Dear Friends,
We know that music has the power to change lives. It sparks joy, builds confidence, creates community, and amplifies voices that need to be heard. Over the past 15 years, we’ve watched thousands of young people step up to the mic, discover their talents, and dream boldly about their futures. Now we’re turning up the volume on our next moves as an organization.
This strategic plan is our roadmap for the next five years—a playlist of bold ideas and powerful
commitments that will guide us as we deepen our impact, expand access, and keep building a future where every young person has the resources and relationships to thrive. Together with our students, families, team, Board, and partners, we created this vision to ensure that Rock to the Future remains a place where joy and justice meet and where every beat makes a
difference. We’re excited to share it with you and even more excited to make it real with your partnership. Thank you for believing in our mission and for rocking out alongside us. The best is yet to come!
With gratitude and enthusiasm,
Jessica Craft, CEO
Jen Bieter, Board Chair
Created with Chaya Scott, Chief Aspiration Officer, Chaya Scott Consulting, LLC
Executive Summary
As part of our strategic planning process, Rock to the Future staff and Board members participated in a visioning session to synthesize community input and shape our future direction. This session analyzed findings from Key Informant Interviews, Community Surveys, and Strategic Planning Committee discussions.
By centering the lived experiences of students, alumni, families, partners, and supporters, we were able to dream expansively while creating grounded, actionable priorities. The result is a community-informed plan that is deeply rooted in the aspirations and commitment of those closest to the work.
Our strategic plan lays out a bold vision for 2025–2030, focused on deepening impact, strengthening sustainability, and expanding opportunity for youth and families.
Our Strategic Priorities
- Programs Empower Youth Through Music, Connection, and Opportunity – Expand high-quality music education, holistic support, and pathways to college, career, and life success.
- Operations Build a Stronger Backbone for Sustainable Impact– Strengthen systems, staff, and infrastructure to sustain growth and impact.
- Influence & Engagement Amplify Voices, Power Change – Elevate youth and community voices through leadership, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.
- Resource Development Fuel the Future Through Meaningful Connections – Grow diverse revenue and partnerships to ensure long-term sustainability.
Board of Directors Empower Leadership, Share Responsibility – Strengthen governance through engaged, shared leadership between Board and staff.
Key Mission Impact Outcomes
At the heart of our plan is a commitment to expanding and strengthening the programs that support young people at every stage of their journey. By deepening our impact, we’re creating more meaningful opportunities for growth, connection, and long-term success. Key focus areas include:
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Student leadership development that empowers young people to lead with confidence
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Family engagement that strengthens support systems beyond the classroom
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Alumni support to ensure continued connection and guidance after graduation
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Education and career pathways, including paid work opportunities, career exposure, internships, and college or trade school support
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Wraparound and holistic services that address students’ academic, social, and emotional needs
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Specialized support for students experiencing behavioral health challenges, physical illness, neurodivergence, or other unique needs
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Targeted services and advocacy for justice-involved youth, including diversion, reentry, and intervention support
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Advanced music opportunities for students ready to deepen their artistic practice
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Additional initiatives that advance our mission and reflect the evolving needs of our community
The impact of these initiatives will be determined by key mission outcomes.
Expanding Access to Joyful and Transformational Programs
Over the next five years, we plan to nearly double the number of students we serve — growing from 1,200 youth annually to more than 2,300 by 2030. This 85% increase means thousands more young people in Philadelphia’s most under-resourced neighborhoods will experience joy, creative expression, and meaningful connection through music.
As our programs expand, students will benefit from improved emotional wellness, stronger peer and community relationships, and opportunities to be celebrated through hundreds of free community performances across the city.
A key driver of this growth is the expansion of our MobileMusic programs. By partnering with organizations serving justice-involved youth, schools without music programming, behavioral health facilities, alternative schools, and youth experiencing illness or special needs, we are bringing music directly to young people who need it most.
At the same time, growth in our fee-for-service MobileMusic partnerships will help sustain our free MusiCore and MusiCommunity programs and allow us to hire instructors full-time — strengthening staff stability, student retention, and program quality.
Building Economic Empowerment and Lives of Abundance
Our MusiCore program continues to be a powerful engine for long-term success. To date, 100% of MusiCore graduates have gone on to college or trade school, a milestone we are deeply proud of!
As our earliest students have grown, so has our graduating class. With established sites in Kensington and Germantown, and plans to expand MusiCore in year four of our strategic plan, we aim to increase annual graduates from 11 students to an anticipated 40 by 2029–2030 — while maintaining a 100% post-secondary or professional pathway rate.
Beyond graduation, MusiCore supports young people through paid work opportunities, career readiness training, and wraparound services that prepare them for life beyond high school. As the program grows, we will deepen education and workforce support and launch an alumni relations program that ensures graduates remain connected, supported, and engaged as they navigate adulthood.
Supporting Positive Pathways for Justice-Involved Youth
We’re committed to supporting young people impacted by the justice system at every stage — intervention, diversion, incarceration, and re-entry. Justice-involved youth participate in our programs alongside their peers, fostering inclusion, dignity, and shared community.
We recognize that the juvenile justice system is deeply flawed and often prioritizes punishment over healing. While some organizations choose not to engage with the system, we have listened to our community and stakeholders who tell us that our presence is critical. Our work ensures young people have access to creative outlets, trauma-informed relationships, and opportunities to move forward with agency and hope.
Through intervention and diversion partnerships, such as, the Office of Group Violence Intervention, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and the Juvenile Justice Services Center, young people gain meaningful alternatives to incarceration. Participation in our programs can lead to record expungement, skill-building, and pathways toward stability.
For incarcerated youth, we currently reach more than 400 young people annually at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center through weekly music production classes. These sessions offer a safe space for expression, creativity, and connection. We aim to expand to serve all units within the facility while working with partners to reduce youth incarceration overall.
Re-entry is where continuity matters most. Our Youth Justice Specialist helps young people transition from detention into MusiCore and MusiCommunity programs, where they are welcomed by familiar, trauma-informed instructors. This consistency builds trust and supports successful reintegration into the community. We are actively expanding re-entry partnerships to reach more youth during this pivotal moment.
By 2030, we anticipate serving 650 justice-involved youth annually, with the greatest growth in diversion and re-entry services to ensure our work inside the system directly supports long-term positive outcomes beyond it.
Looking Ahead
This strategic plan is a commitment to our students, families, and community. With your support, we’ll continue to provide life-changing music programs, build pathways to success, and create a future where every young person has the opportunity to succeed. View the full details of our 2025-2030 strategic plan below.
