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Living Traditions Inc

EIN 11-3193909 · Brooklyn, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak48 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

LIVING TRADITIONS, INC. IS A MULTI-FACETED ARTS SPACE SHOWCASING EVOLVING FOLK AND TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND ART FROM NEW YORK CITY, THE AMERICAS, AND THE WORLD. OUR PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS ARTISTS, FOSTERS MUTI-GENERATIONAL COMMUNITY AND PROVIDES ENRICHMENT AND EDUCATION ABOUT OUR SHARED MUSICAL HERITAGE.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$1.4 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 43%
Employees
48
Volunteers
280
Highest pay
$52,803, secretary

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

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 78% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 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

    7 of 10 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 (1)
  1. $1.1 million spent. IN FY25, JALOPY'S ANNUAL SEASON INCLUDED 6 FESTIVALS, 3-5 WEEKLY CONCERTS AT ITS HOME LOCATION AND NUMEROUS PERFORMANCES AT STAGES ACROSS THE CITY AND STATE. THE BROOKLYN FOLK FESTIVAL CELEBRATED ITS 15TH YEAR, PARTNERING WITH SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS FOR THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY AND BRINGING LEGENDARY ARTISTS TO THE STAGE. IN-HOUSE CONCERTS FEATURED BOTH LOCAL EMERGING ARTISTS, TRAVELING BANDS AND RECOGNIZED LEADERS. JALOPY BEGAN A NEW SERIES, CALLED FOLK MUSIC MASTERS, AND HOSTED 4 CONCERTS WITH AN ARRAY OF ARTISTS. JALOPY PRODUCED CONCERTS AT VENUES IN MANHATTAN, BROOKLYN, QUEENS, HUDSON NY AND SHEFFIELD MASS. JALOPY HOSTED DOZENS OF WEEKLY MUSIC CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS EACH WEEK, EMPLOYING 35 TEACHING ARTISTS AND SERVING OVER 800 ADULTS AND CHILDREN. THROUGH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH MUSIC PROGRAM, JALOPY SERVED 1200 BROOKLYN PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH 8-12 WEEKS OF MUSIC ENRICHMENT. JALOPY RECORDS RELEASED 6 NEW ALBUMS OF FOLK AND TRADITIONAL MUSIC. IN FY25, JALOPY'S ANNUAL SEASON INCLUDED 6 FESTIVALS, 3-5 WEEKLY CONCERTS AT ITS HOME LOCATION AND NUMEROUS PERFORMANCES AT STAGES ACROSS THE CITY AND STATE. THE BROOKLYN FOLK FESTIVAL CELEBRATED ITS 15TH YEAR, PARTNERING WITH SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS FOR THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY AND BRINGING LEGENDARY ARTISTS TO THE STAGE. IN-HOUSE CONCERTS FEATURED BOTH LOCAL EMERGING ARTISTS, TRAVELING BANDS AND RECOGNIZED LEADERS. JALOPY BEGAN A NEW SERIES, CALLED FOLK MUSIC MASTERS, AND HOSTED 4 CONCERTS WITH AN ARRAY OF ARTISTS. JALOPY PRODUCED CONCERTS AT VENUES IN MANHATTAN, BROOKLYN, QUEENS, HUDSON NY AND SHEFFIELD MASS. JALOPY HOSTED DOZENS OF WEEKLY MUSIC CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS EACH WEEK, EMPLOYING 35 TEACHING ARTISTS AND SERVING OVER 800 ADULTS AND CHILDREN. THROUGH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH MUSIC PROGRAM, JALOPY SERVED 1200 BROOKLYN PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH 8-12 WEEKS OF MUSIC ENRICHMENT. JALOPY RECORDS RELEASED 6 NEW ALBUMS OF FOLK AND TRADITIONAL MUSIC.

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? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on November 15, 2019 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on November 15, 2019.

    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 August 1994.

    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.