SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION

SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION ("FOUNDATION") IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CREATING SYSTEMIC CHANGE IN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BY RESTORING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAMS AND BY RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EDUCATION. THE FOUNDATION WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS THE INEQUITY IN AVAILABILITY OF MUSIC EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS IN MANY OF THE MOST CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S. SINCE ITS CREATION, SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION, WORKING WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, HAS RESTORED MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN MORE THAN 2,992 SCHOOLS IN 369 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY IMPACTING THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS. DURING THAT TIME, THE FOUNDATION HAS DONATED MORE THAN $68 MILLION WORTH OF NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, EQUIPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.THE FOUNDATION VALUES MUSIC AS A CRITICAL LEARNING TOOL THAT KEEPS STUDENTS ENGAGED IN SCHOOL, HELPS DEVELOP WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUALS, AND ENCOURAGES SKILLS THAT ARE VITAL FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. PROGRAM STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE FOUNDATION WORK CLOSELY WITH SUPERINTENDENTS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, PRINCIPALS, ARTS COORDINATORS, AND MUSIC EDUCATORS IN EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY SCHOOLS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. THE FOUNDATION WORKS WITH LOCAL POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES TO HELP ENSURE SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FOUNDATION'S RESTORATION OF MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS TAKE THE STEPS NEEDED TO BECOME ELIGIBLE. THE FOUNDATION WORKS TO ENABLE EVERY SCHOOL WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO HAVE ACCESS TO MUSIC EDUCATION. THE FOUNDATION EXPANDS ITS REACH IN SERVING ALL PUBLIC-SCHOOL STUDENTS PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE.THE FOUNDATION HAS DEVELOPED A UNIQUE MODEL TO FOSTER EQUITABLE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN. THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES BRAND-NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY, METHOD BOOKS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND PROGRAM SUPPORT TO PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS, JUMP-STARTING DORMANT MUSIC PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT MUSIC PROGRAMS REMAIN A CORE PART OF THE CURRICULUM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THAT THE PROGRAMS LIVE ON IN PERPETUITY, THE FOUNDATION WORKS WITH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE AGREED TO IMPLEMENT A SEQUENTIAL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM BASED ON LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR MUSIC EDUCATION.GRANT OFFERINGS AND SCHOOLS SERVEDTHE FOUNDATION OFFERS SIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRANT PACKAGES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS BASED ON GRADE LEVEL, NEED, AND THE SCHOOL'S MUSIC PROGRAM GOALS. THE GRANT PACKAGES ARE DECIDED UPON WITH THE INPUT OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL LEADERS, AND THE FOUNDATION'S PROGRAM STAFF. A SCHOOL MUST MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO CONDUCT THEIR INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM AS PART OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY, PROVIDE A DESIGNATED SPACE FOR MUSIC INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUMENT STORAGE, AND COMMIT TO HIRING A FULL-TIME, CERTIFIED MUSIC EDUCATOR. BY GUARANTEEING THAT EACH GRANT RECIPIENT SCHOOL FULFILLS THE SCHEDULE, SPACE, AND STAFF REQUIREMENTS, THE FOUNDATION FOSTERS A SUSTAINABLE MUSIC PROGRAM. IN THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, THE FOUNDATION DELIVERED GRANT PACKAGES (CORE, INTRO TO MUSIC, J DILLA MUSIC TECH, MIDDLE SCHOOLMUSIC TECH, AND HOMETOWN MUSIC TECH) TO 99 SCHOOLS, TOTALING MORE THAN 22,000 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PIECES OF MUSICAL EQUIPMENT, IN 44 SCHOOL DISTRICTS (LISTED BELOW) ACROSS 16 STATES. THESE GRANTS IMPACTED MORE THAN 72,000 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS BY INCREASING THEIR ACCESS TO QUALITY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, INSTRUCTIONAL BOOKS, EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY, AND RESOURCES. