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Gateways Music Festival Inc

EIN 16-1562873 · Rochester, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak45 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO CONNECT AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL CLASSICAL MUSICIANS OF AFRICAN DESCENT AND INSPIRE AND ENLIGHTEN COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE POWER OF PERFORMANCE.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$1.9 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
0
Volunteers
50

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: 45 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 40% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 31% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 31 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 16 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.

  • 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 (2)
  1. $1.2 million spent. GATEWAYS MUSIC FESTIVAL ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES IN ITS MISSION TO CONNECT AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL CLASSICAL MUSICIANS OF AFRICAN DESCENT AND TO ENLIGHTEN AND INSPIRE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE POWER OF PERFORMANCE. THE 202425 SEASON FEATURED TWO IN-PERSON FESTIVALS, BEGINNING WITH THE FALL 2024 FESTIVAL IN ROCHESTER, WHICH WELCOMED OVER 1,000 ATTENDEES ACROSS FIVE EVENTS AND OPENED WITH THE INAUGURAL ROCHESTER DAY FOR STRINGS, A DAY-LONG INTENSIVE FOR YOUNG ARTISTS. THE SPRING 2025 FESTIVAL EXPANDED GATEWAYS' REACH ACROSS ROCHESTER AND NEW YORK CITY, PRESENTING SEVEN CONCERTS, A WORLD PREMIERE, MASTERCLASSES, AND A HALF-DAY WILLIAM LEVI DAWSON SYMPOSIUM AT CARNEGIE HALL THAT DREW MORE THAN 3,000 PARTICIPANTS. THE SEASON CULMINATED IN THE HISTORIC RETURN OF THE GATEWAYS FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA TO CARNEGIE HALL, PERFORMING WILLIAM DAWSON'S NEGRO FOLK SYMPHONY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THAT HALL SINCE ITS 1934 PREMIERE, ALONGSIDE A LIVE SIMULCAST REACHING THOUSANDS MORE. GATEWAYS BRASS COLLECTIVE ADVANCED ITS NATIONAL PRESENCE WITH TOURING AND RESIDENCIES, INCLUDING A THANKSGIVING DAY APPEARANCE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD AND A RESIDENCY AT THE CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF MUSIC. GATEWAYS FURTHER EXPANDED ITS EDUCATIONAL IMPACT THROUGH YOUNG MUSICIANS INSTITUTE PROGRAMMING AT BOTH FESTIVALS. THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE SECOND SEASON OF GATEWAYS RADIO, COMMISSIONED AND PREMIERED DAMIEN SNEED'S REFLECTIONS OF RESILIENCE FOR VOICE AND ORCHESTRA, AND SECURED A NEW FOUR-YEAR MOU WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER AND EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC, STRENGTHENING A FOUNDATIONAL PARTNERSHIP. GATEWAYS ALSO EXPANDED ITS INVESTMENT IN COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING, INCREASING VISIBILITY FOR ITS MISSION AND ARTISTS
  2. $136,842 spent. IN FY25, THE BLACK ORCHESTRAL NETWORK (BON) CONTINUED ITS MISSION OF AMPLIFYING BLACK VOICES AND STRENGTHENING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY WITHIN CLASSICAL MUSIC. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED BON'S ANNUAL SUMMIT, HELD IN ATLANTA FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND THE PRESENTATION OF THE INAUGURAL BON IMPACT AND LEGACY AWARD TO MRS. AZIRA HILL, HONORING HER DECADES-LONG COMMITMENT TO CREATING ACCESSIBLE PATHWAYS FOR YOUNG, ASPIRING BLACK CLASSICAL MUSICIANS. THE AWARD WAS PRESENTED BY AMBASSADOR ANDREW YOUNG.BON ALSO HOSTED NETWORKING EVENTS AT SPHINXCONNECT AND THE GATEWAYS MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND CONTINUED ITS MONTHLY COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, IN ADDITION TO VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT LOUNGES, OFFERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INDUSTRY INSIGHTS, AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK PROFESSIONALS. ADVOCACY EFFORTS SUCH AS "DEAR AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS, PART II" CONTINUE TO PROMPT POLICY REVIEWS ACROSS MAJOR ORCHESTRAL INSTITUTIONS AND BON IS IN THE FINAL PROCESS OF PUBLISHING A 3RD CALL TO ACTION LETTER. ADDITIONALLY, BON EXPANDED ITS HBCU MASTERCLASS SERIES WITH EVENTS AT HAMPTON AND FISK UNIVERSITIES, IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH YOUNGER STUDENTS FROM THE ATLANTA MUSIC PROJECT. THE ORGANIZATION FURTHER STRENGTHENED ITS REACH BY WELCOMING NEW INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS FROM LEADING ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING LINCOLN CENTER AND YALE UNIVERSITY.

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? 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? 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 December 1999.

    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.