Music in the Somerset Hills Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MUSIC IN THE SOMERSET HILLS, INC. MISSION IS TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS OF NEW JERSEY'S SOMERSET HILLS AND THE SURROUNDING REGION WITH AN UNPARALLELED VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR, PERFORM AND LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD'S GREAT CLASSICAL MUSIC THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OF CAPTIVATING PERFORMANCES, ARTISTIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH PERFORMING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMATEUR SINGERS/MUSICIANS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG, EMERGING ARTISTS.
- Income
- $332,897
- Spending
- $309,371
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 3.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $91,800, artistic director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 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 2514 of 14 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 July 31, 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 (2)
- $230,386 spent. ANNUAL CONCERT SERIES CONSISTED OF ALL IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES. THE IN-PERSON EVENTS WERE HELD AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE SOMERSET HILLS AREA AND INCLUDED PRIVATE HOMES, CHURCHES, THEATRES, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION SPACE. TICKET PRICES RANGED FROM FREE TO $250 DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION AND PERFORMERS. EVENTS HELD IN THE 2024-2025 CONCERT YEAR WERE GUILDED AGE AT BLAIRSDEN, HELD IN OCTOBER AT A PRIVATE ESTATE IN BEDMINSTER; AMUSE BOUCHE, A PRIVATE EVENT HELD IN NOVEMBER AT A PRIVATE HOME; AN ELIZABETHAN CHRISTMAS, HELD IN DECEMBER AT A THEATRE IN MADISON; JANUARY JAZZ, HELD IN JANUARY AT A RESTAURANT IN BERNARDSVILLE; BACH & GIBBONS, HELD IN JANUARY AT A CHURCH IN MORRISTOWN; DURUFLE REQUIEM, HELD IN MARCH AT A CHURCH IN MORRISTOWN; THE YALE WHIFFENPOOFS, HELD IN APRIL AT A CHURCH IN PLUCKEMIN; HARMONIAS DEL CARIBE, HELD IN MAY AT A THEATRE IN BOUND BROOK; MUSIC OF THE SILVER SCREEN, INCLUDING THE SOMERSET HILLS CHORUS, HELD IN JUNE AT A SCHOOL IN BASKING RIDGE; AND OUTREACH CONCERTS (2) HELD IN MAY AT RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES IN LIBERTY CORNER AND HACKETTSTOWN; ATTENDANCE AT THESE CONCERTS APPROXIMATED 1,900 WHICH INCLUDED STUDENTS WHO WERE ADMITTED FREE OF CHARGE.
- $6,158 spent. SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN GRADES 2-12. THE CAMP CONSISTS OF A FOUR-DAY PROGRAM HELD AT AN AREA CHURCH. ENROLLMENT IN THE CAMP APPROXIMATED 20 STUDENTS. EARLY MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM CLASSES ARE AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN 0-4 YEARS OF AGE. ENROLLMENT IN THE EDUCATION CLASSES APPROXIMATED 15 STUDENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 2011.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.