The CMA Foundation
The CMA Foundation is a public charity based in Nashville, Tennessee. It supports music education programs across the United States and other causes important to the Country Music Association, with giving focused on youth development, teacher support, and research.
The CMA Foundation at a glance
In short: The CMA Foundation gave $1.9M across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $56K), top state Tennessee. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,917,000
- +44.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +25.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $56,382
- +14.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $15,823,122
- +13.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (11 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (42% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The CMA Foundation
- How to Apply
-
For organizational donations, the filing describes a written-proposal process adopted by the board and limits donations to 501(c)(3) organizations. The website’s Phase One application for the 2027 Music Teachers of Excellence program is open.
- Review Cycle
- The Phase One application for the 2027 Music Teachers of Excellence program is due November 12, 2026.
- Deadline
- The Phase One application for the 2027 Music Teachers of Excellence program is due November 12, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 35 Music Square East 201, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 244-2840
Website: https://cmafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The CMA Foundation
Who The CMA Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Music Health Alliance ($200K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
102 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 102 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it invests in music education programs across the United States. In 2025, Tennessee received 42% of grant dollars, followed by New York at 9%, California at 7%, and Oregon and New Jersey at 5% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The CMA Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 34 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $67K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $50K repeat.
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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $656K (2022) to $4.4M (2020). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Music Health Alliance Nashville, TN | Mental Health Support for Music Industry Professionals | $200,000 |
| Backline Care Inc Portland, OR | Mental Health Support for Music Industry Professionals | $100,000 |
| Music Will Montclair, NJ | General support to advance research opportunities in music education field | $100,000 |
| Musicares Foundation Santa Monica, CA | General support to advance research opportunities in music education field | $100,000 |
| Notes for Notes Nashville, TN | General support for programming to enhance youth development through music learning | $100,000 |
| Porter's Call Franklin, TN | Mental Health Support for Music Industry Professionals | $100,000 |
| State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education Dover, DE | General support to advance research opportunities in music education field | $100,000 |
| The Roots of Music New Orleans, LA | General support to advance research opportunities in music education field | $100,000 |
| Touring Career Workshop Nashville, TN | Mental Health Support for Music Industry Professionals | $100,000 |
| VH1 Save the Music Foundation New York, NY | General support for programming to enhance youth development through music learning | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The CMA Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,823,122 | $5,378,796 | $3,184,961 | $1,917,000 | 34 | $1,211,942 |
| 2024 | $13,893,513 | $4,321,613 | $2,423,061 | $1,328,125 | 27 | $536,930 |
| 2023 | $11,027,480 | $4,441,791 | $1,507,192 | $784,000 | 9 | $273,474 |
| 2022 | $8,744,093 | $2,339,008 | $1,146,398 | $656,000 | 12 | $528,604 |
| 2021 | $8,861,789 | $1,317,305 | $1,829,805 | $1,592,070 | 20 | $756,010 |
| 2020 | $6,954,785 | $4,909,177 | $5,059,222 | $4,351,377 | 69 | $329,519 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to improve and sustain music education programs while supporting worthwhile causes important to the Country Music Association. Its three stated areas of focus are youth development, teacher support, and research. It invests in music enrichment and youth empowerment, professional learning and retention for music educators, and research into barriers to access to music education.
Its 2025 grants also supported organizations providing services to music professionals. For example, Music Health Alliance describes its mission as connecting music professionals with healthcare and medical and financial solutions; Porter’s Call provides support for recording artists and their families; and Touring Career Workshop supports touring technicians through workshops, networking, and counseling. Among youth and education grantees, Notes for Notes provides young people with free instruments, instruction, and a place to make music, while Youth on Record uses Colorado musicians and artists as coaches and mentors for underserved youth.
