Bella Music Foundation

What Bella Music Foundation does

Bella Music Foundation (BMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Fort Lee, New Jersey, founded in 2018 by CEO Mira Kim. The foundation is dedicated to supporting blind and low-vision classical and jazz musicians through a portfolio of programs that includes the BMF International Music Festival, the BMF International Music Competition, the BMF Symphony Orchestra, the BMF Youth Orchestra, and the Stage Assistance Certificate Program. Annual prize money disbursed through the competition exceeds $30,000, and the foundation operates with a workforce reported in the 11–50 range, drawing advisory-board expertise from institutions including Berklee College of Music, the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and the Eastman School of Music.

BMF's revenue mechanics rely on a mix of donations, grants, and program fees, with competition entry fees set at approximately $80. The foundation has pursued international expansion — establishing a South Korea branch in August 2025 following a 2023 MOU with the Korea Blind Performance Group — and has added the Stage Assistance Certificate Program in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind (January 2025). These moves have earned institutional recognition including a U.S. Congressional Certificate in 2024 and UNESCO patronage for the 2025 festival, with BMF cited as the only U.S. organization featured on the UNESCO 20th Anniversary website. The 2026 BMF National Concert Series, tied to the America 250 initiative, and the launch of Virtual Concert Halls indicate an ongoing build-out of domestic distribution and digital audience reach.

Name

Bella Music Foundation

Legal name

Bella Music Foundation Inc.

Website

https://bellamf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bella Music Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting blind and low-vision classical and jazz musicians through festivals, competitions, orchestras, and a stage assistance certificate program across the U.S., Canada, and South Korea.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Music Education and Performance Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Music Lessons (Instrumental) (EDAMANAA)

Keywords

• Music education nonprofit
• Blind musicians programs
• International music competitions
• Youth orchestra programs
• Accessible music notation

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: BMF relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors. The organization conducts fundraising concerts and maintains a donate page on its website. Notable donations include $1,000 from Young Woo Kang Foundation.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: BMF receives grants from government entities and private foundations, including Bergen County, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and Whole Foods Market's Community Giving Grant.
3. Competition Application Fees: The BMF International Music Competition charges an $80 USD application fee per contestant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bella Music Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides advanced music education, international performance opportunities, and competition-based career development for blind and visually impaired classical and jazz musicians. Its core offerings include the BMF International Music Festival for the Blind (held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris), the BMF International Music Competition for musicians aged 10-30, the BMFSO International Concerto Competition, the inclusive BMF Youth Orchestra, the BMF Stage Assistance Certificate Program (developed with the National Federation of the Blind), and an ongoing multi-city BMF Concert Series in the U.S., South Korea, Canada, and other international venues.

Product overview

Bella Music Foundation (BMF) is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs dedicated to empowering blind classical and jazz musicians worldwide. The core offerings include: the International Music Festival for the Blind (held at UNESCO HQ in Paris), the International Music Competition (for musicians aged 10-30), the International Symphony Orchestra with annual concerto competition, the inclusive Youth Orchestra (bringing together blind and sighted youth), and the Certificate Program including stage assistance training. Additionally, BMF operates ongoing concert series across multiple locations globally. The organization maintains global presence through branches in the United States (headquarters), Canada, and South Korea.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BMF Int'l Music Festival: International music festival dedicated exclusively to blind musicians
• BMF Int'l Music Competition
• BMFSO Int'l Concerto Competition
• BMF Youth Orchestra
• BMF Stage Assistance Certificate Program

