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Vocalessence

EIN 41-1363849 · Minneapolis, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

VOCALESSENCE CHAMPIONS CHORAL MUSIC OF ALL GENRES, CELEBRATING THE VOCAL EXPERIENCE THROUGH INNOVATIVE PERFORMANCES COMMISSIONING OF NEW MUSIC, AND ENGAGING WITH DIVERSE CONSTITUENCIES.

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
19 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 62%
Employees
47
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$166,128, 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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 19.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    32 of 32 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

    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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (3)
  1. $1.1 million spent. ARTISTIC SERIES - THE ARTISTIC SERIES FEATURED 8 CONCERTS INVOLVING OUR 32-MEMBER PROFESSIONAL ENSEMBLE SINGERS, OUR 120-VOICE VOLUNTEER CHORUS, OUR 45-MEMBER TEENAGE CHOIR (SOTA), OUR 60-MEMBER VINTAGE VOICES OLDER ADULT CHOIR, GUEST ARTISTS OF CULTURALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, AND PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS, ALL LED BY THE VOCALESSENCE ARTISTIC STAFF. THE CONCERTS WERE PERFORMED AT NOTABLE VENUES AROUND THE TWIN CITIES INCLUDING ORDWAY CONCERT HALL, NORTHROP AUDITORIUM, CATHEDRAL OF SAINT PAUL, AND THE AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE. VOCALESSENCE ALSO COMMISSIONED AND PREMIERED THE WORK OF THREE COMPOSERS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND FEATURED SCOTTISH COMPOSER SIR JAMES MACMILLAN IN WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL IN APRIL 2025. EACH CONCERT IS VIDEO RECORDED FOR LATER RELEASE TO SERVE THE DIFFERING PREFERENCES OF OUR AUDIENCE. CONCERT VIDEOS WERE PROFESSIONALLY RECORDED AND EDITED AND HOSTED ON THE VOCALESSENCE WEBSITE FOR FREE VIEWING. 7,560 PEOPLE ATTENDED IN-PERSON CONCERTS; CONCERT VIDEOS RECEIVED 2,700 VIEWS; 48,700 PEOPLE INTERACTED WITH VOCALESSENCE VIA ELECTRONIC AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND RADIO BROADCASTS REACHED 1,690,000.
  2. $284,142 spent. LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS - OUR LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS ARE FOCUSED IN SEVERAL AREAS. WITNESS CELEBRATES AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE AND MUSIC, REACHING 3,370 STUDENTS IN 42 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE GREATER TWIN CITIES METRO AREA AND ENGAGING THE VOCALESSENCE SINGERS AND 8 WITNESS TEACHING ARTISTS TRAINED IN MUSIC, DANCE, AND THEATER. THE CANTARE PROGRAM CONNECTS MEXICAN COMPOSERS WITH TWIN CITIES METRO AREA SCHOOLS WHERE PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT MEXICAN CULTURE AND MUSIC THROUGH REHEARSING AND PERFORMING NEW CHORAL WORKS. TEACHING RESOURCES AND VIDEOS ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE ON A TEACHERS' PORTAL ON THE VOCALESSENCE WEBSITE. OUR VINTAGE VOICES CHOIRS ARE IN THREE LOCATIONS AND ENGAGED 110 OLDER ADULTS THROUGH SIX 13-WEEK SESSIONS OF CREATING, REHEARSING, AND PERFORMING A PROGRAM OF MUSIC, POETRY, AND PERSONAL REFLECTIONS PRESENTED TO AUDIENCES TOTALLING 680 PEOPLE. THE VOCALESSENCE SINGERS OF THIS AGE (SOTA) BRINGS TOGETHER 45 TEENAGE STUDENTS OF DIVERSE CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS FROM 15 HIGH SCHOOLS IN MINNEAPOLIS, ST. PAUL, ST. LOUIS PARK, ROBBINSDALE, AND MAPLEWOOD. 40 WEEKLY REHEARSALS INVOLVE INSTRUCTION IN MUSICIANSHIP, MOVEMENT, CHOREOGRAPHY, DRAMA, LYRICS, AND AN INTRODUCTION TO MULTIPLE MUSICAL STYLES THROUGH GUEST PRESENTERS. SOTA PERFORMED ON ALL VOCALESSENCE ARTISTIC SERIES CONCERTS AS WELL 10 ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES IN THE TWIN CITIES.
  3. $338,742 spent. SPECIAL PROGRAMS -INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER IN CHORAL PERFORMANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT, VOCALESSENCE IS ENGAGED IN OTHER SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN 2024-25, VOCALESSENCE ENGAGED IN 19 ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES, REACHING AN AUDIENCE OF 13,300, AND 3 ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS, REACHING AN AUDIENCE OF 110. ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES INCLUDE MUSIC FESTIVALS, CORPORATE APPEARANCES, FUNDRAISING EVENTS, SENIOR RESIDENCES, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS' PERFORMING SEASONS. VOCALESSENCE ALSO HOSTED MEXICAN CULTURAL AMBASSADORS, VOZ EN PUNTO, FOR A WEEKLONG RESIDENCY IN SEPTEMBER 2024, AND UNDERTOOK A RECORDING SESSION WITH SINGER, COMPOSER, ENTERTAINER, MELANIE DEMORE, CREATING 14 NEW RECORDED TRACKS OF HER MUSIC.

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 December 1979.

    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.

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