Save The Music – formerly VH1 Save the Music, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports music education in 285+ school districts nationwide – announced today that it will begin a new chapter as a fully independent nonprofit separate from Paramount Global.
An independent Save The Music will remain dedicated to its vision of every student in every school making music – by providing schools with instruments and technology, training and supporting teachers, and funding and convening community-based music organizations.
As part of this transition, Save The Music has launched a $10 million endowment fund, with nearly $4 million already raised. The new endowment will ensure the cultural institution’s sustainability and long-term support for music education, empowering future generations of students with access to the transformative power of making music.
While the formal partnership with Paramount is ending, the relationship will remain, as the company has pledged an initial six-figure donation to the endowment.
This milestone marks the completion of a process that began in 2019 when the organization rebranded, removing the VH1 name. This was the first step of a strategy designed to reduce reliance on a single funding source and instead embrace a more broad-based approach to financial support.
Over the past five years, Save The Music has attracted a diverse group of funders, with 95% of the organizational budget in 2024 coming from non-Paramount sources, including community-based foundations, individual donations, and contributions from the music industry.
Notable funders include major record labels, talent agencies, Live Nation, AEG Presents, and tech giants such as Amazon, TikTok, and Meta. In 2021 Save The Music also received a $2 million grant – the largest in the organization’s history – from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
Since its inception, STM has invested over $75 million in more than 2,800 school music programs. Since 2019 it has doubled the number of schools it reaches, funding more than 600 new programs in U.S. cities such as New York, Newark, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Nashville and Columbus; as well as significant regional projects in West Virginia and the Mississippi Delta.
“Going independent is a huge step forward for us – and the culmination of a five-year effort from our team, partners, and boards,” says Executive Director Henry Donahue. “In every school I visit – from the Bronx to Miami, Philadelphia to Los Angeles, Detroit to Columbus, Memphis to New Orleans – I find that the music room is a special place. The students are excited to be there, and they are creative, thoughtful, and optimistic in a way that should give us all hope for the future.”
Save The Music has also strengthened its artist partnerships, led by internal leadership and the Save The Music Advisory Board, which includes Eric Wong (President, East West Records & Head of Global A&R, Warner Recorded Music), Caroline Abs (Head of Marketing, Sony Latin-Iberia Region), Jonathan Azu (Founder & CEO, Culture Collective), and Gurj Bassi (Head of Music Marketing & Partnerships, SiriusXM), among others. Recent Artist Ambassador campaigns have been led by Ed Sheeran, Becky G, and Jelly Roll and STM has also collaborated with Breland, Brittney Spencer, Young The Giant, Tank (Tank and The Bangas), Durand Bernarr, Ed Sheeran, Lawernce (the band), Chelsea Cutler, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and Infinity Song.
STM’s widespread industry support was on display last fall at its signature Nashville event, the fifth annual Hometown to Hometown benefit. The evening raised more than $300,000 for music education programs in under-resourced public high schools and honored Maren Morris, Brittney Spencer, and Live Nation Women’s Ali Harnell as the 2024 “Champions of the Year.”
To mark this exciting new chapter, Save The Music has rallied an incredible lineup of artists for an exclusive giveaway campaign hosted on the Propeller platform. Now through the end of February, fans can bid on over a dozen unique auction prizes from talents like Sabrina Carpenter, The War And Treaty, Denzel Curry, GHOST, Common x Pete Rock, Patti LaBelle, Blake Shelton, and more! Proceeds from the auction will directly support the creation of new music programs across the country as Save The Music proudly steps into its new era as an independent organization. Check out the auction here.
In 2025, Save The Music plans to further grow the scope of its K-12 music education grants to meet demand from students and educators for investment in hip hop and Latin music programs. STM’s J Dilla Music Tech Grant, which launched in 2018 in partnership with Pharrell’s agency I AM OTHER, Pay Jay Productions, Inc., and the Estate of James DeWitt Yancey is now live in over 100 schools nationwide. The grant supports high school programs focused on electronic music production, appealing to students interested in cutting-edge music technology.
Additionally, building on the success of their mariachi programs, STM will expand their middle school grants to include more Latin music genres, adding more percussion and other instruments for students and teachers exploring the culturally rich world of Latin music..
The success of the J Dilla Music Tech Grants and the expansion of the Latin music program exemplify STM’s commitment to empowering students nationwide through music programs that reflect the needs of their partner communities.
Save The Music Foundation is a 501(c)(3) music education nonprofit that helps students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music. For more than 25 years, Save The Music (STM) has addressed systemic inequities in music education by investing in culturally rich communities across the U.S. Since its inception, STM has garnered a four-star/99 out of 100 Charity Navigator rating, and has donated more than $75M worth of instruments and technology to more than 2,800 schools, impacting the lives of millions of students. The organization is further committed to driving innovation by offering K-12 programming, with Music Technology and Career Pathways as a new focus.
