It has a beat: music to quell the savage fundraiser.

"I'm willing to be the Match.com for musicians and nonprofits," said John Schneider, who launched MusiciansForCharity.org in this past March.

But instead of awkward dinner conversation and personality tests, the site will try to connect nonprofits to musicians willing to volunteer their talents for events in the Washington, D.C. area.

Schneider said he was inspired to create the site by two loves in his life, working at a nonprofit and playing in a band. Schneider, vice president of communications at Landover, Md.-based Epilepsy Foundation, explained some nonprofits expend a lot of time, and money, trying to fundraise with galas and dinners. He also believes some musicians are more interested in making music than making money. And, some musicians might want to help others while they do it.

"As an artist, you like to have feedback. You need to have people appreciate your music," said Schneider, who claims to play piano, drums, keyboard, guitar, clarinet, harmonica and kazoo. "There are a lot of non-profits looking for opportunities to raise funds. So, I thought, why not put the two together?"

The Web site provides separate registration areas for nonprofits and musicians interested in gigs. He hopes to wrangle a range of performers, from rock bands to orchestras, to fit different nonprofit needs. Nonprofits will have to prove their 501(c)(3) status and musicians must be willing to volunteer, minus traveling expenses. Schneider hopes to expand the network outside of the nation's capitol with his connections in the music world.

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"It's important to make this success so we are not all talk and just another pretty Web site," she said.

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