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Gibson Gives Foundation Dba Gibson Gives at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Private foundation

Gibson Gives Foundation Dba Gibson Gives

The gibson gives | gibson foundation is a 501(c)(3) committed to introduce, inspire, and amplify the power of music through guitars across all generations, genres, and genders.

$2.5M
Granted FY2025still arriving
316
Grants FY2025still arriving
39
States reached
$214k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0194% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$3.8MHealth$1.1MYouth Development$497kPublic Benefit$333kEducation$314kHuman Services$245kInternational$162kPublic Safety & Disaster$120kOther$0
02FY2025 · 316 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k270 grants · $1.2M
  • $10k–50k42 grants · $842k
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $467k
$4,496
Median grant
39
States reached
$626k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
GUITAR CENTER MUSIC FOUNDATION$214,115
MUSICARES$143,068
FREE GUITARS 4 KIDS$59,606
SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION$50,142
WILLIAMSON COUNTY BOARD OF$49,410
SONGBIRDS FOUNDATION$42,250
ACM LIFTING LIVES$40,241
Individual grant recipient$40,000
SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION$40,000
LAUNCH PAD FOUNDATION$35,686
LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION$33,000
FRIENDS OF AMERICAN SONG ARCHIVES$31,766
TRANSYLVANIAN SYMPHONY FOUNDATION$30,243
MUSICARES FOUNDATION$27,149
THE MIDNIGHT MISSION$25,852
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY21–25, $332k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 88% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%THE PATSY REEVE FOUNDATION: $2k → 11%YWCA-TRI COUNTY AREA: $2k → 7%FOUNTAIN BLUES FOUNDATION: $3k → 8%NAMM FOUNDATION: $20k → 11%FORT BEND COUNTY WOMEN'S CENTER: $3k → 8%THE CENTER OF ANNA MARIA ISLAND INC: $5k → 10%THE ROADIE CLINIC INC: $9k → 15%CAN'D AID: $9k → 12%ACT NOW FOUNDATION: $3k → 14%COWBOYS AGAINST CANCER: $3k → 12%DIAKONIA INC: $5k → 8%THE NEW LIFE CENTER: $5k → 11%PROJECT HOPE FOUNDATION: $2k → 10%SECOND CHANCE GLOBAL: $6k → 12%MID-SOUTH GENESIS COMMUNITY: $4k → 17%LOS CABOS CHILDREN FOUNDATION: $3k → 6%THE LOFT THE LESBIAN AND GAY COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER INC: $6k → 9%NORTHWEST FLORIDA GUARDIAN AD LITEM: $2k → 16%YOUTH VILLAGES: $3k → 17%MUSIC THERAPY OF THE ROCKIES: $3k → 12%SURVIVINGBREASTCANCERORG: $3k → 16%THE AMERICAN RED CROSS: $4k → 14%A BRIDGE FOR KIDS: $3k → 11%LOVING LOIC FOUNDATION: $3k → 10%NIGHT STALKER FOUNDATION: $41k → 14%FAMILY PROMISE OF LOS ANGELES: $3k → 14%NIGHT STALKER FOUNDATION: $1k → 14%HOPE THE MISSION: $8k → 14%CHARLES CARLINI PRESENTS: $7k → 17%HOPE THE MISSION: $3k → 14%THE MIDNIGHT MISSION: $13k → 14%PORTER'S CALL: $8k → 4%PORTER'S CALL: $7k → 4%CROSSROADS CAMPUS: $25k → 14%FAMILY PROMISE OF THE SOUTH BAY: $2k → 14%THE MIDNIGHT MISSION: $26k → 14%PATH - PEOPLE ASSISTING THE HOMELESS: $3k → 14%CROSSROADS CAMPUS: $6k → 14%THE STORE: $8k → 14%MUSIC FOR SENIORS: $16k → 14%MUSIC FOR SENIORS: $13k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE INC: $4k → 14%MAKE-A-WISH MIDDLE TENNESSEE: $17k → 14%MAKE A WISH MIDDLE TENNESSEE: $9k → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
VT
NH
WA
MT
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
NV
WY
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
UT
CO
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DC
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
TX
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

53%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.9M · 112 repeat orgs$3.4M to everyone else

112 repeat relationships: 101 still active in FY2025, 11 since wound down; 199 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

112
230

Total granted

$3.9M
$2.1M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

0%
0%

Still filing today

76%
52%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 48% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $1.3M went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureHealthHuman ServicesPhilanthropyEducationYouth DevelopmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • MF
    MUSICARES FOUNDATION INC
    8× · 2017–2025 · $505k · revenue +152%
  • ST
    SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION
    8× · 2017–2025 · $402k · revenue +94%
  • GF
    Guitars For Vets Inc
    5× · 2021–2025 · $262k · revenue +17% · 26% of their budget

Funded once

  • GG
    GIBSON GIVES - PLAY IT FORWARD PROGRAM
    one grant, 2024 · $343k
  • PF
    PLAYING FOR CHANGE FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $100k · revenue +142%
  • JL
    JOHN LENNON EDUCATIONAL TOUR BUS
    one grant, 2024 · $91k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Artists and Musicians in Recovery
Education
2
Fender Play Foundation
Arts & Culture
3
The Sergio Franchi Music Foundation
Arts & Culture
4
Music Doing Good Inc
—
5
Burnett Music Foundation
—
6
Girls Write Nashville

Girls write nashville empowers expression through songwriting, production, mentorship and creative community for teen artists. we are an artist and educator-led 501(c)(3) creative youth development program in nashville, tn allied with…

Arts & Culture
7
Bridges Through Music
Education
8
We Are All Music Foundation Inc

To strengthen and save lives through music.

