Faq -Our Programs

Save The Music (STM) partners with public school districts in communities across the United States that show an immediate need for support and resources to build their in-school music education programs. STM partners with school districts that include Title I public school sites and serve a high percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. School districts that receive a STM grant have limited to no instrument inventory and access to music education materials before a STM partnership.

STM and partner school districts select schools in the district that show readiness to receive a STM grant. Readiness means the school district commits to providing 1) a dedicated music classroom space, 2) a full-time, certified music teacher, and 3) a music class or course as part of the regular school day schedule at the school receiving the STM grant.

STM grant applications are distributed to school sites by invitation only after a series of community and school district-level steps to establish a strategic, collaborative, and long-term partnership. There is no Save The Music Grant application available to the public.

Save The Music selects school districts that demonstrate a profound commitment to music education for all students. Grant applications are distributed by invitation only; however, we welcome expressions of interest from districts aligned with our mission. School districts interested in partnering with STM should have their district administrators contact us to discuss a potential partnership. For more details on beginning this conversation and understanding the criteria for selection, please reach out to the STM Program Team at [email protected].

Save The Music is currently focused on the following community and state-wide partnerships to increase equity and access to music education for all students. If you know or work for a school in need in one of these communities, please feel free to contact the STM Program Team at [email protected].

• Northern California (CA)
• Southern California (CA)
• Southern Florida (FL)
• Atlanta metro (GA)
• Baltimore (MD)
• Detroit metro (MI)
• Mississippi Delta (MS)
• New York City (NY)
• Northern New Jersey (NJ)
• Ohio (OH)
• Tennessee (TN)
• West Virginia (WV)

Save The Music invests in sustainable resources such as musical instruments, technology, equipment, and professional development for educators. This approach ensures a lasting impact on music education, directly benefiting students’ growth and development.

STM delivers specific grant packages to school music programs, based on grade level and content area, to support a sequential, standards-based, and well-rounded education. Learn about our grant packages.

• Getting Started with Music – Intro to Music Grant for Grades PreK-5 (elementary general music program)
• Build Your Core Programs – Band, Strings, Mariachi, or Sonidos Latinos Core Grant for Grades 3-8 (upper elementary or middle school ensemble program)
• Explore Music Technology – J Dilla Music Tech Grant for Grades 9-12 or Middle School Music Tech Grant for Grades 4-8 (middle or high school audio production program)
• Keys + Kids Grant for Grades K-12 (typically keyboard, choir, musical theatre, or gifted and talent programs for any grade level)

We do not award monetary funding or cash grants to school districts, schools, or individuals.

Save The Music invests in sustainable resources such as musical instruments, technology, and professional development for educators. This approach ensures a lasting impact on music education, directly benefiting students’ growth and development. We do not award monetary funding or cash grants to school districts, schools, or individuals.

Save The Music’s partner school districts are committed to building and investing in school music education programs to benefit student achievement and increase access to a well-rounded education. STM grant requirements are as follows:

• The school must be a public school in the United States.
• The school or district must commit to hiring and funding at least one certified music teacher.
• The school must schedule music as part of the regular school day, offering a minimum of 45 minutes of instruction per student enrolled in the music program per week.
• The school must provide a classroom space dedicated to music instruction.
• The school must provide adequate, secure storage space for the donated instruments, equipment, and materials.
• The school and district accept full responsibility for the maintenance of instruments (anything outside of the manufacturer’s warranty) and necessary supplies (i.e. strings, reeds, sheet music, technology upgrades, etc.).
• The grant recipient must complete annual progress reports about the music program and allow representatives from the Foundation to visit.

Please direct all questions and inquiries regarding grant requirements to the Save The Music Program Team at [email protected].

Save The Music primarily invests in school music programs and does not sponsor or award grants to fellow non-profit organizations or events. Although we value and recognize the importance of external arts initiatives, our grants are specifically designed to empower students and educators within school settings. Our commitment to enhancing music education within schools means that our resources are directed towards grants for music education, music grants for schools, and support for music teachers and students. This focused approach ensures that our contributions make a meaningful impact, closely aligning with our mission to nurture musical talent and educational growth in the next generation.

Learn more about other organizations that may be able to help your initiatives.

Save The Music does not award instruments, grants, or monetary funding to individual musicians. Learn more about other organizations that may be able to help.

Save The Music does not accept donations of new or used instruments from individuals. We partner with manufacturers and local retailers to source instruments and equipment for schools and communities. Our team has compiled a list of ideas and other organizations to help with donating new and used instruments.

Since the founding of Save The Music Foundation in 1997, the organization has donated over $75 million worth of instruments and technology to more than 2,800 schools in 300+ districts nationwide – increasing access to music education for millions of students.

See STM’s list of partner school districts that received at least one grant in the current school year and STM’s overall impact across the United States from 1997 to the present.

STM measures success first by the number of students and schools with access to sustainable, sequential, and quality music education programs through STM grants. As students’ access to music education grows in a partner school district and community, STM looks towards measurable outcomes including student academic success, student attendance, student emotional well-being, and teacher satisfaction, as well as the overall engagement of the community’s music education ecosystem.

Read more about STM’s impact in the available case studies and research listed below:

• Newark
• New Orleans
• West Virginia
• Read more about the impact of our J Dilla Music Tech Grant.
• Read more about the research into the benefits of music and music education.