an experiment

This is sort of an experiment that I'm trying, and I'd love input/suggestions from anyone along the way to help me improve the idea. I'll be posting here to keep track of what I learn, and hopefully other musicians/artists/non-profit orgs can use some of these ideas for their own fund raising.

creative during covid

When we started the lockdown, I knew I'd have to find a way to occupy myself with something creative, so I started working on new music.

I also thought that this would be a great time to collaborate with other musicians, especially folks who I didn't already know. So each tune will have a different guest vocalist (sometimes more than one). This has had the bonus effect of providing me with something to always look forward to during lockdown...getting the tracks back from the vocalists is always incredibly exciting, and often forces me to make changes in the music that I hadn't considered before I got the vocal tracks back.

At the same time, this couldn't be a vanity project. I've had an idea in my head for 18 months about using music/collaborations/media to help fundraise and the idea keeps morphing. Right before the lockdown I thought I had a great new path, but covid had other ideas. So this is the new path, but I'm stoked about it.

new models in fundraising

Every penny that is generated from this project will go towards Bay Area Music Project. They've done an incredible job of quickly adapting their on site music education program to an online, distance learning program. But with the state budget cuts looming and families getting hit hard financially, BAMP is gonna need help to keep going.

Selling downloads isn't a super profitable business model, so that's where the experiment is centered. Using new tools available for non-profit fundraisers on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Spotify can we find new ways to raise money? I have some ideas that I want to try, and I'm happy to hear your suggestions. After this initial experiment (releasing 5 singles, over the course of 6 months or so), I plan to share what I've learned so that it might help other musicians and non-profit orgs.