Beyond the Brownstone: How Your Support Fuels Bloomingdale’s Mission

By Noelle Barbera, Director of Marketing and Development, Bloomingdale School of Music

Next week, Bloomingdale will launch its annual appeal, “Beyond the Brownstone.” In anticipation of this campaign, I wanted to share some thoughts about what it means to be a non-profit organization and what purpose the annual appeal actually serves.

What Does It Mean to Be a Non-Profit?

Unlike for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations exist to serve a mission rather than generate profit. At Bloomingdale, our mission is clear: to make high-quality music education accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background, or ability to pay.

When you walk through the doors of our historic brownstone on West 108th Street, you’ll find a thriving community where over 700 students learn each week — from toddlers exploring rhythm for the first time to adults returning to the piano after decades away. Beyond the building, our programs reach schools, senior centers, and community partners across New York City, as well as a global audience online.

As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, Bloomingdale reinvests every bit of revenue — from tuition, donations, and grants — into teaching, scholarships, financial aid, community outreach, and much more.

What Is an Annual Appeal — and Why Does It Matter?

Each year, Bloomingdale launches an annual appeal, a fundraising campaign that invites friends, families, alumni, and supporters to invest directly in our mission.

An annual appeal isn’t about building something new or funding a one-time project. It’s about sustaining what matters most — keeping lessons affordable, providing scholarships, and ensuring our programs continue to reach every corner of our community. 

Tuition alone doesn’t cover the true cost of running a school that puts access first — things like our Free Faculty Concert Series, School and Community Partnerships, and Financial Aid and Scholarships, depend on the generosity of our community.

Think of the annual appeal as the heartbeat of a non-profit organization: steady, reliable, and vital for daily life.

Introducing …

This year’s appeal celebrates how Bloomingdale’s mission comes to life every day, not only on 108th Street, but in classrooms and spaces Beyond the Brownstone, where students, faculty, and alumni create vibrant hubs of learning and connection. 

• Beyond School Partnerships: Collaborations with schools like P.S. 75 Emily Dickinson School, Family Life Academy Charter School, and Morningside Montessori School bring vocal music, group violin instruction, and early childhood education directly to students, expanding access to hundreds of young learners annually.
• Beyond Older Adult Programming: Partnerships with organizations like Morningside Retirement and Health Services engage seniors through music appreciation and percussion classes, creating opportunities for lifelong learning and meaningful social connections.
• Beyond Community Events: Free concerts, family workshops, and neighborhood performances bring the unifying power of music into our Upper West Side community, as well as uptown to Harlem and Hamilton Heights, fostering connection and celebration among neighbors and families.
• Beyond Bloomingdale Online – A global reach through the world wide web offers those far and near the opportunity to study, appreciate and enjoy Bloomingdale classes, concerts, and festivals from the comfort of their own home or wherever they’re connected. 
• Beyond Bloomingdale Alumni – Our scholarship and financial aid program has a broad reach over time as our alumni bring the influence of their time at Bloomingdale beyond their experience here. Many go on to study and teach music, and carry forward the mission of providing access to music education for all! 

Through these efforts, Bloomingdale fulfills its mission of creating equal access to high-quality music education and fostering a vibrant, connected community where the transformative power of music touches lives at every stage. 

Contributions to Beyond the Brownstone will sustain and strengthen the important work we’re doing to connect people through and with the power of music right where they are.

Why Your Gift Matters

Arts organizations across the city and nation are suffering a downturn in support from government entities and foundations. At this time we turn to individual donors and our extended community to bridge the gap and make a real difference.

Every gift, no matter the size, plays a part in shaping Bloomingdale’s future. It helps us keep music education affordable, inclusive, and inspiring. As a non-profit, we depend on this annual moment of generosity to keep our mission strong. 

Join Us Beyond the Brownstone

The appeal launches Monday, November 3. Be among the first to stand for the arts and music education! 

Make your gift at www.bsmny.org/beyondthebrownstone