Arts & Culture
9
The Consortium Mmt

To develop a viable music industry in memphis for the future by providing a structured learning environment to enrich and equip our talents with proven tools to build the next generation of successful music professionals. the consortium…

Arts & Culture
10
Music to the Ears Foundation

We use music education as a tool to help students discover their capacity for creativity, technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

Arts & Culture
11
Musics Promise Inc

Music's promises is a music industry's social responsibility program, addressing important social issues in the u.s. and around the world. they provide the infrastructure for artists and music companies to support causes that are important…

Arts & Culture
12
Lyrica Baroque

The mission of lyrica baroque is to support a diverse community of students, teachers, artists, institutions and audiences of all ages through education, collaboration and performance. lyrica baroque seeks to promote the extraordinary…

Arts & Culture
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Make-a-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee; the most unlike its peers is Breg Foundation Bozeman Duckie Race. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

373 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 373 of the 544 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

7
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
70
Early backer (in before they grew)
371/373
Grantees still filing
164/373
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MUSICARES FOUNDATION INC: $505,034 · Arts & CultureMUSICARES FOUNDATION INCTHE GUITAR CENTER MUSIC FOUNDATION: $214,115 · Arts & CultureTHE GUITAR CENTER MUSIC FOUNDATIONFree Guitars 4 Kids: $132,032 · Arts & CultureFree Guitars 4 KidsNashville Symphony Association: $105,123 · Arts & CultureLATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION: $83,477 · Arts & CultureCOUNTRY MUSIC FOUNDATION INC: $80,000 · Arts & CultureNapa Valley Youth Symphony: $79,125 · Arts & Culture+47 more: $1,097,652 · Arts & Culture+47 moreSAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION: $402,082 · OtherSAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATIONGIBSON GIVES - PLAY IT FORWARD PROGRAM: $343,057 · OtherGIBSON GIVES - PLAY IT FORWARD PROGRAMWILLIAMSON COUNTY SCHOOLS: $96,125 · OtherJOHN LENNON EDUCATIONAL TOUR BUS: $90,927 · Other+95 more: $1,598,357 · Other+95 moreMAGEE-WOMENS RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND FOUNDATION: $162,598 · HealthTHE MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH: $41,298 · HealthWEST VIRGINIA DRUG INTERVENTION INSTITUTE INC: $34,772 · HealthMUSIC HEALTH ALLIANCE INC: $32,665 · HealthSWEET RELIEF MUSICIANS FUND: $19,993 · HealthMUSICIANS FOR OVERDOSE PREVENTION INC: $19,800 · HealthAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC: $17,295 · HealthIN CONCERT FOR CANCER: $16,794 · Health+6 more: $51,882 · HealthACM LIFTING LIVES: $65,744 · PhilanthropyGIVE A NOTE FOUNDATION INC: $61,275 · PhilanthropyARMENIA FUND INC: $27,000 · PhilanthropyTHE GIVING BACK FUND: $25,000 · PhilanthropyTHE CROSSROADS AT ANTIGUA FOUNDATION: $25,000 · PhilanthropyUNICEF USA Impact Fund for Children Inc: $25,000 · PhilanthropyRYAN SEACREST FOUNDATION INC: $15,319 · PhilanthropyVETSAID INC: $13,392 · PhilanthropySTAND UP TO CANCER: $13,021 · PhilanthropyGeorge Lopez Foundation: $11,501 · PhilanthropyThe Laufey Foundation Inc: $11,299 · Philanthropy+4 more: $36,233 · PhilanthropyGuitars For Vets Inc: $261,584 · Public Benefit+1 more: $7,097 · Public BenefitThe Night Stalker Foundation Inc: $42,365 · Human ServicesTHE MIDNIGHT MISSION: $39,249 · Human ServicesTHE CROSSROADS CAMPUS: $30,699 · Human ServicesMUSIC FOR SENIORS: $28,791 · Human ServicesMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE: $26,243 · Human ServicesPORTERS CALL: $20,709 · Human ServicesNAMM Foundation A Not-For-Profit Corporation: $20,000 · Human ServicesHOPE THE MISSION: $10,299 · Human ServicesCan'd Aid: $9,397 · Human ServicesTHE ROADIE CLINIC INC: $8,800 · Human Services+2 more: $15,868 · Human ServicesPLAYING FOR CHANGE FOUNDATION: $100,000 · InternationalLEAVING A POSITIVE LEGACY INC: $22,190 · InternationalWATERAID AMERICA INC: $15,000 · InternationalPROJECT R12: $7,197 · International
Arts & Culture$2,296,558Other$2,530,548Health$397,097Philanthropy$329,784Public Benefit$268,681Human Services$252,420International$144,387

