Music Matters Fund Inc
Santa Barbara, CA · EIN 85-1467296. Reported 237 grants totalling $3,637,511 to 200 recipients across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Music Matters Fund Inc did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $9,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $20,000; the smallest was $250 and the largest $50,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Leaf Bar | New Orleans, LA | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Black Cat Hospitality Group LLC | San Francisco, CA | $63,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Caffe Lena Inc | Saratoga Springs, NY | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Parlor Room | Northampton, MA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Jazz Gallery | New York, NY | $59,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Songbyrd Music House | Washington, DC | $55,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Issue Project Room | Brooklyn, NY | $54,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Roots Music Project Foundation | Boulder, CO | $51,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Bogey Depot Inc | New York, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Casbah Inc | San Diego, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Chocolate Church Arts Center | Bath, ME | $50,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Hideout | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ivy Room | Albany, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lost Church | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Royal Room | Seattle, WA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Subterranean | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sunset Tavern | Seattle, WA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tatu LLC | New York, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Drkmttr Collective LLC | Goodlettsville, TN | $48,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mint | Los Angeles, CA | $45,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Fremont Abbey Arts Center | Seattle, WA | $44,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Grand Vision Foundation | San Pedro, CA | $43,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Cactus Club | Milwaukee, WI | $42,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| La Pena Cultural Center | Berkeley, CA | $41,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| One Longfellow Square Inc | Portland, ME | $41,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ashkenaz Music and Dance Co | Berkeley, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bars We Like Inc | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Blue Jay Listening Room | Jacksonville Beach, FL | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Bronx Music Heritage Center | Bronx, NY | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Fso LLC | West Brattleboro, VT | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Raven and the Bow LLC | Albany, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sosa and Zuco LLC | Brooklyn, NY | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Straitjacket LLC | Phoenix, AZ | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| 47 Palmer Inc | Cambridge, MA | $39,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jazz St Louis | St Louis, MO | $38,866 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| 118 North | Wayne, PA | $38,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Motr Pub | Cincinnati, OH | $38,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Big Soda LLC | San Diego, CA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Chris's Jazz Cafe | Philadelphia, PA | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| D Squared Productions Inc | Bend, OR | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Rag Inc | Providence, RI | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Hotel Cafe | Los Angeles, CA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Bossa Bistro | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Devil's Backbone Tavern | Fischer, TX | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Harmony Hospitality LLC | Arlington Heights, IL | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jalopy Theatre | Brooklyn, NY | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ks Klub LLC | Cleveland Heights, OH | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Musonics LLC | Madison, WI | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Muse Performance Space | Lafayette, CO | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Wslr Inc | Sarasota, FL | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Zenbarn | Waterbury Center, VT | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kuumbwa Jazz | Santa Cruz, CA | $29,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| 58 Group Inc | Cleveland, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Barboza | Seattle, WA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Boggy Depot Inc | New York, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bowery Electric | New York, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dazzlejazz Inc | Denver, CO | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jammin Java | Reston, VA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Space | Evanston, IL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dazzle Denver | Denver, CO | $22,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Acorn Center for Performing Arts | Three Oaks, MI | $22,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cafe Nine | New Haven, CT | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Elastic Arts Foundation | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Flint Local 432 | Flint, MI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hi-Dive | Denver, CO | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge | Berea, KY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Rosa's Lounge | Chicago, IL | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Club Cafe | Pittsburgh, PA | $17,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cole's Bar | Chicago, IL | $17,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Levon Helm Studios Inc | Woodstock, NY | $17,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Seven Steps Up Live Music & Events | Spring Lake, MI | $17,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hungry Brain Inc | Chicago, IL | $17,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| 20 Front Street Concepts LLC | Lake Orion, MI | $16,750 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Spot on Kirk | Roanoke, VA | $15,300 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| El Rio Your Drive | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Godfrey Daniels Inc | Bethlehem, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Jilly's Music Room | Akron, OH | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mcgonigel's Mucky Duck | Houston, TX | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mercury Lounge | Tulsa, OK | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pb Jake LLC | Columbus, OH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Word Barn | Exeter, NH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mr Tipples Recording Studio | San Francisco, CA | $14,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The 5 Spot | Nashville, TN | $13,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Bay Area Jazz & Arts Inc | Oakland, CA | $13,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club | Denver, CO | $13,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Flat Iron | Greensboro, NC | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Floyd Country Store LLC | Floyd, VA | $12,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Bop Stop | Cleveland, OH | $11,600 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| 3420 Blues Club Inc | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Club Passim | Cambridge, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dance Elixir | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Groundworks Tucson | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Holland Project | Reno, NV | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hoosier Dome | Indianapolis, IN | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Jazz Showcase | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jonathan's Restaurant | Ogunquit, ME | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kennett Flash | Kennett Square, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Milk Truck Productions LLC | Lawrence, KS | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe | Galveston, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Piradical Productions | Indianapolis, IN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Real Art Tacoma | Tacoma, WA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Rosax Corporation | New Orleans, LA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| St Claude LLC | New Orleans, LA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Xbk LLC | Des