Jimmy Buffett launched the Singing for Change Foundation in 1995 by donating $1 from every concert ticket he sold. The dollars collected have been invested in communities across the country, through grants to grassroots organizations tackling social and environmental problems at their source. Singing for Change has invested more than $15 million in grants to over 700 nonprofits.

When Jimmy and the Coral Reefers played, every town along the tour seemed a little brighter, a little warmer, and a lot more fun for those few hours during the show.  Steel drum music and palm trees (albeit plastic palms), songs about love and loss and rum, sand and seas and breeze – these are the things that the band and its head troubadour brought to our local concert stages.  Thanks to the fans who came out to sing along, Singing for Change captured some of that magic.  Singing for Change makes sure that folks who need the magic most are not forgotten.

Singing for Change prefers to fly under the radar of conventional foundations, buzzing the rooftops of the cities and towns on Jimmy’s concert tour, and making lots of stops along the way.  From this vantage point, SFC can discern and support little-known but visionary nonprofit organizations doing some of the country’s most innovative work.  Our foundation’s small size enables flexibility and agility in the grant making process, a dynamic often missing in large, multi-layered philanthropic entities.

Funds from Singing for Change are put to work every day in America’s most traveled cities, suburbs, and towns.  After the grass skirts and shark fins have been stowed for another year, the tangible benefits of a grant from Singing for Change remain.  Along rivers and highways, in clinics and meeting halls, on playgrounds, and in parking lots, funds from SFC are improving our collective quality of life and most importantly giving people a chance to make a difference.

Our goal is to empower people and communities experiencing poverty to achieve self-sufficiency.  We believe that supporting non-profit organizations that provide the tools, training, and assistance to those in need is essential. We invest in organizations dedicated to working with children, families, people experiencing homelessness or life after incarceration. Many of our grantees work to rebuild communities after natural disasters, some offer literacy services and job training. Others provide access to living wage jobs and affordable housing, and offer mentorship and academic assistance to at-risk youth.

Singing for Change is more than just a source of cash grants.  We offer technical assistance, startup consulting, resource-sharing, and networking opportunities with fellow thought leaders.

We’re so grateful for your help fulfilling Jimmy’s vision for Singing for Change:  he wanted to give back and express his gratitude to the loyal fans who supported his amazing career for more than 50 years. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and Jimmy’s illness, our sole revenue source (ticket sales) came to a halt. Although we’re a lean team, our transition to an era without Jimmy has been challenging. But, with the support of Jimmy Buffett fans everywhere, we are making tremendous new progress, including the upcoming launch of the “Calypso Poet Society,” a membership program for individuals and institutions that want to support Jimmy’s legacy of giving.

Recent progress also includes a proposed Margaritaville specialty license plate, on which the Florida Legislature is voting this session.  Revenue from the Margaritaville tag will be donated to Singing for Change, specifically to benefit organizations in Florida rebuilding communities after disasters.  So, thank you in advance for ordering your Margaritaville license plate, and thank you for continuing to support Jimmy’s long legacy of giving back. Let’s keep the party going!

For More Info on Singing for Change, please visit singingforchange.org

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Judith Ranger Smith

Judith launched Singing for Change with singer/songwriter/author/environmentalist Jimmy Buffett in July 1995. She co-wrote our mission statement, established goals, created giving guidelines and formed grant-making procedure. Judith continues to work honing SFC’s goals to match our changing world, as well as simplifying the grant process for our applicants, and providing technical and organizational support for grantees.She spends her free time volunteering nationally and locally in a variety of capacities.

Latest posts by Judith Ranger Smith (see all)

• Singing for Change: Let’s Keep the Party Going - September 2, 2024