Music Will
Music Will
EIN: 94-3396568
as of September 2023
as of September 18, 2023
Mission
Music Will transforms lives by transforming music education. Founded in 2002, Music Will is an established music education nonprofit that has reached more than a million kids and teachers in over 5,000 schools across the country.
Ruling year
2002
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Janice Polizzotto
Chief Visionary Officer
Mr. Dave Wish
Main address
P.O. Box 43369
Montclair, NJ 07043 USA
Formerly known as
Little Kids Rock Foundation
EIN
94-3396568
Arts education
Music
Performing arts education
Youth organizing
Population served
Children and youth
Ethnic and racial groups
Economically disadvantaged people
NTEE code
Arts Education/Schools (A25)
Music (A68)
Youth Development Programs (O50)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reports Download other documentsWhat we aim to solve
Kids who learn to make music do better in school—and life. So why do schools still teach music-making only to a select group of kids, using hidebound methods and a repertoire their great-grandparents would recognize? Why don’t they see themselves and their culture reflected in their music programs? The revolutionary Music Will approach revolves around music that kids know and love, and it uses the tools that motivate them, from instruments to voice to computer. It’s creative, inclusive, and relevant to kids’ lives. And like popular music, it moves at the speed of culture and technology. Through professional training, tools and resources—and groundbreaking programs like modern band—Music Will helps teachers draw the music out, rather than drum it in.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Modern Band Programs
Music Will launched the modern band movement, which has become widely embraced and has drawn millions of kids to music-making. Our approach lets kids learn the music they love on instruments they want to play (including voice and digital tools). It’s a fun and collaborative approach that’s for all students. We offer method books, classroom tools, videos, and other assets that easily integrate into existing music education programs.
Where we work
Awards
Draper Richards Kaplan Fellowship 2005
Draper Richard Kaplan Foundation
Goldhirsh Social Entrepreneur Award 2007
Goldhirsh Foundation
Social Entrepreneur Award 2009
The Kenneth A. Picerne Foundation
ASHOKA Fellowship 2011
ASHOKA
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of participants engaged in programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Modern Band Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of students served nationwide (i.e. participating in a Modern Band program at their school) as reported by teachers teaching Modern Band
Number of products distributed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Modern Band Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of Modern Band instruments (i.e. guitars, keyboards, bass guitars, drums, etc) distributed nationwide for use in classrooms
Number of teachers trained
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Modern Band Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of teachers teaching Modern Band in classrooms across the country (i.e. current number of classrooms offering Modern Band programs coast to coast)
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Music Will, a nonprofit organization founded in 2002, is leading the charge to bring the inherent benefits of music-making to all students—regardless of background, family income, or grade-level.
We believe every kid is a music-maker, and that music education is a right, not a privilege. By removing traditional barriers, we bring access to music-making to schools and students that may not have it, thereby democratizing music education. We aim to expand music education access to every student in the U.S.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
To support our ambitious goals, we launched the modern band movement in public schools and colleges and universities, transforming the way students and music teachers are being taught. Our play-first philosophy invites students to begin making music without having to first master scales or traditional music notation, and our student-driven approach fosters collaboration and brings the joy of experimentation.
As a result, teachers report greatly enhanced participation in music programs, far beyond the
20% or so that traditional programs attract. Our teachers also report improved outcomes not just in music but in students’ total academic performance.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Music Will is distinct as a systems-change organization because we leverage existing infrastructure while building new capacity in ways that enhance and expand the current system. No other service provider combines teacher training, instruments, curriculum, and community and offers them as a direct investment in a school or school district. As a result, our approach is implemented by full-time district employees, offered during the academic day or as a sustained after-school program, and is made available at no fee to the students, teachers, or schools.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since 2002, Music Will’s program impact has grown exponentially having reached more than 1,200,000 total students, trained more than 5,000 teachers, and distributed more than 95,000 instruments to classrooms across the country.
It took us 20 years to reach our first million students. By building systems to sustain our exponential growth pattern with students and teachers, we believe that we can reach our next million students in half that time. To do this we will:
- Provide ongoing professional education for public school teachers through live and remote classes, online resources, and an annual summit.
- Work with colleges and universities to incorporate our approach into music-ed curriculums.
