Society of the Third Street Music School Settlement Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THIRD STREET MUSIC SCHOOL SETTLEMENT IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO MUSIC AND DANCE EDUCATION TO NEW YORKERS OF ALL AGES.
- Income
- $12.1 million
- Spending
- $11.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 8.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 54%
- Employees
- 209
- Volunteers
- 39
- Highest pay
- $326,885, executive director
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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2534 of 34 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 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 (3)
- $8.2 million spent. MUSIC AND DANCE INSTRUCTIONSEE SCHEDULE OAS THE NATION'S LONGEST-RUNNING COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL, THIRD STREET PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY MUSIC AND DANCE INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES, AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. THE MAJORITY OF THIRD STREET'S PROGRAMS SERVE CHILDREN IN GRADES PRE-K THROUGH 12TH-GRADE WITH WEEKLY AFTER-SCHOOL AND WEEKEND INSTRUCTION IN 25+ INSTRUMENTS AND VOICE; GROUP AND ENSEMBLE CLASSES; SEVERAL DANCE DISCIPLINES; MUSIC THEORY, COMPOSITION, AND PRODUCTION; AND PERFORMANCE TRAINING. THIRD STREET ALSO OFFERS EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS INCLUDING A LICENSED PRESCHOOL AND CLASSES IN MUSIC AND MOVEMENT; AS WELL AS ADULT PROGRAMS SUCH AS FLEXIBLE MUSIC LESSONS, FREE DAYTIME ACCESS TO PRACTICE STUDIOS, DANCE CLASSES, AND ENSEMBLE/PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING NEW HORIZONS BANDS FOR OLDER ADULTS. IN 2024-25, THIRD STREET SERVED 6,000+ STUDENTS, INCLUDING 2,391 IN OUR MUSIC & DANCE SCHOOL'S WEEKDAY, AFTER SCHOOL, AND WEEKEND PROGRAMS, AND 3,796 STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC-SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM. THIRD STREET'S OVERALL STUDENT POPULATION REFLECTS THE ETHNIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY OF NYC: 32% HISPANIC; 24% WHITE; 21% ASIAN; 11% BLACK, AND 12% MIXED-RACE OR OTHER. TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS, THIRD STREET PROVIDED NEED-BASED FINANCIAL AID AND HIGHLY-SUBSIDIZED PROGRAMMING TO OVER 75% OF ITS STUDENTS.OUR ADVANCED YOUTH ENSEMBLE PROGRAM, ISO AT THIRD STREET, SERVED 208 STUDENTS WITH INSTRUCTION IN THREE ORCHESTRAS AND A SYMPHONIC BAND. STUDENTS RECEIVED WEEKLY COACHING FROM PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS AND PERFORMED IN PUBLIC PERFORMANCES AT SYMPHONY SPACE, THE NYU SKIRBALL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, AND CARNEGIE HALL.
- $1.4 million spent. THIRD STREET PARTNERS, SCHOOL & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS SEE SCHEDULE OESTABLISHED OVER 60 YEARS AGO, THIRD STREET PARTNERS IS A SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM THAT REACHES THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IN PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE ACROSS THE FIVE BOROUGHS. IN 2024-25, THIRD STREET PARTNERS SERVED 3,616 STUDENTS IN 30 PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HUNDREDS MORE THROUGH PROGRAMS IN FIVE COMMUNITY CENTERS SERVING STUDENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING. THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, THIRD STREET PROVIDES TEACHING ARTIST RESIDENCIES IN NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH SKILL-BASED, SEQUENTIAL INSTRUCTION THAT RANGES FROM MUSIC AND MOVEMENT, TO AFRICAN PERCUSSION, TO GROUP VIOLIN, AND ROCK BAND. COMMITTED TO SERVING UNDER-RESOURCED POPULATIONS, ABOUT 75% OF STUDENTS ENGAGED IN THIRD STREET PARTNERS ARE LIVING AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. FOR MANY OF THESE STUDENTS, THIRD STREET'S PROGRAMS ARE THEIR FIRST EXPOSURE TO ARTS EDUCATION.AT THIRD STREET, WE BELIEVE THAT MUSIC AND DANCE ARE ESSENTIAL CORE SUBJECTS TO A CHILD'S EDUCATION. WE OFFER SCHOOLS A CUSTOMIZABLE ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT IS SUSTAINABLE AND TAILORED TO EACH UNIQUE GROUP OF STUDENTS SERVED. BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH A SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATION, THIRD STREET DESIGNS A PROGRAM THAT FILLS A GAP IN THE ACADEMIC CURRICULUM. ALL PROGRAMS PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF MUSICIANSHIP, INCLUDING INSTRUMENTAL SKILLS, RHYTHM, PITCH, MUSIC THEORY AND VOCABULARY, AND A BASIC SET OF REPERTOIRE. PROGRAMS ARE TYPICALLY YEAR-ROUND FOR 28-32 WEEKS, BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER THROUGH JUNE AND CULMINATING WITH PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES. FURTHER, STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MUSIC & DANCE SCHOOL'S BRIDGE-TO-THE-ARTS ACCESS PROGRAM PARTNERS@3RD, WHICH OFFERS STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A YEAR OF FREE SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION IN AN INSTRUMENT OF THEIR CHOICE AT THIRD STREET'S HEADQUARTERS.
- $383,033 spent. COMMUNITY CONCERTSSEE SCHEDULE OIN 2024-25, THIRD STREET PRESENTED OVER 150 FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES, ENRICHING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE SHARED LANGUAGE OF THE ARTS. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED OUR LIVESOUNDS CONCERT SERIES WITH PERFORMANCES BY THIRD STREET FACULTY, OUR CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS SERIES WHICH SHOWCASED ARTISTS FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS, AND DOZENS OF STUDENT PERFORMANCES INCLUDING OUR ANNUAL ALL ORCHESTRAS CONCERT, STOWE C. PHELPS HONORS CONCERT, NYC SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT, PIANO HONORS SHOWCASE, BARBARA E. FIELD CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT, AND STRING 'STRAVAGANZA. THE YEAR CULMINATED IN A SPECIAL ISO AT THIRD STREET CONCERT AT CARNEGIE HALL, A CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT AT KAUFMAN MUSIC CENTER, AND A CHOIR CONCERT AT SYMPHONY SPACE.
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
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 June 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 December 1942.
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.
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