The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charit
The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charitable Foundation, also known as The Music Man Foundation, is a private grantmaking foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1998 by Rosemary Willson, the widow of Tony Award-winning musical composer Meredith Willson, the foundation was substantially expanded upon Rosemary's death in 2010. The foundation is named in honor of Meredith Willson, creator of the musical "The Music Man," and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since January 2013.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$4.2M
-1.5% YoY
Grant Count
41
+2.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$103K
-3.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on supporting programs that use music to improve children's lives and create systemic change within communities. The foundation currently focuses its investments in two primary initiative areas:
- Core-curriculum music education
- Music therapy
The foundation emphasizes the transformative power of music as a catalyst for systemic change, seeking to support organizations that harness music to foster lasting improvements in schools, healthcare systems, and communities.
Grantmaking
The foundation's primary grant program provides substantial, multi-year general operating support to organizations working in music, learning, and well-being. Key details include:
Grant Range
** $50,000 to $500,000 over two years (Southern California); $100,000 to $1,000,000 over two years (National)
How to Apply
The application process includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Southern California: Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties
National: The foundation also funds national nonprofits, particularly those working in music, learning, and well-being.
Additional Focus Areas: California, New York, and Iowa
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total Assets: $79.9 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Revenue: $7.89 million
- Total Expenses: $5.76 million
- Total Giving: Approximately $4.2 million annually
The foundation ranks in the top 10% of U.S. foundations by asset size.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
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| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
203 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charit
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sarah Lyding – Executive Director (40 hours/week, $236,000 annual compensation)
- Tom Camp – President/Director (4 hours/week, $18,000 annual compensation)
- Al Pivo – Vice President & Chief Financial Officer/Director (4 hours/week, $16,000 annual compensation)
- Laura Zucker – Secretary/Director (3 hours/week, $14,000 annual compensation)
- Larry W Swanson – Director (3 hours/week, $14,000 annual compensation)
- Leticia Rhi Buckley – Director (3 hours/week, $15,000 annual compensation)
- Kathryn D MacKenzie – Program Officer (40 hours/week, $115,000 annual compensation)
- Tess Weinberg – Grant and Database Manager (40 hours/week, $78,000 annual compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOM CAMP | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 4 | $17,865 |
| AL PIVO | VP & CFO/DIRECTOR | 4 | $15,865 |
| LAURA ZUCKER | SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 3 | $13,865 |
| LARRY W SWANSON | DIRECTOR | 3 | $13,865 |
| LETICIA RHI BUCKLEY | DIRECTOR | 3 | $14,865 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2024 Grant Announcements**
In January 2024, the foundation announced two grant opportunities making up to $2.5 million available to nonprofits. The Meredith Willson Awards for Southern California nonprofits marked the first time grants were made available to Riverside County organizations.
The Music Man Foundation Announces Two Grant Opportunities for 2024**2023 Grant Announcements**
In February 2023, the foundation opened applications for national Meredith Willson Awards, making available up to $3 million in new funding. This represented the first time the awards were focused on national programs rather than regional ones.
The Music Man Foundation Announces Two Grant Opportunities for 2024, MakingThe foundation continues to actively solicit applications and maintain an open grantmaking process, with no "preselected only" restrictions on its funding opportunities.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charit on Grantable?
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