International Contemporary Ensemble Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WITH A COMMITMENT TO CULTIVATING A MORE CURIOUS AND ENGAGED SOCIETY THROUGH MUSIC, THE INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE-AS A COMMISSIONER AND PERFORMER AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL-AMPLIFIES CREATORS WHOSE WORK PROPELS AND CHALLENGES HOW MUSIC IS MADE AND EXPERIENCED.
- Income
- $912,864
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 1.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $125,720, executive director (through 3/2025)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 33 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 55% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 39 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 17 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 July 31, 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)
- $970,615 spent. UNDER GEORGE LEWIS' LEADERSHIP, OUR PROGRAMMING CONTINUES TO EMBRACE "POLYASPORA: A NEW CONSCIOUSNESS FOR NEW MUSIC." THE ENSEMBLE PRESENTED 50+ EVENTS DURING THE 2024-2025 CONCERT SEASON, INCLUDING PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, AND RECORDINGS (IN-PERSON, ONLINE, AND HYBRID) ACROSS THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY. THE SEASON HIGHLIGHTED LEWIS'S VISION FOR A MULTIPLICITOUS, GLOBAL FUTURE FOR CONTEMPORARY MUSIC. WE PRESENTED 57 PREMIERES AND 11 COMMISSIONS, COLLABORATING WITH NEARLY 300 MUSICIANS AND 242 COMPOSERS, WHILE PARTNERING WITH INSTITUTIONS AND FESTIVALS TO ENGAGE OVER 200 STUDENTS AND YOUNG ARTISTS IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD.OUR SIGNATURE COMPOSING WHILE BLACK CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS UNIQUE AND VITAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE WORK OF AFRODIASPORIC EXPERIMENTAL COMPOSERS, VOICES THAT HAVE OFTEN BEEN OVERLOOKED IN ACADEMIC, CURATORIAL, AND JOURNALISTIC CONTEXTS. WE PRESENTED FOUR PERFORMANCES THIS SEASON, INCLUDING A RESIDENCY AT UC IRVINE AND UC RIVERSIDE, AT NYU SKIRBALL CENTER IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MEMBERS OF ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF CREATIVE MUSICIANS, AT REID HALL IN PARIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COLUMBIA PARIS GLOBAL CENTER, AND THE COLUMBIA INSTITUTE FOR IDEAS AND IMAGINATION, AND MUSEUM OF MODERN ART.THE ENSEMBLE CONTINUED ITS COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION THROUGH RESIDENCIES AT THE WALDEN SCHOOL, USDAN SUMMER CAMP, AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS IYCA TICINO. WE ALSO HOSTED A TWO-DAY ENSEMBLE EVOLUTION ALUMNI CELEBRATION AND RECORDED WORKS BY LUNA COMPOSITION LAB ARTISTS, CULMINATING IN A PERFORMANCE AT CARNEGIE HALL, SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMPOSERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.