- Work to engage more teachers of color and diverse backgrounds, who are traditionally underrepresented in music education.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
13.04
Months of cash in 2022 info
10.1
Fringe rate in 2022 info
17%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Music Will
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
This snapshot of Music Will’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | -$133,539 | $1,243,765 | $769,327 | $1,377,422 | $1,005,595 |
| As % of expenses | -2.0% | 20.5% | 8.6% | 26.7% | 17.2% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$133,539 | $1,243,765 | $769,327 | $1,377,422 | $1,005,595 |
| As % of expenses | -2.0% | 20.5% | 8.6% | 26.7% | 17.2% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $7,748,909 | $6,045,947 | $8,042,046 | $6,635,771 | $6,118,295 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 0.0% | -22.0% | 33.0% | -17.5% | -7.8% |
| Program services revenue | 0.0% | 5.3% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 8.7% | 9.5% |
| All other grants and contributions | 99.5% | 94.6% | 95.8% | 89.8% | 89.4% |
| Other revenue | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $6,617,567 | $6,071,863 | $8,922,528 | $5,164,106 | $5,831,694 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 0.0% | -8.2% | 46.9% | -42.1% | 12.9% |
| Personnel | 52.0% | 58.4% | 40.1% | 62.4% | 56.9% |
| Professional fees | 4.6% | 1.2% | 1.8% | 3.5% | 5.6% |
| Occupancy | 4.2% | 3.2% | 2.2% | 1.1% | 0.2% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 39.2% | 37.2% | 55.9% | 33.0% | 37.3% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $6,617,567 | $6,071,863 | $8,922,528 | $5,164,106 | $5,831,694 |
| One month of savings | $551,464 | $505,989 | $743,544 | $430,342 | $485,975 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $579,707 | $579,707 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $7,169,031 | $6,577,852 | $9,666,072 | $6,174,155 | $6,897,376 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 2.1 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 10.1 | 10.1 |
| Months of cash and investments | 2.1 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 10.1 | 10.1 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 8.8 | 9.9 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $1,138,360 | $2,288,982 | $3,414,600 | $4,367,240 | $4,927,596 |
| Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Receivables | $4,451,490 | $2,951,077 | $1,653,818 | $1,865,336 | $1,268,763 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $31,147 | $31,147 | $31,147 | $0 | $0 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 10.4% | 6.7% | 20.1% | 11.7% | 5.8% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $393,695 | $1,637,460 | $2,406,787 | $3,784,209 | $4,789,804 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $4,905,646 | $3,635,965 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $4,905,646 | $3,635,965 | $1,986,156 | $2,080,399 | $1,368,530 |
| Total net assets | $5,299,341 | $5,273,425 | $4,392,943 | $5,864,608 | $6,158,334 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Ms. Janice Polizzotto
Janice Polizzotto joined Music Will in 2017 and brings more than 25 years of experience working in both the private and public sectors with an emphasis on social impact, nonprofit management, fundraising, event planning, and strategic partnerships.
As Interim Chief Executive Officer of Music Will, Janice is managing the organization’s operations by delegating and directing goals and objectives, supporting revenue generation to achieve financial sustainability, managing organizational structure and strategy and communicating with the board. She’s also forging new relationships with major donors and partners and stewarding educational leaders to support the organization’s continued growth and expansion.
Janice’s years of experience in start-up ventures, corporate philanthropy, fundraising, strategic partnerships and stewardship will serve to further the impact and mission of Music Will.
Chief Visionary Officer
Dave Wish
Dave Wish has distinguished himself as a dynamic and visionary educational leader. In 2005, Dave was awarded a fellowship by the Draper Richards Foundation to support his work as a social entrepreneur. Before founding Music Will in 1996, he spent ten years as an elementary school teacher, serving his peers as a master teacher, clinician, and trainer. He has also worked as a Spanish bilingual teacher, a school music teacher, and a professional musician. Dave has used his hands-on experience as an educator to develop the innovative methodology that enables Music Will programs to transform music education in public schools. Dave is a credentialed teacher in the state of California and holds B.A. in Sociology and History from Brandeis University.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Music Will
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Music Will
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
Music Will
Board of directorsas of 08/11/2023
Board of directors data
Mr. Jay Vyas
Vyas Capital Management, Co-founder
Term: 2023 - 2025
Jay Vyas
Vyas Capital Management
Cheryl Zimlich
Bohemian Foundation
Bob Flaum
PwC (Retired)
Farid Naib
Professional Trading Solutions
Nicole Crystal
The Memory Vault
Chris Donohoe
Independant Singer/Songwriter
Craig Kallman
Atlantic Records
Doug Camplejohn
Salesforce
Greg Hall
U.S. Global Wealth Management
Joi Brown
ICM Partners
Jose Vergara
Miramonte Elementary (LAUSD)
Joseph Laska
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Jules Follett
Entertainment Photographer
Ken Umezaki
Digital Daruma
Priscilla Shawn Rahn
Public School Master Teacher, Colorado
Stefani Scamardo
Hard Head Management & Evil Teen Records
Ann Canela
Niagara Bottling
J. Michael Fernandez
Quant 6
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/20/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Contractors
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