Songs of Love Foundation
The Medicine of Music™
Songs of Love Foundation
EIN: 11-3314191
as of September 2023
as of September 18, 2023
Mission
The Songs of Love Foundation is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates free, personalized, original songs to uplift children and teens currently facing tough medical, physical or emotional challenges. Each “song of love” is professionally produced with lyrics containing the child’s name and references to all of his or her favorite activities, things, people, and pets. Songs are written and performed in any language in the musical style that the child likes best (kids, pop, R&B, rock, alternative, etc.), by many talented singer/songwriters. Each “song of love” is delivered pre-loaded on our Song Of Love USB 8GB drive. As each child is unique, so is every “song of love” composition. Since 1996 the Songs of Love Foundation has reached out to over 33,000 children worldwide.
Notes from the nonprofit
After 27 years in operation, the Songs Love Foundation Stands alone in providing an innovative form of music therapy by delivering fully produced personalized songs that reflect back to each ailing child their everlasting beauty and spirit. Over 200 active singer/songwriters have realized that they can also use their talents to help make this a better world.
Ruling year
1996
President
Mr. John Beltzer
Main address
PO Box 750809
Forest Hills, NY 11375 USA
EIN
11-3314191
Music
Patient social services
Human services
Youth services
Population served
Children and youth
People with disabilities
People with diseases and illnesses
NTEE code
Children's and Youth Services (P30)
Human Service Organizations (P20)
Music (A68)
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 reportsWhat we aim to solve
When kids are undergoing serious illness, physical or emotional challenges, they need whatever they can get for emotional support. Songs of Love provides a novel form of emotional therapy by providing personalized songs to reflect back to each patient how truly special they are as unique human beings. Songs of Love has solicited smiles when often nothing else could. While ailing children wait for their bodies to hopefully secured, Songs of Love deals with the immediacy of bringing much needed joy for the moment. Our primary mission at the Songs of Love Foundation is to bring joy, comfort, and hope to sick children and teenagers through the power of personalized songs. We believe that music has the ability to make a positive impact on the lives of those facing medical, physical, or emotional challenges. As part of our commitment to this mission, we also support the arts by giving singer/songwriters a meaningful outlet to create music for a good cause, and to make them feel validated.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Songs of Love Foundation
The Songs of Love Foundation is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates free, personalized, original songs to uplift children and teens currently facing tough medical, physical, or emotional challenges, while also fostering a supportive and empowering platform for singer/songwriters to share their unique talents and make a positive impact on the lives of others. Each “song of love” is professionally produced with lyrics containing the child’s name and references to all of his or her favorite activities, things, people, and pets. Songs are written and performed in any language in the musical style that the child likes best (kids, pop, R&B, rap, rock, alternative, etc.), by many talented singer/songwriters. Songs can be requested at songsoflove.org/request.
Download the Songs of Love App Today! Available on iOS and Android
Apple: songsoflove.org/apple
Android: songsoflove.org/android
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of children/teens who have received a "song of love"
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
The Songs of Love Foundation
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of children who have received a "song of love" for each of the listed years.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn 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?
• Strengthening existing partnerships, and creating new ones, in the children's health care community
• Building on our existing roster of singer/songwriters to deliver songs
in all genres and languages
• Generating more Songs of Love Experience team-building events
• Creating more fundraising events and concerts
• Social Media posts, Digital Song Distribution (iTunes, Spotify, etc.)
• Marketing our new Mobile App
• Brochure distribution and year-end mailings
• Increased giving from Institutional Funders (Foundations and Corporations). Current supporters include Macy's, the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation and Million Dollar Roundtable Foundation.
• Helping give singer/songwriters a meaningful outlet to use their talents to help a sick child smile.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
As we look to expand and help a growing number of children every year Songs of Love has in place and will look to add to include:
• Hospital and Songwriter Outreach: 1 Full-Time Employee
• Expanded Data Entry Staff: 2 Full-Time Employees
• Digital Song Distribution Staff: 1 Full-Time Employee
• Song Preparation Staff: 2 Full-Time Employees
• On-Site Representative at Give Kids the World, 1 Full-Time Employee
• Bookkeeper: 1 Full-Time Employee
• Additional Freelance Help: Grant Writing, Web Services,
Database Maintenance, Event Planning and Management
• Larger Office Space: 1200 to 1500 square feet
• Additional Technology: Phones, Computers, Recording Equipment, Shipping Materials, etc.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Powerful Partnerships
Songs of Love has formed a strong and growing partnership with Give Kids the World Village, an 84-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida that provides weeklong, cost-free vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Families are referred by one of over 250 wishgranting organizations or foundations.
Each year 8,000 children and their families visit Give Kids the World, which presents Songs of Love with a huge opportunity for expansion. By continuing this robust partnership, while simultaneously strengthening our existing partnerships with other health care facilities, we have a clear path to reach our 5-year-goal of providing unique "songs of love" for 7,000 children per year.
