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The Discovery Orchestra Inc

EIN 22-2822802 · Summit, NJ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE DISCOVERY ORCHESTRA, INC. IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO TEACH LISTENING SKILLS THAT HELP PEOPLE DEEPLY CONNECT WITH CLASSICAL MUSIC.

Income
$408,264
Spending
$391,502
Spent on programs
61%
Reserves
9.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 73%
Employees
64
Volunteers
46
Highest pay
$99,157, 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 71% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    61% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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 95% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    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 (4)
  1. $158,077 spent. 1. MEDIA PROGRAM PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND PROMOTION - CONSIDERABLE STAFF TIME WAS SPENT CREATING, DISTRIBUTING AND/OR PROMOTING: 1) REGULAR EPISODES (AS WELL AS ONE LIVE BROADCAST IN MARCH 2025 FEATURING WOMEN PERFORMERS/COMPOSER FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH) OF OUR TWICE-MONTHLY RADIO PROGRAM, "INSIDE MUSIC", IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WWFM-THE CLASSICAL NETWORK IN NEW JERSEY; 2) CONTINUING NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF OUR "DISCOVER SAINT-SAENS ORGAN' SYMPHONY", "DISCOVER BEETHOVEN'S 5TH", "DISCOVER VIVALDI'S FOUR SEASONS AND "FALL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC" PUBLIC TELEVISION PROGRAMS; 3) STATION RELATIONS PROMOTION WITH A CONSULTING TEAM FROM AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION TO SECURE ADDITIONAL BROADCASTS OF THESE FOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN DISTRIBUTION; AND 4) THE RELEASE AND PROMOTION OF FOUR ADDITIONAL QUEST MODULES FOR USERS OF OUR GAME APP, "AHA! CLASSICAL". ADDITIONALLY, THE FOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION PROGRAMS WERE AVAILABLE ON THE PBS PASSPORT STREAMING PLATFORM. PAST DIGITAL PROGRAMS CONTINUED BEING DISTRIBUTED ON THE FILMS MEDIA GROUP AND AMAZON PRIME VIDEO PLATFORMS, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION WORLDWIDE. SOME ROYALTIES AND STREAMING SALES RESULTED FROM THIS DISTRIBUTION. THERE WERE ALSO SOME SALES OF DVD'S OF PAST TELEVISION SHOWS.
  2. $29,830 spent. 2. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - WE PARTNERED WITH 8 LOCAL STUDENT AND SENIOR ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MUSIC LISTENING PROGRAMS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, THERE WERE 12 IN-PERSON SESSIONS PRESENTED AT THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS' LOCATIONS. ON MARCH 6, 2025, TWO OF THESE SESSIONS WERE HELD AT THE FRELINGHUYSEN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MORRISTOWN AS PART OF A SPECIAL A CROSS-CURRICULAR PRESENTATION ENTITLED "MATH AND MUSIC." THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON STEM LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE GRADES 6-8 AUDIENCE OF BAND, ORCHESTRA, AND STEM-PROGRAM STUDENTS AND FEATURED MIGUEL DEL AGUILA'S HIGHLY RHYTHMIC PRESTO NO. 2. TOGETHER, ALL OF THESE SESSIONS REACHED 854 PEOPLE. WE ALSO PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION FOR TWO OF THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ATTEND OUR OCTOBER 2024 "DISCOVER MASTERWORKS" PROGRAM.
  3. $27,413 spent. 3. "DISCOVER ANGELITOS NEGROS" - THIS SPECIAL COLLABORATION WITH RENOWNED PIANIST/COMPOSER PATRICIO MOLINA AND THE MANHATTAN OPERA REPERTORY ENSEMBLE (MORE OPERA) - LED BY FOUNDER AND SOPRANO CHERYL WARFIELD - FEATURED A VARIED REPERTOIRE OF SONG, FOLK MUSIC, OPERA AND SPIRITUALS FROM THE MUSICAL TRADITIONS OF BLACK AND LATINO CULTURES. PRESENTED ON FEBRUARY 23, 2025 IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT BEAUTIFUL GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN NEWARK, NJ, THE PROGRAM ALSO FEATURED A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL EXPLORATION BY MAESTRO GEORGE MARRINER MAULL. OVER 100 PEOPLE WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
  4. $21,866 spent. MUSICIANS FEES AND OTHER DIRECT EXPENSES, PLUS PRORATED STAFF TIME/OFFICE EXPENSES TO PRODUCE AND PRESENT OUR "DISCOVER JAZZ FOR THE HOLIDAYS" INTIMATE CHAMBER MUSIC RECITAL, AND OUR "SEASON KICK-OFF" EVENT.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1988.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.