Music Man Foundation awards $5.8 million to arts and music nonprofits

The Music Man Foundation announced more than $5.8 million in grants to 20 organizations using music and the arts to strengthen communities. The funding launch also marks the start of a nationwide 75th-anniversary celebration for Meredith Willson’s holiday song “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas.”

Why it matters: - The grants push more money toward music, arts, and arts-health groups that say their work improves community resilience, public access, and well-being. - The announcement also ties new funding to a major anniversary campaign, which could help amplify attention for arts philanthropy and Meredith Willson’s legacy. - The Music Man Foundation has now awarded more than $32 million to 90 organizations over the last decade.

What happened: - The Music Man Foundation announced more than $5.8 million in grants to 20 organizations on Nov. 5, 2026. - The grants support nonprofits using music and the arts to build stronger, healthier and more resilient communities. - The announcement kicks off a nationwide celebration of the 75th anniversary of Meredith Willson’s “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas.” - Events and activities tied to the song are planned across the country in November and December.

The details: - Eight Southern California nonprofits received Meredith Willson Awards through $1.85 million in two-year operating grants. - Recipients include Arts for Healing and Justice Network, Choral Arts Initiative, Education Through Music-Los Angeles, Heart of Los Angeles, LA Phil, Riverside Arts Academy, Tonality and White Hall Arts Academy. - The operating grants are meant to support organizations building new operating systems that embed music into everyday life. - About $1.7 million went to advocacy groups and initiatives focused on increasing public funding for the arts and promoting policies that support the arts. - Advocacy recipients include Americans for the Arts, Arts Education Partnership, CA for the Arts, Chorus America, Creative West, Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture’s Arts Ed Collective, Music for All, and OPERA America & League of American Orchestras. - The Foundation awarded $2.34 million to arts-and-health organizations and initiatives. - Arts & Health recipients include Johns Hopkins University for the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative, the Berklee Music and Health Institute at Berklee College of Music for the Sound Health Alliance, Jameel Arts & Health Lab at NYU Steinhardt for UNGA Healing Arts Week, and Center for Independent Documentary for the MUSIC & PAIN documentary. - The Foundation said the arts-and-health grants support a growing field of professionals working at the intersection of arts and health. - The Foundation also said applications will soon open for 2027 Strengthening the Sector grants and National Meredith Willson Awards, which will provide up to $3.5 million in new funding to nonprofits. - The Foundation directed people to sign up for its newsletter or visit the Foundation’s website for more information. - The anniversary campaign for “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas” has a dedicated site at ItsBeginningtoLookLikeChristmas.com and uses the hashtag #ItsBeginning75.

Between the lines: - The grant mix shows the Foundation backing three lanes at once: direct nonprofit operations, arts policy advocacy and arts-health research and convening. - The anniversary rollout gives the Foundation a public-facing hook that can broaden awareness beyond the grantmaking itself. - The Southern California focus for operating grants suggests a continued emphasis on Willson-linked community investment in the region.

What's next: - The Foundation said more information on 2027 grant applications will be available soon. - Holiday-season events tied to the song are expected to continue through November and December. - The nationwide anniversary campaign will continue throughout the 2026 holiday season.