Save the Music Foundation: Nonprofit Profile, Financials & Form 990 (EIN 13-6089816)

Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020	$3.8M
FY2021	$8.2M
FY2022	$8.2M
FY2023	$8.8M
FY2024	$10.7M
FY2025	$7.8M

Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020	$3.0M
FY2021	$5.2M
FY2022	$8.0M
FY2023	$8.8M
FY2024	$9.0M
FY2025	$8.1M

Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020	$1.7M
FY2021	$4.8M
FY2022	$5.0M
FY2023	$5.0M
FY2024	$6.7M
FY2025	$6.7M

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 1955.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

76%

20%

Program services 76% · $6.2M Management & general 4% · $300K Fundraising 20% · $1.6M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $1.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation

Henry Donahue

Executive Director, Asst. Secretary

$292,774Pt VII · Sec A

Danielle Zalaznick

Chief Dev. Officer & Deputy E.d.

$221,395Pt VII · Sec A

Chiho Feindler

Chief Program Officer

$162,436Pt VII · Sec A

Ariel Usatin

Senior Dir., Philanthropy

$140,845Pt VII · Sec A

Jaclyn Rudderow

Senior Dir, School Programs

$114,863Pt VII · Sec A

Tom Creaser

SR. Dir. of Fin. & Opts (outgoing)

$72,006Pt VII · Sec A

Suzanne Hall

Director

$5,000Pt VII · Sec A

Jesse Collins

Director

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
Henry Donahue	$292,774	$181,647	—	—	—	—
Danielle Zalaznick	$221,395	$213,871	$210,414	$204,414	$184,096	$178,637
Chiho Feindler	$162,436	$152,466	$143,997	$134,012	$110,670	$101,836
Zack Flores	—	$145,388	$140,271	$135,456	—	—
Ariel Usatin	$140,845	$136,520	$131,770	$127,180	$109,930	$103,180
Tom Creaser	$72,006	$123,141	—	—	—	—
Jaclyn Rudderow	$114,863	$114,814	$108,996	—	—	—
Suzanne Hall	$5,000	$2,000	$7,200	$1,000	—	—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Save the Music Foundation executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Restores instrumental music programs in US public schools by donating new musical instruments and advocating for the importance of music education in underserved communities.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $6.2M · in their own filed words · FY2025

01

Save the music foundation ("foundation") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating systemic change in the american public school system by restoring instrumental music programs and by raising public awareness about the importance of music education.

$6.2Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid

Grants received · FY2025

Ramsey FoundationFY2025$179K

Chestnut Family FoundationFY2025$125K

Sound Start FoundationFY2025$125K

Gibson GivesFY2025$90K

PlusoneplusoneplusoneFY2025$26K

Our Change FoundationFY2025$18K

Total grants receivedfrom 6 funders$563K

See all 6 funders →

Grants paid · 17 grants · $346K · 2023–2025

We Make Noise INCAZ · FY2025$43,000

The Music Education Group INCGA · FY2025$31,104

The Mr Holland's Opus FoundationCA · FY2025$25,500

Successful INCTN · FY2025$18,200

Young Musicians Unite INCFL · FY2025$15,000

American Orff-Schulwerk AssociationNJ · FY2025$12,500

SouthernwordTN · FY2025$11,500

El Sistema Santa CruzCA · FY2025$10,000

Kent State UniversityOH · FY2025$5,775

National Performance Network INCLA · FY2024$48,970

Upbeat Academy FoundationLA · FY2024$29,264

Successful INCTN · FY2024$18,400

New Orleans Arts Education AllianceFY2024$8,200

Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,800

Unitemized GrantFY2023$45,000

Successful INCTN · FY2023$18,400

Unitemized GrantFY2023$3,240

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$7.8M

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.7M

Investment incomeLn 3$101K

Money outPt IX

$8.1M

Ln 25

Programscol B$6.2M

Managementcol C$300K

Fundraisingcol D$1.6M

Owns and owesPt X

$6.7M

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.0M

Total assetsLn 16$8.3M

LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M

PeoplePt VI, VII

26

listed · VII A

PaidVII A7

Voting boardVI 1a17

IndependentVI 1b17

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.7M

Noncash giftsLn 1g$2.3M

Fundraising eventsLn 1c$239K

Investment incomeLn 3$101K

Gains on assetsLn 7$30K

Total revenueLn 12$7.8M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$1.8M

