FundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonation platform partner through which MIC receives 100% of individual contributions.
• Amazon SmileminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorE-commerce platform for album sales and merchandise purchases. Federal Tax ID: 26-3195366.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Musicians Without Borders: International nonprofit using music for peacebuilding and conflict transformation in post-war regions including the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Highly comparable to MIC's Abraham JAMMS and United Songs of America programs in methodology and target communities.
• Playing for Change Foundation: A global nonprofit that uses music to inspire and connect people across cultural divides through songs, films, and Peace Through Music programs. Directly comparable to Music In Common's mission of leveraging music as a bridge-building medium and producing multimedia content.
• The Peace Studio: Nonprofit that brings together artists and educators to create resources for peace education and conflict resolution. Comparable to MIC's mission of using arts and dialogue to address social division, with overlapping program methodology.
• BRIDGES USA: Nonprofit that uses dialogue and structured conversations to bridge social, racial, and political divides in communities. Comparable to MIC's evidence-based dialogue methodology and target communities, though BRIDGES is broader in scope and not music-focused.
• Compassionate Listening Project: Nonprofit that teaches deep listening and dialogue skills for conflict resolution across political, religious, and ethnic divides. Comparable to MIC's facilitated conversation methodology rooted in social psychology, targeting similar interfaith/intergroup segments.
• SongwritingWith:Soldiers (CreatiVets): Nonprofit that uses collaborative songwriting to help veterans process trauma and reintegrate. Comparable to MIC's JAMMS methodology of facilitated conversation leading to collaborative music creation, with similar program structure and emotional/social outcomes.
• Resolve (formerly Resolve): Nonprofit focused on community-led approaches to bridge-building across divides in the United States, including interfaith and interracial dialogue work. Comparable to MIC's Black Legacy Project and Abraham JAMMS programming in community bridge-building methodology.

Emerging players

• Little Kids Rock: Nonprofit that provides free music education, instruments, and resources to under-resourced schools. Comparable as a music-focused nonprofit delivering programs through schools, though focused on music instruction rather than bridge-building dialogue.
• Notes for Notes: Nonprofit building recording studios inside youth-serving organizations to provide free music access and education. Comparable as a music-focused nonprofit producing recordings and educational programs for youth, with similar community-based delivery model.
• We Are Family Foundation: Nonprofit promoting cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through music, mentorship, and community programming. Comparable to MIC's mission of bridging divides through creative expression, with overlapping target demographic of young people.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/musicincommon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MusicinCommon
• Facebookfacebook.com/MusicinCommon
• Instagraminstagram.com/musicincommon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/music-in-common-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Music In Common, Inc.