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Sol-La Music Academy

EIN 26-2128710 · Santa Monica, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SOL-LA MUSIC ACADEMY PROVIDES OUTSTANDING MUSIC EDUCATION IN AN ENCOURAGING AND ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMUNITY.

Income
$560,457
Spending
$615,085
Spent on programs
56%
Reserves
2.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 67%
Employees
34
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$84,764, artistic 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: 53 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% 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 41% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    56% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% 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

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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 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. $301,522 spent. SOL-LA CAMPUS PROGRAM: SOL-LA OFFERS LESSONS, CLASSES, ENSEMBLES, CHAMBER GROUPS, MUSIC THEORY, AND EARLY EDUCATION TO OVER 250 STUDENTS EACH YEAR AT SANTA MONICA CAMPUS, BRINGING TOGETHER A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION AS A COMMUNITY OF MUSICIANS. CLASSES AND ENSEMBLES RUN FROM SEPTEMBER TO JUNE, AND ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO 16-WEEK SEMESTERS. INDIVIDUAL LESSONS OCCUR YEAR-ROUND. SOL-LA SUPPORTS ACCESS TO MUSIC EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN, AS WELL AS HIGH STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE & ACHIEVEMENT. WE PROVIDE TUITION ASSISTANCE TO OVER 50% OF STUDENTS IN OUR ON-CAMPUS CLASSES. AS SOL-LA IS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL, WE EMBRACE CHILDREN OF ALL LEVELS AND WE BELIEVE THAT MUSIC SHOULD BE PART OF EVERY CHILDS EDUCATION. SOL-LA SUPPORTS THE COMMITMENT & TALENT OF PARTICULARLY HIGH-ACHIEVING STUDENTS. STUDENTS ARE CONSISTENT WINNERS AT COMPETITIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AS WELL AS RECIPIENTS OF SCHOLARSHIP AWARD, ACCEPTANCES TO PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY AND SUMMER MUSIC PROGRAMS.
  2. $42,147 spent. SEE SCHEDULE O
  3. SOL-LAS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR UCLA HERB ALPERT SHOOL OF MUSIC AND UNIVERSITY MUSIC STUDENTS PROVIDES TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES, WORKING WITH HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED LEADING EDUCATORS IN THE FIELD OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS. ADVANCED LEVEL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SOL-LA FACULTY MEMBERS, WHILE MENTORING YOUNGER STUDENTS THROUGH AFTER SCHOOL INSTRUMENTAL PRACTICE SESSIONS. THE ROLE OF THE MENTOR IS TO SERVE AS A PRACTICE SUPERVISOR, COACH, FRIEND, AND ROLE MODEL, TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE ART OF TEACHING.
  4. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4B - PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ST. ANNE SCHOOL PROGRAM: SOL-LAS SATELLITE PROGRAM AT ST. ANNE SCHOOL, THE ONLY NONPUBLIC TITLE 1 SCHOOL IN SANTA MONICA, CA IS FLOURISHING. IN 2010 SOL-LA FORMED A PARTNERSHIP WITH CROSSROADS SCHOOLS ELIZABETH MANDELL MUSIC INSTITUTE (EMMI) AND CROSSROADS COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOUNDATION (CCOF) TO PROVIDE MUSIC EDUCATION AT NO COST TO STUDENTS AT ST. ANNE SCHOOL, WHERE MORE THAN 40% OF FAMILIES MEET THE FEDERAL FOOD PROGRAM POVERTY CRITERIA. THE PROGRAM BEGAN WITH A BEGINNING CLASS OF 18 4TH GRADE CLASS VIOLIN STUDENTS AND HAS GROWN RAPIDLY TO NOW SERVE 260 K-8 GRADE STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND STRING ENSEMBLE, MUSIC THEORY AND CHORUS CLASSES ON THE SOL-LA CAMPUS WITH THE ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF THE MUSIC PROGRAM ARE WEEKLY LESSONS WITH A SOL-LA MASTER TEACH IN VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO, ORFF, AND CHORUS, AS WELL AS BI-WEEKLY PRACTICE SESSIONS FOR STRING PLAYERS WITH MENTORS FROM LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION, COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM THE UCLA HERB ALPERT SCHOOL OF MUSIC (HASOM) ACT AS SENIOR MENTORS. INSTRUMENTS ARE PROVIDED TO EACH STUDENT, THE MAJORITY ON LOAN FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER, AMERICAN YOUTH SYMPHONY, AND MANY PROVIDED THROUGH DONORS. STUDENTS IN SOL-LA SATELLITE AND ON-CAMPUS PROGRAMS COME TOGETHER TO PERFORM SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

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 November 6, 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 May 2009.

    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 November 4, 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.