"The Songs of Love Experience™ "
Over 100,000 people at companies and in concerts venues have participated in the live recordings of "songs of love" for local sick children. With increased awareness and marketing we can build this into a major funding and outreach source for Songs of Love.
A Unique Mission that Blends Healing
and Arts to Touch HeArts
According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2017 it was estimated that 15,270 children and adolescents from birth to age 19 would be diagnosed with cancer alone. Songs of Love serves a similar demographic to the renowned Make-a-Wish Foundation, which has granted almost 450,000 wishes worldwide since 1980.
While these wishes give the children an incredible experience they will always remember, Songs of Love fills the need for ongoing emotional and therapeutic support via an everlasting "song of love." In addition, we're expanding our reach to include kids experiencing depression and other psychosocial trauma.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Before the pandemic, Songs of Love, Songs of Love was on track to help 4,000 kids in 2020. In 2022, we expect to resume our exponential growth as we look to help 4,000 children every year and more with added additional outreach efforts. We have also enlisted thousands of songwriters to create songs for the kids. Our platform gives these singer/songwriters a purpose and place to use their gifts to create songs that matter.
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 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 2021 info
23.59
Months of cash in 2021 info
34.4
Fringe rate in 2021 info
25%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Songs of Love Foundation
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
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: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of Songs of Love Foundation’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.
Created in partnership with
Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $146,980 | $202,198 | $1,025,132 | $160,341 | -$757 |
| As % of expenses | 40.6% | 36.0% | 160.6% | 26.4% | -0.1% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $145,885 | $201,103 | $1,024,435 | $160,041 | -$23,657 |
| As % of expenses | 40.2% | 35.7% | 160.3% | 26.3% | -4.1% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $509,096 | $764,556 | $1,663,345 | $767,553 | $546,584 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 55.3% | 50.2% | 117.6% | -53.9% | -28.8% |
| Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 4.2% | 2.2% |
| Government grants | 2.0% | 0.9% | 0.3% | 6.1% | 7.4% |
| All other grants and contributions | 97.8% | 98.0% | 98.5% | 89.7% | 89.9% |
| Other revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $362,116 | $562,358 | $638,213 | $607,212 | $547,341 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 23.1% | 55.3% | 13.5% | -4.9% | -9.9% |
| Personnel | 48.5% | 41.9% | 40.0% | 44.2% | 48.4% |
| Professional fees | 9.9% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 13.0% | 13.3% |
| Occupancy | 5.3% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 0.2% |
| Interest | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 36.2% | 42.8% | 45.1% | 39.6% | 38.1% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $363,211 | $563,453 | $638,910 | $607,512 | $570,241 |
| One month of savings | $30,176 | $46,863 | $53,184 | $50,601 | $45,612 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $26,097 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $393,387 | $610,316 | $692,094 | $658,113 | $641,950 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 8.4 | 9.7 | 27.1 | 31.6 | 34.4 |
| Months of cash and investments | 8.4 | 9.7 | 27.1 | 31.6 | 34.4 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 7.9 | 9.4 | 27.5 | 32.1 | 35.0 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $254,487 | $456,837 | $1,440,917 | $1,599,596 | $1,569,961 |
| Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Receivables | $5,647 | $2,518 | $4,355 | $10,116 | $5,759 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $29,066 | $29,066 | $29,066 | $29,066 | $34,293 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 91.8% | 95.6% | 98.0% | 99.0% | 89.8% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 12.8% | 5.0% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 4.0% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $239,342 | $440,445 | $1,464,880 | $1,624,921 | $1,601,264 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total net assets | $239,342 | $440,445 | $1,464,880 | $1,624,921 | $1,601,264 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
President
Mr. John Beltzer
John Beltzer- Founded Songs of Love in February of 1996. John is a singer/songwriter with numerous writing and production credits. He has been the recipient of several songwriting awards, and his songs have been featured in various ASCAP songwriting workshops. The songs that John writes touch upon most styles of music from pop, rock, soul, folk, country, and jazz. John's many contacts within the musical community have enabled him to tap into the talent pool of many gifted songwriters, singers, and instrumentalists, who are inspired and excited about the opportunity to utilize their abilities for a profoundly gratifying cause. The defining moment in John's musical career was when a 5 year old cancer patient thanked him over the phone for the song that had been written for her. After that, there was no turning back. As founder of Songs of Love, he has been featured in 60 Minutes, USA Today, The New York Times, NY1 News (New Yorker of the Week), Good Housekeeping Magazine, People Magazine, and CNN and many others
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Songs of Love Foundation
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Songs of Love Foundation
Board of directorsas of 06/21/2023
Board of directors data
John Beltzer
Songs of Love Foundation
Richard Berardi
Scott Curran
Tony Carrion
John Beltzer
Jeff Baltimore
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? Not applicable -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
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? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Not applicable -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
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:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/04/2021GuideStar 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 employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- 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 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.
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