By Jim Welte, Mill Valley Chamber
Since its inception in 2022, the foundation of the Mill Valley Music Festival has been about a few critical elements:
Raising the profile of our wondrous community in the eyes of the broader Bay Area.
Providing a platform for our local businesses and non-profits that spans before, during and long after MVMF via our MVMF Perks program.
To continue to celebrate the depth and breadth of live music in the 94941.
And, of course, to give back to some local nonprofits that serves as part of the lifeblood of our community.
In 2024, we’re supporting an amazing trio of non-profit organizations that serve in vital capacities – two that support the learning and development of our students via Kiddo!, the organization largely responsible for funding art, music, dance, drama and poetry programs for the Mill Valley School District. Kiddo!, the Mill Valley Schools Community Foundation, is a non-profit 501(c3) organization made up of parents, teachers, businesses, and active members of the community who, since 1982, have raised tens of millions of dollars to supplement our limited school budgets. We fund vital programs and teachers’ salaries at our five elementary schools and middle school – including art, music, drama, poetry, dance, and teacher grants.”
We’re also supporting the Tam High Foundation, which has served as an inimitable backbone for high school programs across the board. “The Tam High Foundation is a parent-led independent 501(c)3 fundraising organization that supports programs benefiting all students at Tam High. It also fundraises for the Conservatory Theatre Ensemble (CTE,) Patrons of the Arts at Tam High (PATH,) and Tam High United Music Boosters (THUMB.)
To round out our trio of beneficiaries, we’re doing everything we can to support our fields on which hundreds of kids play, and we’re shining a light on the Mill Valley Friends of Parks & Recreation, which plays a peerless role in town in financially supporting our amazing fields, including Alto, Bayfront, Bell/Ropers, Boyle Park Baseball Major & Minor, Friends Field North & South and Hauke North & South. The organization’s mission is to “facilitate, enhance and promote the activities and resources of Mill Valley’s Parks and Recreation’s longstanding vision; through initiatives, physical enhancements, education, awareness and preservation, which will positively impact the sustainability and quality of life, health and well-being of Mill Valley’s residents.”
In partnership with MVMF and the MV Chamber, Harness provides donors with easier, more engaging ways to give, our platform allows nonprofits to uncover new sources of sustainable revenue.
We’ll continue to strive for ways to use the power of this lil’ music festival to bring both sonic joy and more opportunity to our friends and neighbors.
In the meantime, donate to our three beneficiaries! – you have the opportunity to do so before, during and after the festival, and we’ll provide plenty of reminders during MVMF to incentivize you to show your love of our beneficiaries!
Questions? Give us a shout.