Cedar Grove Non-Profit Receives Grant

The NAMM Foundation recently announced that Little Kids Rock was one of 35 recipients nationwide of the organization’s 2011-2012 grants program.

The NAMM Foundation allocated $600,000 in funding to support innovative community-based music learning programs that allow more people the opportunity to experience the proven benefits of active music making.

Little Kids Rock is a national nonprofit working to restore and revitalize music education programs in underfunded public schools. It is the only school-based pop and rock instrumental program in the U.S. and one of the leading providers of teacher trainings and free musical instruments in the country. Little Kids Rock utilizes an innovative music education curriculum that focuses on teaching kids to improvise and compose original music.

The new grants, while only a small portion of NAMM's overall annual multimillion-dollar-reinvestment into the music products industry, help worthy organizations operate programs designed to increase interest and participation in making music among seniors, college students and school-aged children. Since 1994, the NAMM Foundation has supported worthy music-making programs and has since then allocated more than $13.2 million to ensure their continuity.

“We are so grateful and thrilled to be the recipient of the NAMM Foundation grant. It will go a long way in helping Little Kids Rock continue to transform children’s lives by teaching them to play the music they enjoy,” said David Wish, founder and executive director of Little Kids Rock. “Providing a creative outlet for kids does more than just teach them music, it helps them build confidence, self-esteem and work ethic – all critical to success in school and beyond.”

For more information about the NAMM Foundation's grants and scholarships, please e-mail grants@namm.org.