The Elma Music Foundation (us)
The ELMA Music Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in New York, NY. Established in 2011, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting music education, artist development, and music-related programming across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.3M
-40.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
-7.2% YoY
Grant Count
24
-4.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$130K
-3.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Elma Music Foundation (us) reported a distributable amount of $150K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on music education and artist support, with particular emphasis on:
- Youth music education and empowerment programs
- Support for aging and professional musicians
- Music training and performance opportunities for underserved communities
- Music scholarships and educational access
- Creative youth development through music and arts
Grantmaking
The foundation made 25 grants in 2024. Recent grants include:
Grant Range
Range:**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations primarily in New York, California, and Tennessee, with additional support for programs in Louisiana and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2024):
- Total Assets: $2,261,705
- Total Revenue: $1,633,307
- Total Expenses: $3,159,409
- Total Liabilities: $5,250
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since February 2011 EIN: 27-3622277
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,261,705 | $3,782,557 | $3,058,589 |
| Revenue | $1,633,307 | $4,112,922 | $1,001,246 |
| Expenses | $3,159,409 | $3,388,954 | $4,373,833 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,150,968 | $3,388,954 | $4,373,459 |
| Net Investment Income | $133,307 | $112,922 | $1,190 |
| Distributable Amount | $149,614 | $213,427 | $229,796 |
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
120 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Manhattan School of Music ($361,852), Jazz Foundation of America Inc ($300,000), Berklee College of Music Inc ($271,703).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A PLACE CALLED HOME LOS ANGELES, CA | PROJECT SUPPORT FOR THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE AFTERSCHOOL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. | $91,667 |
| BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC BOSTON, MA | PROJECT SUPPORT FOR "MYDA SCHOLARSHIP", WHICH WILL PROVIDE NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS FROM ELMA'S MUSIC FOUNDATION (U.S.) GRANTEES TO ATTEND BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC'S FOUR YEAR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM. | $271,703 |
| BIG THOUGHT DALLAS, TX | PROJECT SUPPORT FOR INTENSIVE PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM, CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, TO HELP DISENGAGED YOUTH IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM TRANSITION OUT OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM | $100,000 |
| EAST BAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS RICHMOND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE AFTERSCHOOL MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM OF A LONG STANDING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES YOUTH AGES 3-18 IN THE AREAS OF PRIVATE INSTRUCTION, RECITALS, AND STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES | $75,000 |
| ELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC INC NEW ORLEANS, LA | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR AN AFTER-SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM PROVIDING UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AND YOUTH FROM THE NINTH WARD OF NEW ORLEANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY MUSIC THROUGH ARTS-FOCUSED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. | $200,000 |
| JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA INC NEW YORK, NY | PROJECT SUPPORT FOR THE JAZZ AND BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM (JITS), WHICH EXTENDS THE CAREERS OF AGING ARTISTS AND BRINGS MUSIC TO SCHOOLS, NURSING HOMES AND HOSPITALS NATIONWIDE. | $300,000 |
| LIVING CLASSROOMS FOUNDATION INC BALTIMORE, MD | PROJECT SUPPORT FOR AFTER-SCHOOL MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMING SERVING DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH AND LINKING THEM TO BROADER YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WITH MULTIPLE LIVING CLASSROOMS FOUNDATION SITES IN BALTIMORE, MD AND WASHINGTON D.C. | $125,000 |
| MAMA FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT TO AN ORGANIZATION UPLIFTING GOSPEL AND JAZZ MUSICAL TRADITIONS TO HEAL AND INSPIRE, WITH A FOCUS ON PROVIDING FREE TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW-INCOME TEENAGERS IN HARLEM. | $83,333 |
| MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC NEW YORK, NY | PROJECT SUPPORT TO ESTABLISH THE HUGH MASEKELA HERITAGE SCHOLARSHIP FOR SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENTS TO ATTEND THE MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC | $361,852 |
| MEMPHIS EQUITY THROUGH ARTS (META) INCORPORATED MEMPHIS, TN | PROJECT SUPPORT FOR SUB-GRANTS AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO THREE-TO-FOUR COMMUNITY BASED, MUSIC ORIENTED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS. | $125,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS MCPARTLAND | DIRECTOR, CEO | 0.5 | — |
| ROBYN CALDER | DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| PAUL KATZ | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MERON MAKONNEN | SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CLIVE CALDER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| TARIK WARD | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SIMBARASHE JAIROSI | TREASURER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported the Hugh Masekela Heritage Scholarship program in partnership with Manhattan School of Music and the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation, enabling South African music students to study at the institution. The foundation also provided support during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the broader ELMA group of foundations committing $106.9 million for COVID-19 response efforts.
News Release: MSM, The ELMA Music Foundation, and the Hugh Masekela Heritage\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Elma Music Foundation (us) fund?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on music education and artist support, with particular emphasis on: • Youth music education and empowerment programs • Support for aging and professional musicians • Music training and performance opportunities for underserved communities • Music scholarships and educational access • Creative youth development through music and arts
How do I apply for a grant from The Elma Music Foundation (us)?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 25 grants in 2024. Recent grants include: • Manhattan School of Music: $361,852 for the Hugh Masekela Heritage Scholarship for South African students • Jazz Foundation of America: $300,000 for the Jazz and Blues in the Schools Program • Berklee College of Music: Project support for need-based scholarships for students from the foundation's grantees • Youth Empowerment Project: Project support for after-school music and arts programming serving 175 youth a…
Where does The Elma Music Foundation (us) make grants?
The foundation funds organizations primarily in New York, California, and Tennessee, with additional support for programs in Louisiana and Georgia.
What size grants does The Elma Music Foundation (us) award?
In 2024, The Elma Music Foundation (us) awarded 24 grants totaling $3.1M — an average of about $130K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Elma Music Foundation (us) required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Elma Music Foundation (us) reported a distributable amount of $150K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Elma Music Foundation (us)'s EIN?
The Elma Music Foundation (us)'s EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-3622277. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Elma Music Foundation (us)'s focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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