Music Matters Fund Inc
Music Matters Fund Inc is a private foundation established in 2022 with locations in both Santa Barbara, California and New York, New York. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity (EIN: 85-1467296) with no employees.
Key facts about Music Matters Fund Inc
- EIN
- 85-1467296
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,013,411
- Grants made (2024)
- 59
- Average grant
- $17,176
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (33 of 59, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,382,726
- Primary geography
- California (18% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Music Matters Fund Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Music Matters Fund Inc's 59 itemized 2024 grants were California (18%), Florida (7%) and Washington (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (6 grants), Seattle, WA (3 grants), Portland, ME (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants). None of its 59 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Project Support" (59 grants).
Is Music Matters Fund Inc open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 59 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 10% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Music Matters Fund Inc
- How to evaluate Music Matters Fund Inc as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.4M
+7.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+27.2% YoY
Grant Count
59
-1.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
+29.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States so that live music can remain accessible to all. The organization supports initiatives that promote and preserve the performance and experience of live music, including:
- Awarding grants to intimate venues that nurture emerging musicians
- Helping sustain the careers of established and under-recognized music makers
- Ensuring affordable access to live music in traditionally underserved communities
Primary funding focus areas include Arts, Culture & Humanities, Education, and Philanthropy & Voluntarism.
Grantmaking
Music Matters Fund makes grants typically ranging from $4,000 to $50,000. Recent grants awarded in 2023 include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking priorities focus primarily on California, Washington, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 59 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $1,290,963
- Total revenues: $2,637,680
- Total expenses: $1,378,329
Most recent filing (2024):
- Total assets: $1,382,726
- Total giving: $1,013,411
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,382,726 | $1,290,963 | $23,600 |
| Revenue | $1,695,696 | $2,637,680 | $1,155,847 |
| Expenses | $1,603,753 | $1,378,329 | $1,146,670 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,539,875 | $1,318,559 | $1,089,957 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
284 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Parlor Room ($50,000), Roots Music Project Foundation ($45,000), Blue Jay Listening Room ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PARLOR ROOM Northampton, MA | PROJECT SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| ROOTS MUSIC PROJECT FOUNDATION Boulder, CO | PROJECT SUPPORT | $45,000 |
| BLUE JAY LISTENING ROOM Jacksonville Beach, FL | PROJECT SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| DRKMTTR COLLECTIVE LLC Goodlettsville, TN | PROJECT SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| LOST CHURCH San Francisco, CA | PROJECT SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| ROYAL ROOM Seattle, WA | PROJECT SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| CHRIS'S JAZZ CAFE Philadelphia, PA | PROJECT SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| GRAND VISION FOUNDATION San Pedro, CA | PROJECT SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| LA PENA CULTURAL CENTER Berkeley, CA | PROJECT SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| MAPLE LEAF BAR New Orleans, LA | PROJECT SUPPORT | $35,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Wilkins | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Stephen Webber | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Cat Henry | Exec Directr | 40 | $184,685 |
| Gavin Berger | President | 5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Music Matters Fund Inc fund?
The foundation's mission is to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States so that live music can remain accessible to all. The organization supports initiatives that promote and preserve the performance and experience of live music, including: • Awarding grants to intimate venues that nurture emerging musicians • Helping sustain the careers of established and under-recognized music makers • Ensuring affordable access to live music in traditionally underserve…
How do I apply for a grant from Music Matters Fund Inc?
Music Matters Fund makes grants typically ranging from $4,000 to $50,000. Recent grants awarded in 2023 include: • Caffe Lena: $40,000 (Project Support) • Passim: $39,500 (Project Support) The foundation's total giving in the most recent fiscal year was $1,013,411.
Where does Music Matters Fund Inc make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities focus primarily on California, Washington, and New York.
What size grants does Music Matters Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Music Matters Fund Inc awarded 59 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Music Matters Fund Inc's EIN?
Music Matters Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-1467296. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.