Do you have a used musical instrument you wish to donate to a child in need?
The Spirit of Harmony Foundation would be happy to help you find a good home for your donated instrument(s). We do not keep an inventory of instruments, but we work closely with our partners and our national network to help match needs with resources to find a program in your area that will accept your donation.
Please send us an email with the following information:
- What you want to donate (if you are donating a piano or full-sized keyboard, please click here for additional information.)
- Where are you located?
- Details about the instrument(s) and several photos (approximate age, manufacturer/model). Please clearly indicate whether the instrument is in workable, functional condition or whether it needs extensive repairs.
- Is this donation time-sensitive?
- Does the recipient need to pick up this donation, or will it be delivered? (This is especially important for large instruments such as harps, amplifiers, drum sets, or pianos/organs). If the recipient needs to pick up the instrument, then are there stairs or narrow hallways that will make the move more difficult?
If you donate a used instrument to a local organization in the SPIRIT of the Spirit of Harmony, please let us know what you donated, who you donated it to, and send along some photos!
A Note About Instrument Cleaning:
The NFHS, NAfME and the NAMM Foundation recommend the following Guidelines for handling musical instruments for the health and well-being of student musicians. These guidelines are designed for use by anyone collecting or handling instruments that have been donated. Music educators and educators may use these guidelines when teaching students and parents how to clean instruments. Please click here.
Bequests of Musical Instruments:
Many of our Spirit of Harmony supporters are musicians, and an increasing number of our supporters are contacting the Spirit of Harmony to assist them in making plans for the disposition of their cherished instruments upon their death. In most cases, this will require specific instructions in your will or estate plans. Please note the ideas and considerations that follow:
The Spirit of Harmony encourages supporters to develop relationships to support music programs in their own community, and will work with a donor to identify programs or organizations in their area that would be interested in making such long-term arrangements to accept a donation of instruments/gear.
The first step is for the donor to create an inventory of the specific instruments and/or gear, clearly describing the item(s), and potentially adding a residuary clause for unmentioned items. Having these wishes clearly documented in an estate plan can help avoid confusion and disputes among heirs, ensuring the instruments/gear will be distributed as intended. It is important to include a monetary amount in these plans as well, to cover the costs of insured transportation for the instruments/gear to their intended destination, as well as refurbishing and repairs that will be needed before the instruments are distributed to children.
It is recommended that the donor consider offering an upfront donation of some instruments/gear to be made as soon as possible. This will enable the Spirit of Harmony to identify a worthy recipient program or organization in the donor’s community, and make the introduction that can result in that organization ultimately being named as a beneficiary in the donor’s will or trust for the remaining items. To make an upfront donation of some instruments/gear, please see the list of required information above.