SavingsLn 2$197K

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.0M

InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.6M

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$33K

Other assetsLn 15$1.3M

Total assetsLn 16$8.3M

LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M

Net assetsLn 32$6.7M

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 521

VolunteersI 620

Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember

Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes

Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes

Records policyVI 14Yes

3Year over year

Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B

Line	Start FY25	End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$4.9M	$2.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13	$75K	$2.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$0	$33K
Total assetsLn 16	$7.3M	$8.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$637K	$1.6M
Net assetsLn 32	$6.7M	$6.7M

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1	$4.2M	$4.2M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$821K	$328K	$99K	$394K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$1.3M	$706K	$42K	$533K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$26K	$21K	$621	$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$186K	$110K	$10K	$66K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$161K	$95K	$10K	$56K
Legal feesLn 11b	$38K	$12K	$6K	$20K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$237K	$77K	$36K	$124K
Investment management feesLn 11f	$16K		$16K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$136K	$44K	$21K	$71K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$173K	$78K	$128	$95K
Office expensesLn 13	$51K	$18K	$7K	$25K
Information technologyLn 14	$195K	$88K	$24K	$83K
OccupancyLn 16	$96K	$47K	$3K	$46K
TravelLn 17	$84K	$52K	$4K	$29K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19	$8K	$5K	$369	$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$2K	$920	$64	$920
InsuranceLn 23	$40K	$11K	$19K	$10K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$288K	$250K	$2K	$36K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$8.1M	$6.2M	$300K	$1.6M

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest Viewing	$7.8M	$8.1M	−$238K	$6.7M	990 PDF
FY2024	$10.7M	$9.0M	$1.7M	$6.7M	990 PDF
FY2023	$8.8M	$8.8M	$20K	$5.0M	990 PDF
FY2022	$8.2M	$8.0M	$235K	$5.0M	990 PDF
FY2021	$8.2M	$5.2M	$3.0M	$4.8M	990 PDF
FY2020	$3.8M	$3.0M	$709K	$1.7M	990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash

See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $7,830,311 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,592,240$7,735,008

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $79,361$100,526

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,530−$5,223

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $10,675,131$7,830,311

I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $5,276,126$4,228,978

I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0

I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,484,321$2,474,700

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,245,971$1,364,184

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $9,006,418$8,067,862

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,668,713−$237,551

Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, 1 to look at

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17

VI-1b Independent voting members17

VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes

VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes

VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes

VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes

VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes

Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,830,311 across 9 lines filed

VIII-1c Fundraising events$238,514

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$7,496,494

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,332,480

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,735,008

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $70,030$70,030

VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $1,704$1,704

VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $30,496$30,496

VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$6,927−$6,927

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $95,303$7,830,311

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,067,862 across 19 lines filed

IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $4,228,978$4,228,978

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $328,288 · Management $98,879 · Fundraising $393,905$821,072

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $705,608 · Management $41,575 · Fundraising $532,983$1,280,166

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $20,934 · Management $621 · Fundraising $4,420$25,975

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $109,873 · Management $9,868 · Fundraising $66,344$186,085

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $94,689 · Management $10,494 · Fundraising $56,219$161,402

IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $12,375 · Management $5,817 · Fundraising $19,973$38,165

IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $76,795 · Management $36,100 · Fundraising $123,945$236,840

IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $16,161$16,161

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $44,021 · Management $20,694 · Fundraising $71,047$135,762

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $77,755 · Management $128 · Fundraising $95,470$173,353

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,247 · Management $7,134 · Fundraising $25,207$50,588

IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $88,057 · Management $24,199 · Fundraising $82,553$194,809

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $47,168 · Management $3,253 · Fundraising $45,759$96,180

IX-17 TravelPrograms $51,617 · Management $4,139 · Fundraising $28,736$84,492

IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $4,672 · Management $369 · Fundraising $2,662$7,703

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $920 · Management $64 · Fundraising $920$1,904

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $10,824 · Management $19,157 · Fundraising $10,392$40,373

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $250,167 · Management $1,681 · Fundraising $36,006$287,854

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,170,988 · Management $300,333 · Fundraising $1,596,541$8,067,862

Part X · Balance sheet $8,303,421 assets, 17 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,947,305$1,816,268

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,946,421$196,576

X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,206,365$2,263,775

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $21,631$13,120

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $122,797$54,197

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$32,868

X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $74,839$2,596,634

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$1,329,983

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $7,335,889$8,303,421

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $336,633$194,133

X-19 Deferred revenue$5,000

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $300,158$1,425,785

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $636,791$1,624,918

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,533,914$2,764,260

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,165,184$3,914,243

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,699,098$6,678,503

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $7,335,889$8,303,421

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,678,503 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$7,830,311

XI-2 Total expenses$8,067,862

XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$237,551

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,699,098

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$216,956

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,678,503

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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