Save the Music Foundation
Save The Music Foundation is a New York, New York–based public charity that supports music education in public schools through grants of instruments, technology, equipment, and other resources, along with teacher development and program support. Its approach centers on partnerships with school districts to build or restore school music programs.
Key facts about Save the Music Foundation
In short: Save the Music Foundation gave $4.2M across 54 grants in 2025 (avg $78K), top state California. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 13-6089816
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,228,978
- Grants made (2025)
- 54
- Average grant
- $78,314
- Median grant
- $53,007
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (20 of 54, 2025)
- Total assets
- $8,303,421
- Primary geography
- California (28% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests through a public grant application. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$8.3M
+13.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.2M
-19.4% YoY
Grant Count
54
-14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$78K
-6.0% YoY
Is Save the Music Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 54 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $59K; repeat grants $90K. How we count
Medians: $51K first-time, $53K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to help students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through making music. Its programs support public-school music education from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, including elementary general music, instrumental programs such as band and strings, and high-school music technology. Support can include instruments, technology, equipment, instructional materials, professional development, and ongoing program support.
The foundation supports public schools and school districts. Among its 2025 recipients, the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation describes its own mission as supporting equitable learning for all in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The Anaheim Union High School District Foundation says it supports students’ learning experiences, including academic programs, visual and performing arts, and athletics. We Make Noise Inc. describes its mission as using music and technology to advance global gender equity.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 54 grants totaling **$4,228,978**. The median grant was **$53,007**, with amounts ranging from **$5,775 to $537,537**.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its work as serving public schools nationwide. In 2025, its grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states; the largest shares went to California (28%), New York (13%), West Virginia (11%), Florida (9%), and Ohio (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2020) to $5.3M (2023). In 2025 it made 54 grants totaling $4.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was New York City Department of Education ($538K). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
257 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 117 grants of 257 (46%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York City Department of Education New York, NY | Music Eduation | $537,537 |
| Los Angeles Unified School District Los Angeles, CA | Music Eduation | $454,030 |
| Miami Dade County Public Schools Miami, FL | Music Eduation | $372,495 |
| Baltimore City Public Schools Baltimore, MD | Music Eduation | $179,082 |
| Downey Unified School District Downey, CA | Music Eduation | $130,054 |
| Columbus City Schools Columbus, OH | Music Eduation | $117,060 |
| Fulton County School District Atlanta, GA | Music Eduation | $114,233 |
| Centralia Elementary School District Buena Park, CA | Music Eduation | $111,575 |
| Newport Mesa Unified School District Costa Mesa, CA | Music Eduation | $111,451 |
| Atlanta Public Schools Atlanta, GA | Music Eduation | $110,256 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts are from the foundation’s filings. Grant totals and counts refer to grants reported for each filing year.
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,303,421 | $7,830,311 | $8,067,862 | $4,228,978 (54) |
| 2024 | $7,335,889 | $10,675,131 | $9,006,418 | $5,248,832 (63) |
| 2023 | $6,370,566 | $8,798,203 | $8,777,744 | $5,301,112 (49) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,303,421 | $7,335,889 | $6,370,566 |
| Revenue | $7,830,311 | $10,675,131 | $8,798,203 |
| Expenses | $8,067,862 | $9,006,418 | $8,777,744 |
| Net Investment Income | $100,526 | $79,361 | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 18, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 26, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 26, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists Jennifer Grady as chairperson and director. It lists Elena Diaz as co-chair (partial) and outgoing director. Other directors listed are Alan Sartirana, Alec Glasser, Bob Carrigan, Candice Brancazio, Jay Kapadia, Jesse Collins, Kennard Garrett, and Kevin Ng.