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH GRANT PACKAGE FOLLOWS. 44 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT RECEIVED GRANT PACKAGES IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 (PLEASE SEE SCHEDULE I FOR LIST OF 44 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT RECEIVED GRANTS IN 2025).CORE GRANTTHE CORE GRANT IN THE FORM OF BAND, STRING, MARIACHI, OR SONIDOS LATINOS HAS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE GRANT THAT THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES TO SCHOOL GRANT RECIPIENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. EACH CORE GRANT IS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $80,000 AND JUMP-STARTS A NEW INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAM AT A SCHOOL. THE CORE BAND GRANT INCLUDES 36 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - WOODWIND, BRASS, AND PERCUSSION. THE STRING GRANT INCLUDES UP TO 36 STRING INSTRUMENTS - VIOLINS, VIOLAS, CELLOS, AND BASSES. THE MARIACHI GRANT INCLUDES 36 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS BRASS AND STRING INSTRUMENTS, BOTH FRETTED AND UNFRETTED, AS WELL AS MARIACHI BOWTIE AND BELTS. THE SONIDOS LATINOS GRANT INCLUDES 33 INSTRUMENTS FROM THE BAND PACKAGE BRASS AND CLASSICAL PERCUSSION ALONG WITH 13 PIECES OF LATIN PERCUSSION CONGAS, TIMBALES, BONGOS, CLAVES, ETC. ALL CORE GRANTS INCLUDE MUSIC STANDS, INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD BOOKS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR MUSIC TEACHERS, AND FOUNDATION PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR 10 YEARS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE FOUNDATION DELIVERED 31 CORE BAND GRANT PACKAGES, 7 CORE STRINGS GRANT PACKAGES, AND 5 CORE SONIDOS LATINOS GRANT PACKAGES, IMPACTING MORE THAN 25,500 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS.INTRO TO MUSIC GRANTTHE INTRO TO MUSIC GRANT WAS DEVELOPED IN 2018 AND INCLUDES EVERYTHING A MUSIC TEACHER NEEDS TO PROVIDE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 5 WITH SEQUENTIAL, STANDARDS-BASED GENERAL MUSIC INSTRUCTION FOCUSED ON ACTIVE MUSIC-MAKING AND ENGAGEMENT. THE GRANT IS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $32,000 INCLUDING DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT INSTRUMENTS AND RESOURCES: DIGITAL PIANO, ACOUSTIC GUITAR, ORFF INSTRUMENTS, WORLD DRUMS, RECORDERS, HAND-HELD PERCUSSION, BOOMWHACKERS, A CLASSROOM SET OF UKULELES, INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD BOOKS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR MUSIC TEACHERS, AND FOUNDATION PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR 10 YEARS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE FOUNDATION DELIVERED 29 INTRO TO MUSIC GRANT PACKAGES, IMPACTING MORE THAN 15,000 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS.J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANTTHE J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANT WAS DEVELOPED IN 2018 AND FOCUSES ON DELIVERING THE FUTURE OF MUSIC LEARNING THROUGH INNOVATIVE MUSIC TECH TOOLS AND CURRICULUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. OUR GOAL IS TO BRING OUT STUDENTS' INNER CREATIVITY, TALENT, AND CONFIDENCE BY TEACHING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC CREATION, RECORDING, AND PRODUCTION. IN 2019, THE MUSIC TECH GRANT WAS NAMED AFTER THE LATE, INFLUENTIAL INDUSTRY RAPPER AND HIP-HOP RECORD PRODUCER J DILLA. THE GRANT IS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $73,000, WHICH INCLUDES HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION IN AUDIO RECORDING, AUDIO ENGINEERING, DJ-ING, BEAT-MAKING, ALONG WITH IN-DEPTH TRAINING FOR MUSIC TEACHERS, INCLUDING A ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP WITH A LOCAL MUSIC EDUCATION COMMUNITY PARTNER AND FOUNDATION PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR 10 YEARS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE FOUNDATION DELIVERED 12 J DILLA MUSIC TECH GRANT PACKAGES, IMPACTING MORE THAN 19,000 STUDENTS AND MUSIC EDUCATORS.