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Kinhaven Music School Inc

EIN 03-0214324 · Maplewood, NJ

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood76 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF KINHAVEN MUSIC SCHOOL IS TO INSPIRE AND DEVELOP PEOPLETHROUGH THE APPRECIATION AND PRACTICE OF HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATORY MUSIC,INCLUDING CHAMBER, ORCHESTRAL, AND CHORAL. OUR VISION IS TO BE ASUSTAINABLE MUSICAL COMMUNITY OPEN YEAR-ROUND TO A WIDE RANGE OF MUSICIANS.KINHAVEN OFFERS JOYOUS AND RIGOROUS MUSIC-MAKING EDUCATION TO ACCOMPLISHEDYOUTH AND ADULTS IN A NURTURING, NONCOMPETITIVE, AND COLLABORATIVEENVIRONMENT. KINHAVEN'S CULTURE REFLECTS ITS STRONG BELIEF IN THE BENEFITSOF SHARED LEARNING, MUTUAL SUPPORT, FRIENDSHIP, COMMUNITY, AND DIVERSITY.

Income
$2.3 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
3.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 54%
Employees
115
Volunteers
0

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 16% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $737,556 spent. SENIOR SESSIONS: THE SENIOR SESSION IS A SIX-WEEK PROGRAM FOR 90 HIGH SCHOOL-AGED MUSICIANS. EACH STUDENT RECEIVES AT LEAST ONE PRIVATE LESSON PER WEEKAND IS THOUGHTFULLY ASSIGNED BY FACULTY TO A CHAMBER GROUP AND REPERTOIREBASED ON THEIR ABILITY. IN ADDITION TO CHAMBER MUSIC, STUDENTS PARTICIPATEIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, LARGE ENSEMBLES, COMPOSITION, MASTER CLASSES, ANDCHORUS. INTEGRAL TO THE LEARNING PROCESS IS THE PERFORMANCE OF EACHASSIGNED PIECE AT CONCERTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
  2. $212,499 spent. JUNIOR SESSIONS: THE JUNIOR SESSION IS A TWO-WEEK PROGRAM FOR 70 STUDENTS INGRADES 4 THROUGH 8. EACH STUDENT RECEIVES AT LEAST ONE PRIVATE LESSON PERWEEK AND IS THOUGHTFULLY ASSIGNED BY FACULTY TO A CHAMBER GROUP ANDREPERTOIRE BASED ON THEIR ABILITY. INTEGRAL TO THE LEARNING PROCESS IS THEPERFORMANCE OF EACH ASSIGNED PIECE AT CONCERTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
  3. $38,429 spent. PIANO WORKSHOPS: THE ADULT PIANO WORKSHOP, A FIVE-DAY PROGRAM FOR 18-24INTERMEDIATE-TO-ADVANCED LEVEL PIANISTS AGED 18 OR OLDER, FOCUSES ON THEFOUR-HAND PIANO REPERTOIRE. EACH FOURHAND DUO CHOOSES, OR IS ASSIGNED, APIECE AND RECEIVES THREE 75-MINUTE COACHING SESSIONS. THERE ARE ALSO GROUPAND PRIVATE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE SESSIONS AND FOURHANDED SIGHT-READINGSESSIONS WITH FACULTY.
  4. $648,533 spent. ADULT CHAMBER WORKSHOPS: THE ADULT CHAMBER MUSIC WORKSHOP IS A FOUR-DAY SESSION FOR 40MUSICIANS AGED 18 AND OLDER OF ALL LEVELS OF PLAYING ABILITY. PREFORMEDGROUPS ARE WELCOME OR FACULTY WILL THOUGHTFULLY ASSIGN STUDENTS TO ACHAMBER GROUP AND REPERTOIRE BASED ON THEIR ABILITY. AT THEIR OPTION,STUDENTS PERFORM THEIR ASSIGNED PIECES AT CONCERTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.PATHWAYS SEMINAR: THE YOUNG ARTIST SEMINAR IS A SEVEN-DAY SESSION FOR 30 SERIOUSMUSICIANS AGES 18-28. EACH CHAMBER GROUP, PREFORMED OR ASSIGNED BY THEFACULTY, STUDIES ONE WORK DURING THE SESSION AND RECEIVES DAILY COACHING.OTHER MUSICAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MASTER AND STUDIO CLASSES, SINGING, ANDORGANIZED DISCUSSIONS ON MUSICAL TOPICS. STUDENTS PERFORM THEIR PIECES ATVARIOUS VENUES IN SOUTHERN VERMONT AND AT KINHAVEN IN CONCERTS OPEN TO THEPUBLIC.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1964.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.