FAQ

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation provides grants of new musical instruments to public elementary and middle schools that do not currently have an instrumental music program in place. We work systemically with school districts to guarantee that every child within a district has access to instrumental music education. Through this partnership, VH1 Save The Music Foundation will provide a grant of instruments to each school that agrees to hire a certified music teacher and provide instrumental music classes as a part of the school day. We reserve the right to remove instruments from a school if any of these commitments are breached.

A school must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for a grant:

1. The school is a traditional public elementary or middle school.
2. The school does not currently have an instrumental music program and will add an instrumental
   program to the regular school curriculum, offering no less than weekly, in-school instrumental music classes for all interested students. (General music and recorder can and should be currently available at the school)
3. The school will provide for at least one certified, instrumental music teacher’s salary within its budget for a new program, based on the receipt of instruments from VH1 Save The Music Foundation.
4. The school has adequate, secure storage space for instruments and equipment.
5. The school will complete annual progress reports requested by the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and will allow representatives from The Foundation to visit annually.
6. The school will accept full responsibility for the normal maintenance of the donated instruments, with the exception of that which is covered through manufacturer warranties. This includes providing the necessary supplies for the instruments to function. (For more information on the supplies needed please see http://www.vh1.com/partners/save_the_music/downloads/PrincipalsGuide.pdf)

A school can choose a package of band or string instruments, a keyboard lab, a guitar lab, or a mariachi program. The instruments provided in each grant package are specifically for schools starting a beginning music program.

If you believe your school meets all grant requirements listed above, please contact us at vh1stm@vh1staff.com with all principal information, the address and telephone number of the school, along with the name and telephone number for the arts coordinator in your district. Please put in the subject line “Interested in a VH1 STM grant”. The application process for all grants for the 2009-2010 school year opens March 1, 2009 and closes June 1, 2009. The application is accessible only after an initial consultation with the VH1 Save The Music staff. For more information, please visit process page.

The Foundation does not provide monetary grants to any organization. VH1 Save The Music Foundation only provides grants of musical instruments to restore instrumental music programs that do not currently exist in public elementary and middle schools. We recommend reaching out to other local arts organizations for instrument scholarships and donations. For more information, please visit Advocacy Toolkit page.

Currently, VH1 Save The Music does not have the resources to organize volunteers in individual communities. Advocacy is best done at a local level and your assistance is paramount to the success of this cause. The Foundation strongly encourages you to become an advocate for quality music programs within your community. Please visit Advocacy Toolkit page, for more information on how you can contribute.

VH1 Save The Music Foundation no longer accepts donated instruments as we have found it more cost effective and more beneficial for students to purchase new instruments for schools. If you would like to reach out to a grant recipient school in your area to donate your instrument, please email us at vh1stm@vh1staff.com or contact your local music retailer, as they are often closely connected to many public schools and will know if a school is in need.

In addition, The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation currently accepts donations of used instruments. You can learn more on their website http://www.mhopus.org

We work in public school districts that currently have schools without instrumental music programs in place and where we are able to secure a top-down commitment from the school board and superintendent to a full restoration of instrumental music in a district. Our goal is to ensure that every child has access to the benefits of music education. Once we are working in a district, we work closely with school boards, superintendents, and arts administrators to carefully select the order in which school programs are restored. For more information please see read how we work.

There is a wide body of research that highlights the benefits of music instruction. A searchable database of short and long term research studies is available at www.supportmusic.com. Make sure to also check out our Guide to Building Your Instrumental Music Program for direct research quotes and statistics.

• Call your child’s school to find out more about their music program
• Speak with your child’s teachers, and express to them your support of the learning opportunities provided by music education
• Form a group of concerned parents and attend local school board meetings
• Encourage community arts groups to form partnerships with local schools
• Keep music alive! Listen at home with your children and share each other’s tastes, so that an appreciation of many styles can be fostered

For more ideas please visit Advocacy Toolkit

Whether you are looking to host a fundraising event or sponsor a VH1 Save The Music hosted event or create a partnership to benefit the Foundation, VH1 Save The Music offers exclusive opportunities to showcase your brand. Click here to learn more.

To propose a project for Foundation involvement, or if you have any questions or need additional information contact Jennifer Dunn, Director of Corporate Sponsorship & Special Events, at 212-654-7602 or jennifer.dunn@vh1savethemusic.com.

Please note, press releases, website mention of, or any other materials utilizing the VH1 Save The Music Foundation's name and/or logo must be approved by the Foundation prior to inclusion in any materials and release to the public.

To find out if your company is already registered to match your donation to the Foundation or to register the Foundation as an approved charity with your organization, please contact your Human Resources department or Ariel Usatin, Development Manager at the VH1 Save The Music Foundation (212)-654-6220 or send an email to ariel.usatin@vh1savethemusic.com.

By making a legacy gift to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, you will be giving the gift of music and investing in the next generation of innovators and great leaders. For more information, please contact Jessica Ecker, Director of Development at 212-654-7503 or send an email to Jessica.Ecker@vh1savethemusic.com.