Moines, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Xray Arcade LLC | Cudahy, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Snug Harbor LLC | Charlotte, NC | $9,600 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ojai Arts Exchange | Ojai, CA | $9,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Outerborougharts LLC | Queens, NY | $9,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cactus Patch LLC | Milwaukee, WI | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| East Room LLC | Nashville, TN | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Eddie Owen Presents | Duluth, GA | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Garden Concerts LLC | Falmouth, ME | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Make Shift | Bellingham, WA | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Nobodysbaby LLC | San Francisco, CA | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Rhizomedc Inc | Washington, DC | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sivan Design LLC | New York, NY | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Space | Portland, ME | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Focal Point Corp | St Louis, MO | $8,545 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Alexander Hernandez Dba Alex's Bar | Long Beach, CA | $8,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Asociacion Acirc Corp | San Juan, PR | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bright and Lyon LLC | Exeter, NH | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Casbah Rock Inc | San Diego, CA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Conor Byrne Cooperative | Seattle, WA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Golden Dagger | Chicago, IL | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Foundry Lakewood LLC | Fairview Park, OH | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Waterside LLC | San Francisco, CA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Egremont Village Inn LLC | South Egremont, MA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bona Fide Productions LLC | Columbus, OH | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ewrb LLC | Cleveland, OH | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Falcon Music & Art Productions | Marlboro, NY | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hideout Inn Inc | Chicago, IL | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lager House LLC | Detroit, MI | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Li Rumba Cafe | Columbus, OH | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Living Traditions Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Penultima Inc | Seattle, WA | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ramble on Productions LLC | Columbus, OH | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Thelostchurchorg Inc | San Francisco, CA | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| 7DRUM Lessons LLC | Washington, DC | $6,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Churchill Baker LLC | Baker City, OR | $6,100 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Beat Kitchen on Belmont LLC | Chicago, IL | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fox Valley Music Foundation | Aurora, IL | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hanover Street Studios LLC | Portland, ME | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Jason Tors | Littleton, NH | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Next Stage Arts Project Inc | Putney, VT | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ssp Holdings LLC | Brooklyn, NY | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Parlor Room Collective | Northampton, MA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Viaduct | Tacoma, WA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Screwdriver Bar LLC | Seattle, WA | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Abilene Dry Goods Inc | Rochester, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Art Boutiki Entertainment LLC | San Jose, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Audioleaf Schubas Operating | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society in | El Granada, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Beat Kitchen Inc | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Black Circle Brewing Co LLC | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Blackstone River Theatre | Cumberland, RI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Blanchardboys LLC | Portland, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Brixton Corporation | Fort Wayne, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cafe Coda | Madison, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cafe Colonial LLC | Sacramento, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cave Collective Foundation | Rapid City, SD | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cindelphia Entertainment LLC | Philadelphia, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ddd Enterprises | Clarksdale, MS | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Earlville Opera House Inc | Earlville, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Egremont Barn | South Egremont, MA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Falcon Music & Arts Productions | Marlboro, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Footlight | Ridgewood, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Fox Dream Presents Inc | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Friends and Lovers Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Jazz Kitchen Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kilby Court | Salt Lake City, UT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Myrna Loy | Helena, MT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Nash | Phoenix, AZ | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| New Deal Cafe | Greenbelt, MD | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Old Songs Inc | Voorheesville, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Pal Promotions LLC | Portland, OR | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pausa Art House LLC | Buffalo, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Perfect Note | Bessemer, AL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Poppers Locarno LLC | Ridgewood, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Radio Bean Inc | Burlington, VT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Radio Radio Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Robin Theatre | Lansing, MI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Safety Harbor Art and Music Center | Safety Harbor, FL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Saint | Hopewell, NJ | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sanctuary | Hamtramck, MI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Saxon Pub | Austin, TX | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Shakedown LLC | Bellingham, WA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Shapeshifter Lab | Brooklyn, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Spillway Bridge LLC | Marion, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| St Babs Foundation | Cape May, NJ | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Stone Church | Brattleboro, VT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Thee Parkside | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tk Productions and Events LLC | Bessemer, AL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Trinosophes LLC | Detroit, MI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Trunk Space | Phoenix, AZ | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Upper Jay Art Center | Upper Jay, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wally's Cafe | Boston, MA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jamey's House of Music | Lansdowne, PA | $4,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Championship Music LLC | Santa Cruz, CA | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Opolis Productions LLC | Norman, OK | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Soho Restaurant & Club | Santa Barbara, CA | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
33 of 200 (16%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 10%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 53 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 70 | $1,095,600 | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 48 | $731,500 | $5,000 |
| 2023 | 60 | $797,000 | $8,000 |
| 2024 | 59 | $1,013,411 | $10,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
18% of its giving went to organizations in California. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $9,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in California.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Music Matters Fund Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 2549 Sycamore Canyon Road, Santa Barbara, CA, 93108. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 85-1467296 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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