Paramount Ends Funding for Save the Music, Ushering in a New Independent Era

The beloved nonprofit, known for championing music education, embarks on a new chapter with a $10 million endowment fund.

Save the Music, the nonprofit foundation that became a household name through cable television in the late 1990s and early 2000s, is stepping into a new era of independence. Paramount Global, its longtime financial backer, has announced an end to its funding, prompting the organization to establish a $10 million endowment fund to sustain its mission as a fully independent nonprofit.

This transition marks a significant shift for the foundation, which was founded in 1997 by a former VH1 executive and became synonymous with the network’s dedication to music education. Through benefit concerts like VH1 Divas Live and television campaigns featuring music legends such as Celine Dion and Mariah Carey, Save the Music captured the hearts of audiences and highlighted the importance of music programs in public schools.

A New Reality Amid Paramount’s Financial Struggles

Paramount’s decision to withdraw financial support comes during a turbulent period for the media giant. The company recently laid off 15% of its U.S. staff and took a $6 billion write-down on its cable television networks in an effort to cut $500 million in annual costs. Additionally, Paramount is currently navigating an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.

Given these financial constraints, Save the Music’s Executive Director, Harry Donahue, noted that Paramount’s decision was unsurprising. However, he acknowledged the company’s legacy of support, which includes a final six-figure donation to the foundation’s new endowment.

“Save the Music was founded nearly 30 years ago and since then, it has helped millions of students at more than 2,800 schools excel both academically and creatively through the enriching power of music,” a Paramount spokesperson said. “We’re honored to have been a part of this critical mission from the beginning, and we’re excited to see Save the Music continue to thrive in this next chapter.”

Embracing a Sustainable Future

The shift towards financial independence has been in motion since 2019, when the organization formally removed VH1 from its name and diversified its funding sources. Today, 95% of its budget is supported by corporate donations from companies like Amazon, TikTok, and Meta, as well as contributions from major record labels and philanthropists such as MacKenzie Scott, who donated $2 million. To date, nearly $4 million of its $10 million endowment has been secured.

Donahue emphasized that the foundation’s approach to funding and promoting music education has evolved. Under Paramount’s umbrella, Save the Music leveraged the widespread popularity of VH1, famously creating the VH1 Divas Live concert series as a fundraising vehicle. The organization also conducted high-profile instrument donation events featuring celebrity appearances, designed to create dramatic “Oprah-style” moments for television.

“We would travel around the country with artists and celebrities dropping off instruments at schools, and they would have, like what I would call the ‘classic Oprah moment,’ where you have a school assembly and there’s a star there,” Donahue explained. “They pull a big sheet off a big pile of instruments on the stage and everybody goes crazy. We really don’t do that anymore.”

A Community-Centric Approach

Today, Save the Music is shifting its focus away from made-for-TV spectacle and toward deeper, more sustainable community investment. Rather than relying on single donations of instruments, the foundation now partners with schools—many of which have been affected by budget cuts to arts and music programs—to create long-term investment plans that ensure ongoing music education.

Despite this change, high-profile musicians will still play a role in the organization’s outreach. In recent years, artists such as Ed Sheeran and Charlie Puth have served as artist ambassadors, visiting schools and reinforcing the foundation’s commitment to music education.

“The objective and the mission have always been the same,” Donahue affirmed. “We believe every student and every school should have access to music as part of their education. The way we achieve that goal is now very, very different.”

As Save the Music embraces its newfound independence, the foundation remains dedicated to ensuring that future generations of students continue to experience the transformative power of music—one school at a time.