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Community Music Center of Boston

EIN 04-2437973 · Boston, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER OF BOSTON ("CMCB") TRANSFORMS LIVES THROUGHOUT GREATER BOSTON BY PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EXCELLENT MUSIC EDUCATION AND ARTS EXPERIENCES.

Income
$5.1 million
Spending
$4.0 million
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
1.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 69%
Employees
93
Volunteers
87
Highest pay
$274,021, executive director

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

Financial health

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 June 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. $1.5 million spent. COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER OF BOSTON ("CMCB") IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND ACCREDITED INSTITUTION. CORE PROGRAMS INCLUDE: MUSICAL INSTRUCTION IN OVER 20 INSTRUMENTS AND A VARIETY OF GENRES AND STYLES; OFFERINGS FOR A RANGE OF INDIVIDUALS, FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSES TO ADVANCED PERFORMING ENSEMBLES; AND CLINICALLY-CERTIFIED MUSIC THERAPY SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES. CMCB SUPPORTS OVER 400 INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE EACH WEEK AT ITS HEADQUARTERS IN THE BOSTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND NEARLY 2,500 INDIVIDUALS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 20 SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THROUGHOUT NEARLY EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN BOSTON.
  2. $473,912 spent. FOUNDED IN 1978, CMCB'S SCHOOL PROGRAMS PARTNER WITH BOSTON SCHOOLS TO HELP MAKE MUSIC AN INFLUENTIAL PART OF EVERY CHILD'S EDUCATION. CMCB'S PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER A DOZEN SCHOOLS PROVIDES WEEKLY MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS INSTRUCTION TO 2,000 STUDENTS EACH WEEK. CMCB STRIVES TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY MUSIC INSTRUCTION AND ARTS PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES CITYWIDE, AND PROVIDES SCHOOLS WITH THE CAPACITY-BUILDING SUPPORT NECESSARY TO ENSURE PROGRAMS CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY ADMINISTERED AND SUSTAINED. FOUNDED AT THE HEIGHT OF BOSTON'S SCHOOL SEGREGATION CRISIS, THE SCHOOL PROGRAM IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF CMCB'S LEGACY OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON.
  3. $287,227 spent. CMCB'S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES MENTORSHIP, COLLEGE/CAREER TRAINING, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH A PAID EMPLOYMENT MODEL AT A WAGE OF $18/HR. PARTICIPANTS TEND TO BE BETWEEN 14 AND 24, AND WORK ON A PART-TIME BASIS (5-25 HOURS/WEEK) AT CMCB'S MAIN CAMPUS. THEY WORK WITHIN A MUSIC EDUCATION NONPROFIT, LEARNING THE CORE FUNCTIONS OF RUNNING AN ORGANIZATION. PARTICIPANTS SUPPORT WORK SUCH AS PROGRAM DESIGN, MARKETING, GRAPHIC DESIGN, RESEARCH, FINANCE, COMMUNICATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND MORE, PROVIDING A WELL-ROUNDED EXPERIENCE IN NONPROFIT ADMINISTRATION. THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY PRIMARILY BY GRANT AND CONTRIBUTION REVENUE.
  4. $150,231 spent. MUSIC THERAPY IS THE SKILLFUL USE OF MUSIC TO ACHIEVE NON-MUSICAL THERAPEUTIC GOALS, LIKE SOCIAL, COGNITIVE, PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH. CMCB'S MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM IS LED BY CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO WORK TOWARD GOALS IN COMMUNICATION, SOCIALIZATION, OR INDEPENDENT LIVING. MUSIC THERAPY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN-HOUSE AT CMCB'S HEADQUARTERS AND IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH NEARLY A DOZEN HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 October 13, 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 June 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 February 1973.

    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 October 21, 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.