Sphinx Organization Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH THE POWER OF THE ARTS.
- Income
- $9.2 million
- Spending
- $7.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 32.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 85
- Highest pay
- $598,775, pres./artist
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 32.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 34% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2519 of 20 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, 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)
- $1.2 million spent. PERFORMING ARTISTS: CARNEGIE GALA, EXIGENCE, SPHINX VIRTUOSI THE PERFORMING ARTISTS PROGRAM IS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR PROMOTING THE TOP ARTISTS WHO SERVE AS AMBASSADORS TO THE FIELD, SPHINX'S MISSION AND ARTS CITIZENSHIP. THE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES TOURING AND PERFORMANCES BY THE VARIOUS SPHINX ENSEMBLES. SPHINX VIRTUOSI IS AN ACCLAIMED ENSEMBLE OF SOLOISTS WHICH TOURS NATIONALLY. EXIGENCE IS THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL VOCAL ENSEMBLE FOCUSED ON EVOLVING THE CHORAL CANON ON AMERICAN STAGES. THE PERFORMING ARTISTS PROGRAM REACHES APPROXIMATELY 10,000+ IN LIVE AUDIENCES AND PARTICIPANTS ANNUALLY.
- $2.4 million spent. ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: NAAS, SPHINX COMPETITION (OLDEST PROGRAM), SOLOIST PROGRAM, COLLEGE- BOUND/MUSIC ASSISTANCE FUND/INSTRUMENT FUND. THE SPHINX COMPETITION IDENTIFIES AND EMPOWERS TOP YOUNG MUSICIANS IN THE COUNTRY BY OFFERING PERFORMANCE, COMPETITION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ALONG WITH COLLABORATION AND MENTORSHIP FROM MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSIONAL SPHINX SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. THE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AREA IS AIMED AT ENGAGING AND PROMOTING THE TOP YOUNG TALENT AND PROVIDING THEM WITH A PROFESSIONAL AUDITION/EXPOSURE EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO MENTORSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, FINE INSTRUMENTS AND BEYOND. THE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INCLUDES INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT/ENSEMBLE EXPERIENCE, HIGHER EDUCATION AND EARLY CAREER. THE PROGRAM REACHES APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION IN LIVE AND BROADCAST AUDIENCES ANNUALLY, WHILE SERVING AS THE PRIMARY RESOURCE TO THE FIELD. THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR AUDITION SUPPORT IS A NATIONAL CONSORTIUM PROJECT AIMED AT ADVANCING REPRESENTATION IN AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS AND SUPPORTING CAREERS OF MUSICIANS PURSUING THE ORCHESTRAL TRACK. ARTIST DEVELOPMENT: NAAS, SPHINX COMPETITION (OLDEST PROGRAM), SOLOIST PROGRAM, COLLEGE- BOUND/MUSIC ASSISTANCE FUND/INSTRUMENT FUND. THE SPHINX COMPETITION IDENTIFIES AND EMPOWERS TOP YOUNG MUSICIANS IN THE COUNTRY BY OFFERING PERFORMANCE, COMPETITION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ALONG WITH COLLABORATION AND MENTORSHIP FROM MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSIONAL SPHINX SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. THE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AREA IS AIMED AT ENGAGING AND PROMOTING THE TOP YOUNG TALENT AND PROVIDING THEM WITH A PROFESSIONAL AUDITION/EXPOSURE EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO MENTORSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, FINE INSTRUMENTS AND BEYOND. THE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INCLUDES INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT/ENSEMBLE EXPERIENCE, HIGHER EDUCATION AND EARLY CAREER. THE PROGRAM REACHES APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION IN LIVE AND BROADCAST AUDIENCES ANNUALLY, WHILE SERVING AS THE PRIMARY RESOURCE TO THE FIELD. THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR AUDITION SUPPORT IS A NATIONAL CONSORTIUM PROJECT AIMED AT ADVANCING REPRESENTATION IN AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS AND SUPPORTING CAREERS OF MUSICIANS PURSUING THE ORCHESTRAL TRACK.
