Music for All
Annual Fund Q&A

What is an "Annual Fund”?

An Annual Fund is the basic fundraising program for many nonprofit organizations. The Annual Fund is the organization’s sustained effort to secure yearly charitable donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other sources. The Annual Fund directly supports the organization’s programming, administrative, and operational costs.

Why does Music for All need an Annual Fund?

Music for All is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and, like most nonprofits, we must rely on contributions to support our programs and advocacy efforts, a number of which are non-fee-based. Donors provide the extra support needed to deliver quality programming to our participants, so we do not have to pass the burden of increased costs onto students, parents, and schools.

What does the Annual Fund pay for?

The Annual Fund pays for Music for All’s programs, services, and support not covered by event and admission fees – commonly called our "general operating” needs. This includes staff costs, event costs, and expenses for programs that have highly-reduced or no fees. Beyond covering our general operating costs, however, the Annual Fund is used to reach thousands more each year who don't traditionally have access to such outstanding educational experiences.

Why didn’t MFA build an Annual Fund years ago?

Despite the fact that Bands of America secured nonprofit status in 1985, the organization did not have a fully functional fundraising department until after the merger with Music for All in 2006. Since the merger, we have been quietly building our base of supporters; but programming costs continue to rise. We simply cannot pass along this burden to our students, parents, and directors. Therefore, the need for increased donations through an Annual Fund is necessary for us to sustain our current programs and to extend access to more students, teachers, and enthusiasts.

Didn’t the Alumni Campaign fix MFA’s financial problems?

The 2008 Alumni Campaign was certainly successful in that it met the goal of sustaining MFA during a time of great financial need. The Campaign did not, however, provide long-term fiscal security through an established pattern of annual giving. One of the most important and practical ways to ensure that MFA will never again find itself in a similar financial crisis is to build on the spirit of giving that our donors displayed during the Alumni Campaign. Steady annual giving from MFA’s friends will help us stabilize and grow in the coming years.

I pay for my kids to participate and / or I pay for event tickets; isn’t this enough?

The short answer is: "Yes, it is enough.” We sincerely understand and appreciate how much our educators, parents, and students sacrifice to be a part of Music for All’s programs and we are grateful for these tireless commitments of time, energy, and financial support. In turn, we strive to keep participant fees and ticket prices as low as possible. Unfortunately, the intersect between "cost” and "fee” doesn’t always balance out, and we cannot further subsidize our programs without contributions from donors. So we are asking our biggest fans who have witnessed or experienced firsthand the positively life-changing impact of Music for All’s programs—people just like you—to continue and/or increase their support through charitable donations. We appreciate all that you do.

How much of the operating budget does the Annual Fund cover each year?

For the 2009 fiscal year, contributions and grants made up 14.3% of Music for All’s total revenue. The long-term goal is to gradually increase the role that donations play in our budget so we can decrease our reliance on programming revenues. Unfortunately, fiscal year 2010 saw a decrease in Annual Fund giving, covering only 6.5% of our budget. We must return to the level of contributions and grants we saw in FY 2009 and continue to work to broaden our base of generous annual supporters in our 2011 fiscal year and beyond.

How do I learn more?

To learn more about our positively life-changing experiences, be sure to read the 2009 fiscal year Annual Report, Impact. Look for the FY 2010 Annual Report this fall. You can also explore the rest of the 35th Anniversary Campaign site.  Also, feel free to email the Music for All Development Department with questions and comments at development@musicforall.org or click here to make your Annual Fund gift today.