The website also describes the Music Teachers of Excellence award, which recognizes educators for exemplary teaching and student learning. It says the Foundation awards 30 public school music teachers $5,000 each year, to be split between enhancing their classrooms and their personal lives.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 34 grants totaling $1,917,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $200,000, with a median of $50,000. The largest award was $200,000 to Music Health Alliance for mental health support for music industry professionals. Other $100,000 grants included awards to Backline Care, Music Will, MusiCares Foundation, Notes for Notes, Porter’s Call, the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education, The Roots of Music, Touring Career Workshop, VH1 Save the Music Foundation, and Youth on Record. A $75,000 grant went to Music and the Brain.
The filing states that the Foundation’s giving guidelines limit donations to other 501(c)(3) organizations and require a written proposal submitted through the process adopted by the board. Its website separately provides an application process for the Music Teachers of Excellence program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sarah Trahern as president, Amy Smartt as secretary/treasurer, Tiffany Kerns as executive director, Stephen Parker as chairman, and Brittany Schaffer as vice chairman. It also lists David Haskell, Eileen Valois, Jay Williams, Jennie Smythe, and Jesse Cannon as directors.
The CMA Foundation is led by Sarah Trahern, President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 16 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sarah Trahern
President
Executive Officio - President → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tiffany Kerns
Executive Director
Executive Director & Vice President Community Outreach → Executive Director & Vice President Community Ou, 2023
Executive Director & Vice President Community Ou → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Parker
Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2024
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennie Smythe
Director
Director → Vice Chairman, 2021
Vice Chairman → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Galante
Director
Chairman → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Fairchild
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Dungan
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay Williams
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tyne Parrish
Director
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2024
Chairman → Director, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kella Farris
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Haskell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eileen Valois
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jesse Cannon
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Josh Van Valkenburg
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Smartt
Secretary & Treasurer
Ex-Officio - Secretary & Treasurer → Executive Officio - Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
Executive Officio - Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brittany Schaffer
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (24)
- Former: Mendell Grinter (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Eric Jimenez (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Debbie Carroll (2024) — Director
- Former: Virginia Bunetta (2024) — Director
- Former: Ron Samuels (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Ashley McBryde (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Lindsay Ell (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Charlie Morgan (2023) — Director
- Former: Chris Kappy (2023) — Director
- Former: Jamie Check (2023) — Director
- Former: Chris Young (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jim Beavers (2021–2022) — Chairman
- Former: John Esposito (2022) — Vice President of Finance
- Former: Ed Hardy (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: John Huie (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kix Brooks (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Lon Helton (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Marion Kraft (2021) — Director
- Former: Mary Hilliard Harrington (2021) — Director
- Former: Blair Garner (2020) — Director
- Former: Jody Williams (2020) — Executive Officio
- Former: Kurt Johnson (2020) — Director
- Former: Liz Rose (2020) — Director
- Former: Steve Buchanan (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.
Frequently asked questions about The CMA Foundation
How much does The CMA Foundation give each year?
The CMA Foundation gave $1.9M across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 27 grants.
What is The CMA Foundation's typical grant size?
The CMA Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $56,382, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The CMA Foundation that year got $34K on average.
Where does The CMA Foundation give grants?
The CMA Foundation's top state is Tennessee, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (9%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (9 grants), New York, NY (2 grants), Franklin, TN (2 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).
Does The CMA Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 79% of The CMA Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Mental Health Support for Music Industry Professionals" (4 grants).
Who are The CMA Foundation's largest grantees?
The CMA Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Music Health Alliance ($200,000), Backline Care Inc ($100,000) and Music Will ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The CMA Foundation?
The CMA Foundation reported $15.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.4M.
What does The CMA Foundation fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to improve and sustain music education programs while supporting worthwhile causes important to the Country Music Association. Its three stated areas of focus are youth development, teacher support, and research. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The CMA Foundation?
For organizational donations, the filing describes a written-proposal process adopted by the board and limits donations to 501(c)(3) organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The CMA Foundation's EIN?
The CMA Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4842832. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 16, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The CMA Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The CMA Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cma-foundation-morg_e5ac8a8d5df44291a7eb1a46c7e7715d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_274842832_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The CMA Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cma-foundation-morg_e5ac8a8d5df44291a7eb1a46c7e7715d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The CMA Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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