- $1.5 million spent. ARTS LEADERSHIP - LEAD, SCOTUS, SPHINX MEDALS OF EXCELLENCE, SPHINXCONNECT, MPOWER. THE ARTS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM OF SPHINXCONNECT, OUR LARGEST AND LONGEST STANDING CONVENING DEDICATED TO ESCELLENCE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, ALONG WITH ARTIST GRANTS, OUR MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD PROGRAM, AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND INDUSTRY SERVICE WORK. LIVE PARTICIPANT REACH HERE IS 1,200+. SPHINXCONNECT IS THE MAIN RESOURCE TO THE FIELD, POSITIONING SPHINX AS THE MAIN INCUBATOR OF IDEAS, BEST PRACTICES, ACCESS TO MENTORSHIP AND TALENT. MPOWER AND SPHINX MEDALS OF EXCELLENCE ARE ARTIST GRANT PROGRAMS, WHICH OFFER RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TOWARD INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND CREATIVE VENTURES UNDERTAKEN BY THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF SPHINX ALUMNI. ARTS LEADERSHIP - LEAD, SCOTUS, SPHINX MEDALS OF EXCELLENCE, SPHINXCONNECT, MPOWER. THE ARTS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM OF SPHINXCONNECT, OUR LARGEST AND LONGEST STANDING CONVENING DEDICATED TO ESCELLENCE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, ALONG WITH ARTIST GRANTS, OUR MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD PROGRAM, AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND INDUSTRY SERVICE WORK. LIVE PARTICIPANT REACH HERE IS 1,200+. SPHINXCONNECT IS THE MAIN RESOURCE TO THE FIELD, POSITIONING SPHINX AS THE MAIN INCUBATOR OF IDEAS, BEST PRACTICES, ACCESS TO MENTORSHIP AND TALENT. MPOWER AND SPHINX MEDALS OF EXCELLENCE ARE ARTIST GRANT PROGRAMS, WHICH OFFER RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TOWARD INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND CREATIVE VENTURES UNDERTAKEN BY THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF SPHINX ALUMNI.
- $1.3 million spent. EDUCATION - OVERTURE AND SPHINX PERFORMANCE ACADEMY (SPA). THE EDUCATION PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES ALL OF OUR CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, FROM THE EARLIEST INTRODUCTION TO HANDS-ON INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING TO INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION. ALL PROGRAMS ARE FULL-SCHOLARSHIP, WITH AN ANNUAL REACH OF APPROXIMATELY 500. OVERTURE, A NATIONALLY DISTINGUISHED PROGRAM, CELEBRATED AT THE WHITE HOUSE, PLACES INSTRUMENTS IN THE HANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME. SPHINX PERFORMANCE ACADEMY, NOW IN 3 DIFFERENT CHAPTERS, ENGAGES YOUNG ARTISTS AT AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL, EMPHASIZING THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WHO EXHIBIT MUCH TALENT AND APTITUDE AND MAY BENEFIT FROM AN INTENSIVE IMMERSIVE PREPARATORY EXPERIENCE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF TOP ARTISTS.
- EDUCATION - OVERTURE AND SPHINX PERFORMANCE ACADEMY (SPA). THE EDUCATION PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES ALL OF OUR CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, FROM THE EARLIEST INTRODUCTION TO HANDS-ON INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING TO INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION. ALL PROGRAMS ARE FULL-SCHOLARSHIP, WITH AN ANNUAL REACH OF APPROXIMATELY 500. OVERTURE, A NATIONALLY DISTINGUISHED PROGRAM, CELEBRATED AT THE WHITE HOUSE, PLACES INSTRUMENTS IN THE HANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME. SPHINX PERFORMANCE ACADEMY, NOW IN 3 DIFFERENT CHAPTERS, ENGAGES YOUNG ARTISTS AT AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL, EMPHASIZING THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WHO EXHIBIT MUCH TALENT AND APTITUDE AND MAY BENEFIT FROM AN INTENSIVE IMMERSIVE PREPARATORY EXPERIENCE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF TOP ARTISTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 October 13, 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 2025.
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 August 1996.
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 October 21, 2026.
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