Lang Lang International Music Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SUPPORT, PROMOTE, DEVELOP AND TEACH MUSIC TECHNIQUES THAT FURTHER CHILD DEVELOPMENT, MUSIC APPRECIATION, CULTURAL AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY AND GLOBAL UNITY; AND FUNDRAISING FOR HUMANITARIAN AID.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 34.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $373,651, ceo/secretary/treasurer
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
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 34.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 43% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (4)
- $583,316 spent. KEYS OF INSPIRATION (KOI):KEYS OF INSPIRATION IS AN INNOVATIVE MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT ENCOURAGES PIANO PERFORMANCE AT ALL LEVELS AS A MEANS OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTH BY PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH A SAFE CREATIVE OUTLET IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM HAS ESTABLISHED A REPLICABLE PATHWAY INTO THE WORLD OF MUSIC, AND SERVES AS A MODEL FOR MUSIC EDUCATION BEST PRACTICES FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM IN TITLE-1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. DESIGNED TO REDEFINE WHAT MUSIC EDUCATION LOOKS LIKE IN AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND INSPIRE CHANGE FROM WITHIN, KOI WEAVES RIGOROUS, KEYBOARD-CENTRIC, MUSICAL INSTRUCTION INTO SELECTED TITLE 1 PUBLIC SCHOOLS' MANDATORY CURRICULUMINTEGRATING GROUP PIANO CLASSES FOR GRADES 2-5, TWICE A WEEK. IN THE KOI PIANO LAB, STUDENTS BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE, DEVELOP A DRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE, AND CULTIVATE A SENSE OF GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT. THE KEYS OF INSPIRATION CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED TO INTEGRATE PIANO INTO A SCHOOL'S EXISTING GENERAL MUSIC CURRICULUM, ENHANCING THEIR MUSIC PROGRAM AND PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH A MORE HANDS-ON MUSIC EDUCATION. THE FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO CULTIVATING A NATIONAL MUSICAL NETWORK, SPANNING SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND CONNECTING DISTRICT LEADERS, ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS. SELECTED SCHOOLS RECEIVE THE FOLLOWING:- THEONE SMART PIANO LAB CLASSROOM WITH 20-30 NEW, STATE OF THE ART ELECTRIC PIANOS, BENCHES, STUDENT MONITORS, REMOTE ANDROID BOXES, IOS AND ANDROID CONNECTION CABLES, WIRELESS ROUTER, AND A TEACHER COMPUTER WITH SOFTWARE SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL- RESOURCES AND SUPPORT GUIDES FOR SETTING UP THE GROUP PIANO CLASSROOM - YEARLY MAINTENANCE AND BUDGET GUIDES TO HELP PLAN FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS - MUSIC CURRICULUM DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC - SUPPLEMENTAL TRAINING AND ONGOING SUPPORT/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE MUSIC TEACHER IN 2024, KEYS OF INSPIRATION PROVIDED MUSIC PROGRAMMING TO 95 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE USA AND EUROPE, REACHING APPROXIMATELY 38,000 STUDENTS. THIS YEAR, THEONE SMART PIANO LAB WAS FIRST INTRODUCED AS THE NEW 21ST CENTURY TECH BASED SMART PIANO LAB LEARNING MODEL. WE CONTINUED TO DEVELOP STRONGER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REPERTOIRE AND PROVIDED MORE DIRECT SUPPORT AND NEW RESOURCES FOR OUR TEACHER PARTNERS. TEACHERS FROM KOI SCHOOLS WERE PROVIDED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AN IN-PERSON CONFERENCE IN CHARLESTON, SC. THE PRESENTING PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDED BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MUSIC EDUCATION, THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC, SOUTH CAROLINA MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA MUSIC DEPARTMENT, AND MORE.THE MAJORITY OF OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS HELD HOLIDAY AND SPRING CONCERTS TO CELEBRATE THEIR MUSIC PROGRAM AND SHARE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO RECOGNIZED THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR EDUCATORS, NAMING ONE PARTICULARLY EXTRAORDINARY, DEDICATED MUSIC TEACHER, MARIA DORESTE VELAZQUEZ FROM BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AS OUR 2023-24 KEYS OF INSPIRATION TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
- $191,537 spent. YOUNG SCHOLARS:THE YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED BY THE FOUNDATION IN 2008 TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT TALENTED YOUNG PIANISTS IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. NOW A GLOBAL PROGRAM, THIS UNIQUE INITIATIVE CURRENTLY SUPPORTS A 3-YEAR EXPERIENCE FROM 2024-2026 FOR 17 SCHOLARS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, EUROPE, AND CHINA, DURING THEIR TIME AS YOUNG SCHOLARS, THE FOUNDATION HOSTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTENSIVE MUSIC STUDY AT OUR GLOBAL PIANO ACADEMIES AT WORLD-RENOWNED INSTITUTIONS. IN 2024, WE HOSTED OUR FIRST OF THESE INTENSIVES AT THE CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF MUSIC IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. ADDITIONALLY, YOUNG SCHOLARS PERFORM AT MUSIC FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND THE ANDERMATT MUSIC FESTIVAL AMONG OTHERS, AND THEY HAVE REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY IN MASTER CLASSES WITH TOP MUSIC EDUCATORS. THE YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM ALSO SERVES AS A PLATFORM FOR SCHOLARS TO EXPLORE THEIR MUSICAL REACH THROUGH OUR MUSIC HEALS INITIATIVE WHICH PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL PERFORMANCES FOR AUDIENCES WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE ACCESS TO LIVE MUSIC. YOUNG SCHOLARS CONCERTS ARE HELD IN CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND AT OUTDOOR COMMUNITY EVENTS. THESE EXPERIENCES HELP YOUNG MUSICIANS DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE, RESILIENCE, AND A SENSE OF FULFILLMENT IN THEIR CREATIVE AND MUSICAL ENDEAVORS.
- $101,397 spent. UNIQUE MUSIC EVENTS:THE PROGRAMMING PROVIDED THROUGH LLIMF'S UNIQUE MUSIC EVENTS PROVIDES BOTH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUNG PIANISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THROUGH THIS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING TALENTED YOUNG PIANISTS TO OUR KEYS OF INSPIRATION SCHOOL PARTNERS AND BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.PREVIOUS EVENTS INCLUDE: COLLABORATION CONCERT FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS, FEATURING BOSTON MAYOR MICHELLE WU PERFORMING WITH LANG LANG, AND AN END OF YEAR INTERNATIONAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND RECITAL FOR LANG LANG AT THE RISLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL IN LONDON, INCLUDING SPECIAL "IN-PERSON" GUESTS FROM PS 214K, NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
- $34,110 spent. 101 PIANISTS:THE 101 PIANISTS PERFORMANCES AIM TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF MUSIC LOVERS AND PERFORMERS BY ENGAGING 100 YOUNG PIANISTS IN A UNIQUE SOCIAL MUSICAL EVENT WITH LANG LANG. IN 2009, LANG LANG BROUGHT 100 PIANISTS TOGETHER FOR A UNIQUE PERFORMANCE THAT PRODUCED SOMETHING GREATER THAN ANY SINGLE PERFORMER COULD CREATE ALONE. TO DATE THIS PROGRAM HAS INSPIRED OVER 100,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND PIANO STUDENTS INTERNATIONALLY.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.