WorldBeat Sponsors & Supporters

Dr. Hollands Opus

The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (MHOF) was inspired by the acclaimed motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus, the story of the profound effect a dedicated music teacher had on generations of students. The film's composer, Michael Kamen, founded MHOF in 1996 as his commitment to the future of music education.

MHOF donates instruments to music programs where students have access to a music curriculum but lack the resources and support base to adequately keep up with equipment loss due to attrition, depreciation and wear over time. An infusion of instruments and repairs enables more students to participate and experience a quality music education. It is vital that efforts are made to give youngsters every tool available within the small window of time when they can make the most of their education, and experience the benefits inherent in studying and playing music.

MHOF's goal is to help children achieve their greatest potential and to close the gap that exists in underserved communities. MHOF believes that in giving students the opportunities and benefits derived from playing and learning music, their lives are enriched in myriad ways. MHOF is confident that music programs receiving our help can offer their students and teachers a quality learning experience they may not have otherwise.

California Arts Council

The California Arts Council, a state agency, has the mission to advance California through the arts and creativity with an emphasis on children and artistically underserved communities.

The agency encourages widespread public participation in the arts; helps build strong arts organizations at the local level; assists with the professional development of arts leaders; promotes awareness of the value of the arts; and directly support arts program for children and communities.

The 11-member Council and professional staff have expertise in the arts, creative industries, education, community development, state and local government, and the nonprofit and for-profit sectors.  The arts spark the engine of Creative California, and our goal is to ensure that they are available for every Californian.

San Diego Foundation for Change

Since 1983 progressive San Diegans have been helping local leaders and activists launch grassroots groups that are part of larger movements giving shape to a more just and humane world – the movements for human rights, for economic justice and for environmental sustainability.

The Foundation for Change supports emerging leaders and organizations working for progressive social change in the San Diego/Tijuana region.

We are a member fund of the Funding Exchange, a network of publicly supported, regionally-based community foundations committed to “Change, not Charity”. We envision a “bi-national garden” of grassroots groups working for social, economic and environmental justice. We are growing grassroots movements on both sides of the border.

Thursday Club

The Thursday Club Foundation was created in 2004 to carry out the charitable activities that are connected with The Thursday Club.

The Thursday Club of San Diego was founded in 1921. The purpose of the organization is for engaging in charitable, social and benevolent endeavors and through fundraising activities, donations and bequests to accumulate a fund for the relief of the distressed. The Thursday Club also promotes social interaction among its members. The Thursday Club Foundation was created in an effort to separate the charitable activities of The Thursday Club of San Diego from its social welfare endeavors.

San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture

The individual artists, and arts and cultural organizations in San Diego reflect the excitement found in our city. They provide our communities with an extraordinary variety of options. Through the local stages, galleries, festivals and community meeting spaces, they bring the arts and culture to everyone in San Diego.

The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture provides a foundation for the integration of this creative energy. We work to insure the stability, success and continued growth of our artistic and cultural providers. The Commission also serves as a partner and catalyst for artistic innovation within our communities.

Mission Statement: The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture vitalizes the City by supporting the region's cultural assets, integrating arts and culture into community life and showcasing San Diego as an international tourist destination.

Community Block Development Program

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD. The CDBG program provides annual grants on a formula basis to 1180 general units of local government and States.

Alliance for California Traditional Arts

The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) works to “ensure that California’s future holds California’s past” by providing programs and services to support the state’s diverse living cultural heritage. ACTA cultivates the growth of traditional arts and culture through Stewardship in tending and nurturing California’s unique cultural landscape; Services to Artists; and Connecting people, resources and information.

Las Patronas

Las Patronas is an all-volunteer philanthropic organization with a long history of giving. Since its inception in 1946, Las Patronas has donated more than $12 million to over a thousand charitable institutions in San Diego. Las Patronas is committed to providing financial assistance to non-profit organizations in San Diego County that provide valuable community services in the areas of health, education, social services, and cultural arts, and to continuing our tradition of service to enhance the quality of life in our community. The funds distributed to these organizations are generated through year-long fundraising efforts and the annual presentation of the Jewell Ball one of San Diego's most enduring social, cultural, and philanthropic traditions. Beyond the glamour of the Jewel Ball, Las Patronas is highly respected for its conscientious grants process, which includes on-site visits to each organization that applies for funding. Grant requests are reviewed by the entire membership in order to prioritize funding for critically needed capital items that help non-profit organizations achieve their missions throughout San Diego County. All funds raised by Las Patronas stay in San Diego County. We assist many grass-roots non-profit groups as well as larger, more visible organizations. By giving to Las Patronas, a company or individual diversifies its philanthropic giving, reaching seniors, youth, the military, the homeless, and the disabled, as well as supporting medical, environmental, research, and cultural organizations in a broad geographical range within San Diego County.With our philanthropic partners, both the sponsors and the non-profit organizations, Las Patronas creates meaningful connections that make San Diego a better place to live for everyone.

Real Networks Foundation

Since its inception in 2000, the RealNetworks Foundation has made charitable contributions to a wide range of philanthropic programs and initiatives.

In addition to its competitive grant making, the Foundation matches donations made by RealNetworks employees (up to $10,000 per employee, per year.) The Foundation also makes honorary grants to nonprofits in recognition of employees who have worked for the Company for five years.

Port of San Diego

The Port of San Diego was created by the state Legislature in 1962 to manage San Diego Bay and surrounding waterfront land. With more than 600 employees and 2007 revenues of $133.7 million, the agency oversees the protection and development of the Bay. The Port is made up of Imperial Beach, National City, Chula Vista, San Diego and Coronado waterfront properties.

The Port is governed by a seven-member Board of Port Commissioners; one commissioner each is appointed by the city councils of Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach and National City, and three commissioners are appointed by the San Diego City Council.

Mission Statement: While protecting the Tidelands Trust resources, the Port will balance economic benefits, community services, environmental stewardship, and public safety on behalf of the citizens of California.

Alliance Healthcare

The mission of the Alliance Healthcare Foundation is to promote health and wellness in the San Diego region, with special emphasis on the medically underserved. We accomplish this through collaborative grantmaking, advocacy and education.

AHF defines healthy individuals and communities not only by the absence of disease, but also by their overall well-being. For this reason, we support programs dealing with the prevention and reduction of substance abuse and violence, as well as programs that prevent and control communicable diseases and provide greater access to healthcare.

We accomplish our mission by making grants to local health and social service organizations, and by leveraging our funding partnerships to support policy development and public education related to critical health issues. Priority is given to programs and financing strategies that are likely to produce a discernable effect on the health problems of underserved populations.

Target Corporation

From the beginning, Target Corporation has given 5% of pretax profits to good causes; it's a tradition started by own founder George D. Dayton and carried out ever since, inspiring other companies to become more active in supporting their communities. Thousands of team members donate and volunteer generously and our guests support our community initiatives with every purchase.
Target supports your local community. We offer supports for in the following areas: arts, early childhood, family violence prevention.

Resist

RESIST is a progressive foundation that supports grassroots organizing for peace, economic, social and environmental justice, and provides political education for social change activism. For 40 years, RESIST has funded groups that challenge reactionary government policies, corporate arrogance, and right-wing fanaticism through organizing, education and action.

As a non-profit organization itself, RESIST relies on contributors with a strong commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and a firm belief in the need to build grassroots movements and capacity.

The National Cristina Foundation