Products and services

• BMF International Music Festival for the Blind Annual flagship festival celebrating artistic excellence of blind musicians, held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in 2025 with nearly 1,300 attendees, featuring performances by renowned blind artists alongside the BMF International Symphony Orchestra.
• BMF International Music Competition Biennial competition for blind and visually impaired musicians aged 10-30, with Junior Division (ages 10-18) and Young Artist Division (ages 19-30). Winners receive cash prizes (over $30,000 distributed annually across divisions) and Dancing Dots accessible music notation software (valued at $1,595 per winner). Entry requires an $80 USD non-refundable application fee.
• BMF International Symphony Orchestra (BMFSO) Professional orchestra ensemble of musicians from seven countries, featuring an annual International Concerto Competition for blind musicians as soloists; co-stars in flagship BMF festivals and concert programming.
• BMF Youth Orchestra (BMFYO) Inclusive youth orchestra bringing together approximately 90 visually impaired and sighted young musicians (grades 3 through 12) for collaborative music-making, leadership development, and cultural exchange. Officially invited by UNESCO for 20th Anniversary celebrations in NYC.
• BMF Stage Assistance Certificate Program Online certificate training program developed with the National Federation of the Blind to train sighted participants in assisting blind and visually impaired musicians in performance settings; was officially invited by UNESCO as part of its 20th Anniversary celebration.
• BMF Concert Series Ongoing concert series held across multiple locations including New Jersey, New York, Texas, Toronto, South Korea, and Virginia, featuring blind musicians and supporting BMF programs. Includes the 2026 BMF National Concert Series 'Harmony Beyond Sight – Voices of America' supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
• BMFSO International Concerto Competition Annual competition selecting winners to perform as soloists with the BMF International Symphony Orchestra, drawing blind and visually impaired musicians to perform concerto repertoire with a professional orchestra.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,300 attendees at 2025 UNESCO festival with tearful standing ovation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2026NJYS presented 'Sound Beyond Sight' featuring GRAMMY Award-winning pianist Matthew Whitaker. The concert celebrated resilience, artistry, and inclusion, highlighting BMF alongside The Seeing Eye for expanding access and opportunity for individuals with visual impairments.
• UNESCOflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025UNESCO granted official patronage to the 2025 BMF International Music Festival for the Blind at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The festival was officially invited as part of the 20th Anniversary of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. BMF is the only U.S.-based organization featured on UNESCO's official 20th Anniversary website. The BMF Youth Orchestra also performed at UNESCO's official NYC celebration.
• Music from AboveminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 August 2025Music from Above co-organized the BMF Concert Series in New Jersey on August 9, 2025 at Pilgrim Mission Church in Hackensack, NJ.
• Kaleo MinistryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 June 2025Kaleo Ministry sponsored the BMF Concert Series in Toronto, Canada on June 29, 2025, held at EunPyeong Church to raise funds for the UNESCO festival.
• National Federation of the BlindcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025BMF collaborated with the National Federation of the Blind to develop the BMF Stage Assistance Certificate Program – Supporting Blind Musicians. This online training program, launched in 2025, equips participants with skills to safely, respectfully, and professionally assist blind and visually impaired musicians in performance settings.
• The Seeing EyeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 January 2025The Seeing Eye was highlighted alongside BMF during the NJYS 'Sound Beyond Sight' concert for their ongoing commitment to expanding access and opportunity for individuals with visual impairments.
• Pilgrim Mission ChurchminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 June 2024Pilgrim Mission Church in Hackensack, NJ sponsored the August 9, 2025 BMF Concert Series fundraising event supporting the UNESCO festival.
• Holland Christian HomeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 June 2023BMF conducted concerts at Holland Christian Home in North Haledon, NJ, as part of the Hanbit Trio J concert series, reaching senior community audiences.
• Korean Disabled Performing Arts AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2023Bella Music Foundation and Korea Blind Performance Group entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on June 11, 2023. This partnership facilitated the co-organization of the 2024 Seoul International Music Festival & Art Market for Blind Artists and the 2024 Seoul International Music Competition for Blind and Visually Impaired Artists.
• Dancing DotscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Dancing Dots donates accessible music notation software (valued at $1,595 per winner) to all BMF competition winners. Blind performers receive the GOODFEEL Braille Music Translator suite; performers with low vision receive the Lime Lighter suite. This partnership has been ongoing since at least 2020.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Federation of the Blind: The largest U.S. organization for blind individuals; co-developed BMF's Stage Assistance Certificate Program and shares the mission of advancing opportunities for blind people, including in music. Most directly comparable peer because of overlapping mandate and existing partnership.
• Dancing Dots: Provider of accessible music notation technology (GOODFEEL Braille Music Translator, Lime Lighter) and a long-standing BMF partner that donates software (~$1,595 value) to competition winners. Closely aligned with BMF's mission of enabling blind musicians.

Broad incumbents

• VSA (Kennedy Center): The leading U.S. program for arts and disability inclusion, part of the Kennedy Center. Operates in the same disability-arts space as BMF but with a broader performing-arts mandate beyond music and a much larger institutional footprint.
• American Foundation for the Blind: National nonprofit expanding possibilities for people with vision loss through advocacy, education, and research. Relevant peer due to overlapping mission around blind empowerment, though music is not its core focus.
• Lighthouse Guild: Major U.S. nonprofit providing services for people who are blind or visually impaired, including arts and cultural programming. Comparable as a blindness-services nonprofit with overlapping audience but a wider service portfolio beyond music education.
• Carnegie Hall – Music Education Programs: Carnegie Hall runs national music education programs (e.g., Link Up, NYO-USA) that share BMF's emphasis on performance opportunities and curriculum for young musicians, though not specifically disability-focused.

Emerging players

• El Sistema: Global music education movement providing intensive ensemble-based music training for underserved youth. Comparable in delivering orchestra-based music education with social mission, though not disability-focused.
• Berklee College of Music – Institute for Accessible Music Education: Berklee hosts accessible music education initiatives and a BMF-affiliated faculty member (Chi Gook Kim). Comparable on the educational side of blind-music accessibility though housed within a degree-granting institution.
• Harmony Project: U.S. nonprofit providing free music education to low-income youth through ensemble instruction. Similar operating model (orchestra-based, mission-driven) but different beneficiary population.

Regional players

• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): The UK's leading sight loss charity, offering services and cultural programming for blind people. Comparable in mandate; operates primarily in the UK rather than competing directly with BMF's North America/Asia footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BMFfortheblind
• Facebookfacebook.com/bellaMForg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bellamf
• Instagraminstagram.com/bellamf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdQwJaKk9FZvIJzNJz1jXKg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Bella Music Foundation