At SignatureFD, we are committed to helping our clients discover and pursue their Net Worthwhile™. As part of that commitment, we partner with clients and their families to explore ways to align their values and passions with their unique resources to connect and give back to the causes they care about. Since joining the Firm in 2019, our Director of Giving, Elizabeth Burdette, has worked with dozens of clients to create their own personalized Generosity Blueprints and create meaningful impact in their communities. One client has engaged in an especially inspiring journey of generosity.
As part of their work to create a plan for her generosity, our client identified music education as one of her passions. However, she did not know how to identify grant-making opportunities from her existing donor-advised fund to support this cause. Through their work together in creating her Generosity Blueprint, Elizabeth introduced our client to the nonprofit Save the Music, whose mission is to help students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music. Over time the client established a relationship with Save the Music and learned about an opportunity to fund a J Dilla Music Technology Grant at Millbrook High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. This revolutionary program brings integrated 21st century technology and techniques to high schools nationwide and teaches students the fundamentals of electronic music creation, recording, and production. Our client was especially thrilled to make a gift for this specific grant as it reflected her college-age son’s experience in teaching himself music production in high school. She was delighted to provide those opportunities to students who may not otherwise have access.
In November of 2022, Elizabeth and our client had the chance to travel with Save the Music team members to Raleigh and visit the Millbrook High School music production class in person to see first-hand what our client’s generosity had made possible. The students spoke from the heart about how transformative the program had been, changing their entire perspective on music and their career potential. They were immensely proud to showcase their skills and creativity. The visit was a reminder of the true power of generosity, as our client’s gift has the potential to change the trajectory of students’ lives. Her experience of giving to Save the Music has inspired her to support a second J Dilla Grant this year in Memphis.
