Giving Compass' Take:
- Glenn Gamboa reports on the Save the Music Foundation's choice to go independent from VH1, continuing to support equitable music education.
- What are the benefits of music education? How can you support equitable access to music education for youth in your community?
- Learn more about best practices in philanthropy.
- Search our Guide to Good for nonprofits in your area.
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With a launch party that included Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey, the VH1 Save the Music Foundation never had any problem getting attention to support music education in the late '90s.
But a lot has changed since the music education nonprofit's early years, with the glitzy, star-studded cable TV specials slowly giving way to a decidedly more grassroots focus on establishing and sustaining music programs in elementary and secondary schools nationwide. To expand its work, the foundation needs to broaden its donor base, especially as MTV and VH1 — and their parent company Viacom, and now, Paramount — continue their pivot away from music.
On Wednesday, the foundation, now known only as Save the Music Foundation, announced its intention to “go indie” — rocker-speak for becoming an independent organization to support music education. The nonprofit will cut ties with Paramount and seek donations from various sources, including individual donors.
“It was pretty clear, from a Save the Music perspective, that it would be helpful for us to be viewed as a music industry initiative as opposed to a corporate social responsibility initiative for just one player in the industry," said Henry Donahue, the foundation's executive director, regarding the nonprofit's independence to support music education. "The way MusiCares is for health care in the industry, we wanted to be that same kind of national, first-call organization for music education. So any artist, label, streaming service, talent agency, festival, concert promoter who thought about engaging the community around music education — we wanted to be the go-to for that.”
“Going indie” has been a long process for the music education foundation, one that has already been supported by billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott with a $2 million grant in 2021. It has launched a $10 million endowment fund, with $4 million already secured.
But the shift will allow Save the Music to focus more on students like 17-year-old Ja’Marion Hulin, from Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School in Atlanta, where he is president of the school’s record company, Panther Records, and is learning to use equipment provided by the foundation to make music.
Read the full article about supporting music education by Glenn Gamboa at The Independent.