Creating Sustainable Mechanisms for the Distribution of Music by Emerging Musicians

Sustainability is important to philanthropic organizations that seek to fund solutions to social problems; it is also necessary to the non-profit organizations whose activities are reliant on such funding. From 2006 to 2009, the New York State Music Fund (NYSMF) disbursed $35 million to over 400 nonprofit organizations that provided music programs within New York State. The money had come from investigations by the New York State Attorney General into the commercial music industry's illegal practices of limiting airplay access. Once the money was disbursed, the Fund was disbanded and most projects discontinued, and in this way, the majority of NYSMF's effect was temporary. However, four organizations found ways to sustain new initiatives beyond the funding period.