10 Music Education Organizations Making A Major Difference

These 10 music organizations are changing lives by making music education more accessible and inclusive. See how they’re helping communities thrive, one note at a time…

10 Music Education Organizations Making A Major Difference

by Randi Zimmerman via Symphonic Blog

Music can truly change lives, and these organizations are dedicated to helping make that happen. 🔊 💕 Each one is working to bring music education to more people and support communities through creative programs and resources. If you’re looking to support, participate, or just share some great organizations with your community, here are 10 of our favorites we think everyone should know about…

[ALSO READ: How Trump is reshaping Music Education]

The Fender Play Foundation

The Fender Play Foundation is all about getting instruments into the hands of young people who need them the most. Through partnerships with schools and community organizations, they provide free gear, curriculum, and lessons to students in underfunded music programs. The goal is to make music education more accessible and inclusive, especially for those just starting out. By removing financial and systemic barriers, they’re helping kids build confidence and creativity through music.

Save The Music Foundation

Save The Music Foundation has been restoring and revitalizing music programs in public schools across the U.S. since 1997. They provide grants for instruments, equipment, and teacher development to help build sustainable music education programs from the ground up. Their work focuses on equity, making sure every student, regardless of zip code, has access to the benefits of music education. With support in thousands of schools nationwide, they’ve helped spark a lifelong love of music in countless young artists.

Girls Rock Camp Alliance

Girls Rock Camp Alliance is a global network of programs that use music as a tool for radical self-expression, empowerment, and community building. They support camps and organizations that create safe, inclusive spaces for girls, trans, and gender non-conforming youth to learn instruments, form bands, and build confidence. It’s about more than just playing music; it’s about amplifying voices and fostering leadership through creativity. The alliance also offers resources, training, and solidarity for member camps around the world.

MusiCares

MusiCares provides a safety net for music professionals in times of need, offering support for everything from mental health and addiction recovery to financial emergencies and healthcare costs. Founded by the Recording Academy, it’s become one of the most trusted resources in the industry for artists, crew members, and behind-the-scenes workers alike. Their programs help sustain the people who make music possible, especially during moments of crisis or instability. It’s all about care, compassion, and community built specifically for the music world.

Music Will

Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock) is the largest nonprofit music program in U.S. public schools. They partner with teachers to bring modern, culturally relevant music education, like rock, hip-hop, Latin, and pop, into classrooms that often lack access to the arts. Through free instruments, curriculum, and training, they’ve helped over 1.2 million students unlock their creativity. Their whole mission is to make music education inclusive, inspiring, and reflective of the communities they serve.

Roots of Music

Roots of Music is a New Orleans-based Music Education nonprofit that empowers youth through music education, academic support, and mentorship. They provide free instruments, after-school music training, and even transportation for students aged 9–14 across the city. Focused on preserving the rich musical culture of New Orleans, the program gives kids a safe, structured, and creative environment to grow. It’s part music school, part second home, and it’s changing lives one marching band at a time. (Marching band kids, unite!)

Education Through Music 

Education Through Music partners with under-resourced schools to integrate music into the core curriculum, not just as an add-on. Their approach uses music as a catalyst to improve academic achievement, motivation, and self-confidence in students who need it most. They work directly with educators to build sustainable music programs and provide ongoing training and support. By embedding music into everyday learning, they’re helping schools unlock student potential both in and out of the classroom.

Women’s Audio Mission

Women’s Audio Mission is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women and gender-diverse individuals in music production and the recording arts. They run the only professional recording studios in the world built and run entirely by women and gender-expansive staff. Through hands-on training, workshops, and youth programs, they’ve reached over 22,000 people and helped reshape an industry where representation is still lacking. Their work opens doors, builds careers, and challenges the status quo in audio.

Tampa Bay Music Foundation for Kids

Tampa Bay Music Foundation for Kids empowers children and families in the Tampa Bay area by removing financial barriers to music education. They provide instruments, lessons, and sheet music to youth who might not have access otherwise, making learning music affordable and achievable. Built on the belief that music boosts communication, creativity, academic performance, and self-confidence, the foundation offers these experiences with dignity and inclusivity. Every donation helps young people in Tampa discover their voice through music.

Hungry for Music

Hungry for Music collects and distributes musical instruments to kids who can’t afford them, reaching young people in need across all 50 states and over 30 countries. Since 1994, they’ve placed more than 20,000 instruments into the hands of aspiring musicians, many of whom had no other access to music programs. Their work supports schools, after-school programs, and individual families, helping to remove financial barriers to creativity. At its core, it’s a simple mission… that every child deserves the chance to make music.

[ALSO READ: How Trump is reshaping Music Education]