Save the Music Foundation is led by Henry Donahue, Executive Director & Assistant Secretary on every filing since 2020; 7 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Henry Donahue
Executive Director & Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
60 hrs/week
$182K (2024) → $293K (2025)
Jennifer Grady
Chairperson & Director
Director & Corporate Treasurer → Director & Treasurer, 2021
Director & Treasurer → Chairperson & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ariel Usatin
Senior Director & Philanthropy
Senior Director & Philanthropy → Senior Director & Philanthr, 2021
Senior Director & Philanthr → Senior Director & Philanthropy, 2022
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$103K (2020) → $141K (2025)
Suzanne Hall
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1K (2022) → $5K (2025)
Jaclyn Rudderow
Senior Director & School Programs
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$109K (2023) → $115K (2025)
Tom Creaser
Senior Director of Finance & Opts
Senior Director of Finance & Operations → Senior Director of Finance & Opts, 2025
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$123K (2024) → $72K (2025)
Elena Diaz
Co-Chair & Director
Co-Chair Person → Co-Chair Person & Director, 2024
Co-Chair Person & Director → Co-Chair & Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Ng
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Fram
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nat Zilkha
Director
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wanda Coriano
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan Sartirana
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jesse Collins
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Malika Quemarias
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Candice Brancazio
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay Kapadia
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Wade
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alec Glasser
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Carrigan
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tim Weatherspoon
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kennard Garrett
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lex Borrero
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Gillespie
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chiho Feindler
Chief Program Officer
Senior Director, Programs & Policy → Chief Program Officer, 2021
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$102K (2020) → $162K (2025)
Danielle Zalaznick
Chief Development Officer & Deputy Executive Director
Senior Director, Growth & Partnership → Chief Development Officer, 2021
Chief Development Officer → Chief Development Officer & Deputy Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$179K (2020) → $221K (2025)
Nyasha Foy
Vice Chairsperson & Secretary
Director → Vice Chairsperson, Secretary & Director, 2024
Vice Chairsperson, Secretary & Director → Vice Chairsperson & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (24)
- Former: Allen Murabayashi (2020–2024) — Co-Chair & Director
- Former: Brianna Cayo Cotter (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Chris McCarthy (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Nicole Portwood (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Grace Hong (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Zack Flores (2022–2024) — Senior Director & Marketing
- Former: Cesar Martinez (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Laurie Schell (2020–2023) — Director & Secretary
- Former: Jennifer Box (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Katherine Von Jan (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Mark Leiter (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Michael Levine (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Mireya D'angelo (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Noah Kerner (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Sway Calloway (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Tom Chavez (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Windram (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Gordon Singer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Amy Doyle (2020) — Co-Chair
- Former: Amy Wigler (2020) — Director
- Former: Gillian Ryan (2020) — Director
- Former: Morris L. Reid (2020) — Director
- Former: Paul Koplin (2020) — Director
- Former: Shakim Comfere (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $293K, to Henry Donahue (Executive Director, Asst. Secretary). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1350 Broadway Suite 1920, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 977-0176
Website: https://savethemusic.org
Frequently asked questions about Save the Music Foundation
How much does Save the Music Foundation give each year?
Save the Music Foundation gave $4.2M across 54 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $5.2M across 63 grants.
What is Save the Music Foundation's typical grant size?
Save the Music Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $53,007, and its average grant was $78,314, across 54 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Save the Music Foundation that year got $59K on average.
Where does Save the Music Foundation give grants?
Save the Music Foundation's top state is California, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (13%) and West Virginia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Miami, FL (2 grants) and Atlanta, GA (2 grants).
Does Save the Music Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 54 grants with a stated purpose on Save the Music Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Music Eduation" (54 grants).
Who are Save the Music Foundation's largest grantees?
Save the Music Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include New York City Department of Education ($537,537), Los Angeles Unified School District ($454,030) and Miami Dade County Public Schools ($372,495), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Save the Music Foundation?
Save the Music Foundation reported $8.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.8M.
What does Save the Music Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to help students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through making music. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Save the Music Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests through a public grant application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Save the Music Foundation's EIN?
Save the Music Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6089816. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Save the Music Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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