New York Pops Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF AMERICA'S RICH MUSICAL HERITAGE THROUGH PRESENTATION OF CONCERTS AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.
- Income
- $3.3 million
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 4.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 43
- Highest pay
- $199,555, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 31% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, 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 2527 of 27 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, 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 (2)
- $1.7 million spent. PROGRAM SERVICESSINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1983 BY RUTH AND SKITCH HENDERSON, THE NEW YORK POPS (TNYP) HAS PERFORMED AN ANNUAL CONCERT SERIES AT CARNEGIE HALL AND REMAINS AMONG THE VENUE'S MOST PRESENTED ENSEMBLES. THROUGH CONCERTS AND AN ANNUAL BIRTHDAY GALA, MUSIC DIRECTOR STEVEN REINEKE AND TNYP ORCHESTRA DELIGHT NEARLY 20,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS ANNUALLY.
- $552,545 spent. EDUCATION/COMMUNITYPOPSED MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS HAVE REACHED MORE THAN 100,000 NYC STUDENTS SINCE THEIR INCEPTION IN 1991. POPSED PROVIDES FREE AND CONTRACTED PROGRAMS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS IN ALL FIVE BOROUGHS OF NYC, SEVERAL OF WHICH ARE TITLE 1 SCHOOLS. POPSED CONSISTS OF THREE CORE PROGRAMS: KIDS IN THE BALCONY (KIB) (CONCERT EXPERIENCE WITH PRE-CONCERT CURRICULUM); RESIDENCIES (CHORAL, INSTRUMENTAL, AND MUSICAL THEATER INSTRUCTION BY POPSED TEACHING ARTISTS); KIDS ON STAGE (KOS) (INSTRUMENTAL COACHING CULMINATING WITH STUDENTS PERFORMING ALONGSIDE THE ORCHESTRA AT CARNEGIE HALL). A CONDUCTING APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO LEARN THE ART OF CONDUCTING, IN TANDEM WITH THE KOS PROGRAM, CONTINUES TO GROW. ADDITIONALLY, THE NEW YORK POPS COLLABORATES WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE CARINGKIND TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THEIR STRONGEST MEMORIES ASSOCIATED WITH ICONIC MUSIC.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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 September 7, 2026.
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 September 30, 2026.
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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1984.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 7, 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.