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Silk Road Project Inc

EIN 04-3444069 · Somerville, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SILKROAD CREATES MUSIC THAT ENGAGES DIFFERENCE, SPARKING RADICAL CULTURAL COLLABORATION AND PASSION-DRIVEN LEARNING FOR A MORE HOPEFUL AND INCLUSIVE WORLD.

Income
$4.8 million
Spending
$3.7 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
3.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
16
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$304,067, chief executive officer, president

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 52% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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

    19 of 19 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. $1.3 million spent. AMERICAN RAILROAD - SILKROAD'S KEY PROGRAM, THE SILKROAD ENSEMBLE, RESUMED THE AMERICAN RAILROAD PROJECT FOR ITS SECOND YEAR, ILLUMINATING THE IMPACT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN, CHINESE, INDIGENOUS, IRISH, AND OTHER IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HAD ON THE CREATION OF THE U.S. TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD AND CONNECTING RAILWAYS IN NORTH AMERICA. THIS PROJECT AMPLIFIED UNTOLD STORIES TO PAINT A RICHER, MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE ORIGINS OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE AND THE FORMATION OF OUR MULTIFACETED AMERICAN IDENTITIES. THIS YEAR'S ITERATION INCLUDED COMMISSIONS OF NEW MUSIC, A 10-CITY TOUR FOR PERFORMANCES, DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND MORE.
  2. $344,582 spent. GLOBAL MUSICIAN WORKSHOP - SILKROAD'S FLAGSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM, GLOBAL MUSICIAN WORKSHOP (GMW), IS AN ANNUAL IMMERSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM, UNITING MUSICIANS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO EXPLORE DIVERSE MUSICAL TRADITIONS AND INNOVATIVE COLLABORATIONS. PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMED IN BANDS LED BY SILKROAD ARTISTS AND SPECIAL GUESTS IN A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT THAT CELEBRATED CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE. GMW 2024 WAS HELD IN BOSTON, MA FROM AUGUST 3-11, 2024, AND HANGZHOU, CHINA FROM AUGUST 25-31, 2024.
  3. $295,920 spent. UPLIFTED VOICES - SILKROAD'S KEY PROGRAM, THE SILKROAD ENSEMBLE, BROUGHT TOGETHER A STELLAR LINEUP OF PERFORMER-COMPOSERS FOR THE UPLIFTED VOICES PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDED A SERIES OF MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS, OFTEN INSPIRED BY EACH ARTIST'S HOMELAND, ANCESTORS, COMMUNITY, AND FAMILY, REPRESENTING PREVIOUSLY UNDER-RECOGNIZED VOICES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, OFFERING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON THE HISTORY AND MIGRATION OF MUSIC. THE PROJECT SHOWCASED A SYNTHESIS OF GLOBAL MUSICAL TRADITIONS AND CONTEMPORARY INNOVATION, WITH EACH ARTIST CONTRIBUTING THEIR UNIQUE VOICE TO CRAFT A SHARED MUSICAL EXPERIENCE. THE PROJECT INCLUDED A SEVEN-CITY TOUR WITH PERFORMANCES, COMMISSIONS OF NEW MUSIC, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND MORE.
  4. $897,623 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE: GENERAL, ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP, MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, STRATEGIC PLANNING, ONE-TIME PERFORMANCE ENGAGEMENTS, SANCTUARY PROGRAM, PERCUSSION ALL-STARS PROGRAM, SILKROAD CONNECT PROGRAM, UNIVERSITY RESIDENCIES, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

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 April 1999.

    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.