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Hymn Society in the United States and Canada Inc

EIN 13-5564941 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENCOURAGE,PROMOTE AND ENLIVEN CONGREGATIONAL SINGING: ENCOURAGE BY BUILDING SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND ENABLING NETWORKING AND ECUMENICAL COOPERATION; PROMOTE THROUGH OUR REGULAR NEWS PUBLICATIONS AND WEB PRESENCE THE NEWS OF EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS; ENLIVEN BY PROVIDING EXPERIENCE IN PERFORMANCE PRACTICES TO HELP IN THE INTRODUCTION AND LEADING OF THE CONGREGATION'S SONG.

Income
$521,113
Spending
$572,322
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
37.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 50%
Employees
4
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$112,744, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 37.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 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 (3)
  1. $327,461 spent. ANNUAL CONFERENCES- AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS HELD, ENCOURAGING THE CURRENT AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE ONGOING HERITAGE OF SACRED SONG. ATTENDEES ARE INSPIRED AND REJUVENATED BY WORKSHOPS, HYMN FESTIVALS, LECTURES, DISCUSSION GROUPS, AND MORNING AND EVENING WORSHIP. APPROXIMATELY 275 MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE.
  2. $29,570 spent. PUBLICATION OF QUARTERLY JOURNAL AND MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER- THE RESPECTED QUARTERLY JOURNAL,"THE HYMN" IS A PUBLICATION OF RESEARCH AND OPINION, CONTAINING BOTH PRACTICAL AND SCHOLARLY ARTICLES. IT PROVIDES EXEMPLARY HYMN TEXTS AND TUNES IN VARIOUS STYLES AND REFLECTS DIVERSE CULTURAL, ETHNIC, AND THEOLOGICAL IDENTITIES. INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS OF PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDINGS, HISTORICAL STUDIES, SUGGESTIONS FOR AND REPORTS OF HYMN FESTIVALS, AND CURRENT NEWS PROVIDE READERS WITH HELPFUL INFORMATION. "THE STANZA" IS A MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER WHICH INCLUDES NEWS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S EVENTS, PROVIDES A FORUM FOR OPINIONS AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, AND ADVANCE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF CONTESTS, PROGRAMS, LECTURES AND HYMN FESTIVALS. CIRCULATION TO APPROXIMATELY 1200 MEMBERS.
  3. $14,760 spent. THE CENTER FOR CONGREGATIONAL SONG- THE CENTER FOR CONGREGATIONAL SONG BELIEVES THE HOLY ACT OF SINGING TOGETHER SHAPES FAITH, HEALS BROKENNESS, TRANSFORMS LIVES AND RENEWS PEACE. THE CENTER HELPS COMPOSERS, WRITERS, AND LEADERS OF THE CHURCH'S SONG BY CONNECTING THEM TO VITAL RESOURCES AND IDEAS IN HOPES THAT THIS RESOURCES THEIR MINISTRY, EMPOWERS WITNESS, AND INSPIRES SONG.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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? Worth knowing.

    The IRS does not require this organization to file annual returns.

    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 November 1979.

    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.