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetMUSICARES FOUNDATION INC: $505,034 over 8y, 1.0% of budgetSAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION: $402,082 over 8y, 1.5% of budgetGuitars For Vets Inc: $261,584 over 5y, 26% of budgetTHE GUITAR CENTER MUSIC FOUNDATION: $214,115 over 2y, 11% of budgetMAGEE-WOMENS RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND FOUNDATION: $162,598 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetFree Guitars 4 Kids: $132,032 over 3y, 13% of budgetNashville Symphony Association: $105,123 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetPLAYING FOR CHANGE FOUNDATION: $100,000 over 1y, 7.9% of budgetLATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION: $83,477 over 3y, 1.2% of budgetCOUNTRY MUSIC FOUNDATION INC: $80,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetNapa Valley Youth Symphony: $79,125 over 1y, 18% of budgetGOLDTOP FOUNDATION: $75,069 over 3y, 39% of budgetACM LIFTING LIVES: $65,744 over 4y, 1.4% of budgetGRAMMY MUSEUM FOUNDATION INC: $64,900 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetLIVENATIONORG FOUNDATION: $61,999 over 1y, 3.0% of budgetGIVE A NOTE FOUNDATION INC: $61,275 over 4y, 8.5% of budgetSecond Line Arts Collective: $60,419 over 2y, 20% of budgetWE ARE FAMILY FOUNDATION: $60,000 over 1y, 4.3% of budgetTHE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE: $50,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetNVAK INC: $45,000 over 2y, 16% of budgetKEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE FOUNDATION: $45,000 over 4y, 7.7% of budgetLAUNCH PAD FOUNDATION: $44,186 over 2y, 1.0% of budgetFARM AID INC: $42,633 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetThe Night Stalker Foundation Inc: $42,365 over 2y, 3.3% of budgetTHE MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH: $41,298 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSpirit of Atlanta Inc: $39,396 over 3y, 1.3% of budgetTHE MIDNIGHT MISSION: $39,249 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetOZ ARTS INC: $35,998 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetNEWPORT FESTIVALS FOUNDATION INC: $35,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetWEST VIRGINIA DRUG INTERVENTION INSTITUTE INC: $34,772 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC: $32,999 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetMUSIC HEALTH ALLIANCE INC: $32,665 over 3y, 1.5% of budgetTHE CROSSROADS CAMPUS: $30,699 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetKURT VONNEGUT MEMORIAL LIBRARY INC: $30,000 over 1y, 4.1% of budgetNotes For Notes Inc: $29,833 over 4y, 0.8% of budgetMUSIC HEALS INTERNATIONAL: $29,388 over 3y, 5.7% of budgetMUSIC FOR SENIORS: $28,791 over 2y, 2.6% of budgetPOINT PARK UNIVERSITY: $28,345 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetPurdue Research Foundation: $27,198 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetARMENIA FUND INC: $27,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE: $26,243 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetMUSICIANS ON CALL INC: $26,194 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetMUSIC WILL INC: $25,490 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetASCAP FOUNDATION: $25,298 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetLATIN SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME INC: $25,000 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetTHE GIVING BACK FUND: $25,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTHE CROSSROADS AT ANTIGUA FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 1y, 4.3% of budgetSONGWRITERS' HALL OF FAME INC: $25,000 over 1y, 2.7% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Memorial Foundation I…The Frist FoundationHca Healthcare Founda…Nashville Predators F…The Community Foundat…Dettwiller FoundationThe Steven & Laurie E…The Cma FoundationPledgeling FoundationDorothy Cate and Thom…The Danner FoundationLouie M & Betty M Phi…
Memorial Foundation IncTN51.7× affinity28 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Memorial Foundation Inc · The Frist Foundation · Hca Healthcare Foundation · Nashville Predators Foundation · The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc · Dettwiller Foundation · The Steven & Laurie Eskind Family Foundation · The Cma Foundation · Pledgeling Foundation · Dorothy Cate and Thomas F Frist Foundation · The Danner Foundation · Louie M & Betty M Phillips Foundatn

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Gibson Gives Foundation Dba Gibson Gives funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Gibson Gives Foundation Dba Gibson Gives. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 150%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 2%
  • Farm Aid Inc: 100% of income from government
  • Diakonia Inc: 51% of income from government
  • The Red Sox Foundation Inc: 2% of income from government
  • Guthrie Center Corp: 1% of income from government
  • Guitars Over Guns Organization Inc: 1% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
15get no government money at all
46report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
2rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Gibson Gives Foundation Dba Gibson Gives?

Find your warmest path to Gibson Gives Foundation Dba Gibson Gives through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 544 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Gibson Gives Foundation Dba Gibson Gives’ filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home