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Kronos Performing Arts Assn

EIN 23-7444956 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair51 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FOR 50 YEARS, SAN FRANCISCOS KRONOS QUARTET/KRONOS PERFORMING ARTS ASSOCIATION HAS PURSUED A SINGULAR ARTISTIC VISION. {Continued on Schedule O}

Income
$1.1 million
Spending
$1.9 million
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
4.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 56%
Employees
8
Volunteers
13
Highest pay
$141,575, exec 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

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 63% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 61% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 13 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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 (5)
  1. $829,589 spent. PERFORMANCES: THE KRONOS QUARTET TOURS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS EACH YEAR ACROSS THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD, PERFORMING IN CONCERT HALLS, UNIVERSITIES, OUTDOOR VENUES, AND FESTIVALS. IN 2023/2024 KRONOS CELEBRATED ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH 50 OFFICIAL EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS CONCERTS IN CANADA, THE NETHERLANDS, FRANCE, TURKEY, MEXICO, GERMANY AND OTHER LOCATIONS. KRONOS PERFORMS REGULARLY IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA WITH APPEARANCES AT STANFORDS BING CONCERT HALL, UC BERKELEYS ZELLERBACH HALL, AND MARINS RANCHO NICASIO, AMONG OTHERS. IN APRIL 2025, KPAA RETURNED TO SAN FRANCISCOS SFJAZZ CENTER TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL KRONOS FESTIVAL FEATURING KRONOS AND MANY GUEST ARTISTS.
  2. $322,301 spent. PRESERVATION: IN APRIL 2024 IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT KPAA HAS GIFTED THE KRONOS ARCHIVE TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS THE LARGEST LIBRARY IN THE WORLD SECURING ACCESS TO THE KRONOS QUARTET/KRONOS PERFORMING ARTS ASSOCIATION LEGACY IN PERPETUITY. KRONOS EXPANSIVE DISCOGRAPHY ON NONESUCH RECORDS AND OTHER LABELS INCLUDES ALBUMS SUCH AS PIECES OF AFRICA (1992), A SHOWCASE OF AFRICAN COMPOSERS; KRONOS QUARTET: 25 YEARS (1998), A TEN-DISC ANTHOLOGY; AND THREE GRAMMY-WINNING ALBUMS: ALBAN BERGS LYRIC SUITE (2003), FEATURING RENOWNED SOPRANO DAWN UPSHAW; LANDFALL (2018) WITH LAURIE ANDERSON; AND TERRY RILEYS SUN RINGS (2019). (Continued on Schedule O)
  3. $60,946 spent. EDUCATION: KRONOS PROVIDES MENTORSHIP AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD. IN JANUARY 2015, KPAA LAUNCHED KRONOS FIFTY FOR THE FUTURE, AN INITIATIVE WHICH HAS COMMISSIONED 50 NEW WORKS DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS AND EMERGING PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS. KRONOS PREMIERED, RECORDED, AND PUBLISHED EACH PIECE, AND CREATED COMPANION MATERIALS INCLUDING SHEET MUSIC, RECORDINGS, INTERVIEWS, AND NOTES, WHICH ARE PROVIDED ONLINE FOR FREE. IN 2021/22 KPAA RELEASED THE FINAL SET OF WORKS TO COMPLETE THE COLLECTION. KPAA ALSO CONTINUED THE ANNUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM KRONOS MUSIC: THE FUTURE IS NOW, A VIRTUAL RESIDENCY FOR MORE THAN 100 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS FIVE STATES AND CANADA. KPAA ALSO ADVISES OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
  4. $54,243 spent. CREATION: KPAA HAS COMMISSIONED MORE THAN 1,000 NEW WORKS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR KRONOS SINCE THE QRTETS FOUNDING. KRONOS ALSO CREATES AND PERFORMS COLLABORATIVE STAGED WORKS, INCLUDING THE LIVE DOCUMENTARY A THOUSAND THOUGHTS AND THE EVENING-LENGTH WORK AT WAR WITH OURSELVES 400 YEARS OF YOU. COUNTLESS WORKS COMMISSIONED BY KRONOS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED BY OTHER ARTISTS, AND MANY OF KRONOS RECORDINGS HAVE BEEN USED IN DANCE, THEATER, TELEVISION, FILM, DIGITAL MEDIA, AND ADVERTISING.
  5. Preservation: Continued from Form 990 Page 2KRONOS RECENT RELEASES INCLUDE ONE EARTH, ONE PEOPLE, ONE LOVE: KRONOS PLAYS TERRY RILEY, (2015) A FIVE-DISC BOXED SET; FOLK SONGS (2017) FEATURING SAM AMIDON, OLIVIA CHANEY, RHIANNON GIDDENS, AND NATALIE MERCHANT SINGING TRADITIONAL FOLK SONGS; LONG TIME PASSING: KRONOS AND FRIENDS CELEBRATE PETE SEEGER (2020), AND MY LAI (2022).

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 1975.

    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.