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Music in Common Inc

EIN 26-3195366 · Atlanta, GA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MUSIC IN COMMON'S MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN, EMPOWER AND EDUCATE COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF MUSIC. BY PRODUCING FREE, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE CONCERTS, SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTIONS WITH AN INTEREST IN UNDERSERVED AREAS AND COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE IS A HISTORY OF CONFLICT, MUSIC IN COMMON (MIC) PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND COLLABORATIONS THAT CAN LEAD TO POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE.

Income
$395,049
Spending
$321,209
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
5
Highest pay
$60,000, executive dir.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 50% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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

    5 of 5 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
  1. $232,586 spent. For the year ended December 31, 2024, the organization operated the following programs:Music in Common programs bring together diverse communities in or at risk of conflict. We curate experiences of facilitated conversation and music that make it possible for common ground to be discovered. MIC programs are produced in partnership with schools, corporations, community organizations, arts & culture centers, religious institutions, municipalities, government agencies, and other nonprofits. JAMMSOur flagship JAMMS program (Journalism As Music, Multimedia, and Songwriting) is a culturally immersive, experiential intensive for youth and adults. Rich and meaningful conversations open the door for participants to learn about each other's backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. From these conversations, participants choose a theme to collectively write a song and create a multimedia production. Since the program's launch in 2010, more than 60 JAMMS songs have been written, recorded, and performed by hundreds of participants around the world. and is open to musicians and non-musicians alike. JAMMS sessions are led by professional musicians, multimedia creators, and educators trained in MIC's unique facilitation methodology. AMPLIFYJAMMS songs are written by musicians and non-musicians alike from diverse and varied backgrounds worldwide. Amplify harnesses the talents of skilled musicians to propel the powerful messages of these songs to a wider audience through recordings and live performance. Our three-week Amplify summer residency has brought together youth musicians from throughout the U.S. and Middle East to learn, record, and perform a full set of JAMMS songs. Amplify '19, featuring seven of the songs from that summer's residency, was released in 2020 and is the first in a series of scheduled Amplify releases.AROUND THE MICAround the MIC is a fresh twist on the traditional songwriters in the round format that features artists of diverse backgrounds and musical genres swapping songs round robin style with a bit of cypher-like fun thrown into the mix from time to time. In addition to the featured artists showcasing their own material, each learns and performs one song from the Music in Common songbook, comprised of dozens of songs written or performed in MIC programs including JAMMS, Black Legacy Project, and FODfest. FODfestFODfest (Friends of Danny festival) is our flagship concert and the event from which Music in Common was born. FODfest honors the life of slain Wall St. Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl, and features local, regional, and national musicians in a unique format that is part concert, part song swap, and part jam session. FODfest is a living demonstration of the power of music to connect people, generating a sense of community, hope, and healing. FODfest concerts are free & open to the public and take place each October in honor of Danny's birthday.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.

    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 March 2009.

    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.

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