You’ve likely heard about GivingTuesday—or Giving Tuesday—the Tuesday after Thanksgiving dedicated to generosity. But it’s so much more than just a single day. GivingTuesday has grown into a global movement, focusing on acts of kindness, building community and paying it forward.
At Save The Music, we know that learning to play an instrument is a beautiful way to foster community, particularly in the classroom. As budgets for arts education continue to shrink nationwide, GivingTuesday 2025 presents a powerful opportunity to make a lasting difference for K-12 students nationwide.
Despite funding cuts, demand for school music programs continues to grow, making community support more important than ever. Together, we can help more children access the creative, emotional, social and academic benefits of music.
For this upcoming GivingTuesday, we’re taking a closer look at why music education matters, what’s at stake when it disappears from classrooms and how collective generosity can keep the arts accessible for every student.
Why is Music Education Important?
Music education is more than just learning how to play the right notes. Music education has a profoundly positive impact on a child’s academic, social and emotional development. Decades of research consistently demonstrate that music education improves self-discipline, early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, self-esteem, teamwork and school attendance.
Yet, despite its proven impact, music education remains out of reach for many. Countless schools lack the funding, instruments and resources they need to sustain their programs. Save The Music works to close that gap by equipping schools with the music education resources they need to deliver quality instruction.
How Giving Tuesday Amplifies Music Education
So, what is GivingTuesday? It’s become one of the most powerful days for nonprofit fundraising worldwide, bringing together millions of people who believe in collective impact and generosity. For organizations everywhere, GivingTuesday nonprofit fundraising drives both immediate support and long-term visibility that keeps programs running throughout the year.
For Save The Music, Giving Tuesday is a rallying cry to make universal access to music education a reality in every U.S. public school. Our partnerships with schools, districts and entire communities create momentum that extends well beyond a single day. Support from donors on GivingTuesday and beyond helps us provide musical instruments, technology and resources to schools that need them most.
Expands Awareness and Advocacy
One of GivingTuesday’s most powerful effects is its ability to spark conversations about where and how we should be directing our philanthropic efforts, and in this case, toward music education. When people share stories—on social media, at Thanksgiving dinner, in parent-teacher meetings and more—they’re building a shared understanding about what’s at stake. Many don’t realize the extent of funding cuts to music and arts education, or how much students lose when music class disappears.
Awareness fuels advocacy, which has the potential to drive real impact at the community level. For example, things can change for the better when principals and school boards hear from parents advocating for arts funding. When programs are sufficiently and consistently funded, teachers are empowered to grow and strengthen program offerings, leading to greater student engagement and participation. In this sense, the small acts inspired by GivingTuesday accumulate over time, building the grassroots support that keeps music programs alive.
Strengthens Funding and Access
Across the country, schools face the same frustrating reality: costs are rising while budgets are shrinking, yet the need for music programs keeps growing. While many administrators want to offer music education, far too many just can’t afford instruments, equipment maintenance or teacher training, in the face of other competing school priorities.
But the funding pressure doesn’t affect everyone equally. Schools in wealthier areas often sustain their music programs through parent fundraisers and local donations. Meanwhile, schools in less wealthy communities may struggle to offer music classes at all. Many public schools—especially those in Title I districts—face major music and arts education gaps due to limited funding, staffing challenges and systemic barriers.
This is where community support makes all the difference. When individuals, foundations and businesses contribute to organizations like Save The Music, schools get the instruments, technology and resources their music programs need to thrive. Likewise, teachers receive training to build inclusive programs where every student can participate.
When communities rally around music education, a child’s zip code no longer determines their access to creative learning. And when that access expands, lasting change begins.
Celebrates the Power of Community Support
While funding plays a crucial role, what truly brings these programs to life is the collective effort behind them. Save The Music partners with public school districts to co-create sustainable music programs. Rather than offering one-time donations or outside solutions, STM provides instruments, technology and teacher support while engaging local partners that understand community needs. This model integrates music into the fabric of school systems, strengthening student engagement, academic achievement and community pride.
We have seen firsthand what’s possible when people come together around a shared belief in the power of music. Our prior year GivingTuesday campaigns have helped to transform schools and students’ lives. At Save The Music, we’ve personally been moved by the many success stories stemming from our school partnerships, only made possible through community support.
To name just a few:
- Since 2021, we’ve provided instruments and music technology packages to over 32,000 students across Los Angeles County. We’ve also provided educators with relevant professional development and programmatic support.
- Looking at a single snapshot of impact, one middle-school student named Naomi was able to flourish emotionally and socially after joining her school’s band. During her time in band, Naomi fostered friendships and built her confidence through performance—growth made possible through community investment in music education.
- We’ve helped nurture trauma-informed care in music classrooms by providing professional development workshops to music and art teachers in Newark and Miami. These workshops taught instructors how to use music to promote students’ well-being.
These successes stem from people coming together around a shared vision that every child deserves access to music education and that this is an achievable goal in our lifetime.
Inspires Ongoing Commitment
Although GivingTuesday creates a great starting point, lasting change requires sustained commitment. The movement works best when people keep that initial spark alive throughout the year, staying connected to the causes they care about.
In Save The Music’s case, those passionate about music education engage in different ways. Some set up recurring contributions, while others start a fundraiser or share our cause on social media.
When people stay committed beyond a single day, organizations like Save The Music can plan for long-term growth instead of just reacting to immediate needs. One big day of giving creates momentum, but sustained engagement is what truly builds lasting change.
Why Your Support on GivingTuesday Matters
Music education gives students more than technical skills. It helps them express themselves, build confidence, and find their rhythm. It teaches discipline, collaboration and creativity—traits that shape who they become long after they leave school.
Organizations like Save The Music work to bring these opportunities to schools nationwide, providing instruments, technology, resources and training for teachers. Through community support, music programs can thrive in the schools that need them most. And when students have access to music education, they carry those experiences into adulthood, shaping the communities we all live in.
Build a More Musical Future with Save The Music
GivingTuesday brings people together around causes that matter. For us at Save The Music, that means working to restore and empower school music programs nationwide, ensuring students have the instruments, resources and instruction they deserve. This movement grows when communities believe every child should have access to music education.
This GivingTuesday, you can make that belief a reality. Donate now to bring music back to classrooms, inspire the next generation of musicians and help every child find their voice.