Touch A Knob Make A Sound Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit giving underserved students real-world music production training — professional workstations, instruments, and industry mentorship. Every dollar builds the next generation of artists.
Full annual cost to run a professional-grade music production academy — facility, staff, gear, scholarships, and operations.
| Category | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
|
Core
Facility Lease
Annual lease for the academy space — production rooms, recording booths, classroom, and common areas.
|
$100,000 |
|
Core
Staff & Instructors
Lead instructors, program director, and support staff. Industry professionals who mentor students through real-world production.
|
$100,000 |
|
Core
Equipment
Workstations, computers, instruments, studio monitors, audio interfaces, controllers, microphones, and cabling.
|
$75,000 |
|
Core
Utilities
Electricity, water, HVAC, high-speed internet, and network infrastructure to keep the studio running.
|
$15,000 |
|
Suggested
Software & Licensing
DAW licenses (Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Ableton), plugins, sample libraries, and annual software subscriptions.
|
$15,000 |
|
Suggested
Student Scholarships
Subsidized access for underserved students. The Wonder Way Scholarship underwrites tuition so financial barriers never block talent.
|
$30,000 |
|
Suggested
Marketing & Outreach
Student recruitment, community events, social media, and partnerships with schools and youth organizations.
|
$20,000 |
|
Suggested
Curriculum Development
Writing and maintaining lesson plans, course materials, digital content, and student assessments.
|
$15,000 |
|
Suggested
Insurance
General liability, equipment coverage, and workers' compensation for staff and instructors.
|
$10,000 |
|
Suggested
Administrative & Legal
Bookkeeping, 501(c)(3) compliance filings, annual audits, and accounting fees.
|
$12,000 |
Total Annual Budget |
$392,000 |
One fully funded year transforms students into working music producers with real industry skills.
Underserved youth gaining access to professional-grade music production training.
Bobby Brooks and the TAK faculty bring decades of real-world music industry knowledge to every lesson.
The Wonder Way Scholarship eliminates financial barriers — talent, not money, determines who gets a seat.
Donations fund the academy. The academy trains students. Students build careers. Careers give back.
Fund the facility, staff, and scholarships.
Students get professional music production education.
Graduates enter the music industry with real skills.
Alumni give back, mentor the next class, and expand the mission.
Every dollar you give puts a student behind a professional workstation who otherwise would never get there. That is the mission. That is Touch A Knob Make A Sound.
Touch A Knob Make A Sound Academy · 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Contact Us