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Macphail Center for Music

EIN 41-1729340 · Minneapolis, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MACPHAIL CENTER FOR MUSIC PROVIDES ACCESS TO DIVERSE AND RELEVANT MUSIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES, DELIVERED BY EXTRAORDINARY FACULTY.

Income
$14.6 million
Spending
$16.2 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
5.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 59%
Employees
377
Volunteers
51
Highest pay
$234,548, president - june 2024

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    27 of 27 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 August 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 (1)
  1. $12.7 million spent. MACPHAIL CENTER FOR MUSIC TRANSFORMS LIVES AND STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE POWER OF MUSIC. AS THE NATION'S LARGEST COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL, MACPHAIL ANNUALLY SERVES MORE THAN 15,000 STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND ABILITIES THROUGH DIVERSE MUSIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES. OUR EXTRAORDINARY FACULTY OFFER INDIVIDUAL LESSONS AND GROUP CLASSES ON MORE THAN 35 INSTRUMENTS, AS WELL AS IN VOICE, COMPOSITION, ELECTRONIC MUSIC, AND THE RECORDING ARTS. INSTRUCTION IS OFFERED AT FOUR LOCATIONSAPPLE VALLEY, MINN.; AUSTIN, MINN.; CHANHASSEN, MINN.; MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.; AND MADELINE ISLAND, WIS.AS WELL AS ONLINE AND THROUGH DOZENS OF COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS.COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, MACPHAIL'S COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES TO 9,155 STUDENTS ACROSS 136 LOCATIONS. THIS REPRESENTS MORE THAN HALF OF ALL MACPHAIL STUDENTS.ON-SITE MUSIC INSTRUCTION IN FY25, MACPHAIL PROVIDED MUSIC EDUCATION TO 5,285 STUDENTS THROUGH ITS ON-SITE LOCATIONS IN MINNEAPOLIS, APPLE VALLEY, AUSTIN (MINN.), CHANHASSEN, AND MADELINE ISLAND (WIS.).PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS EACH YEAR, MACPHAIL PRESENTS NEARLY 300 LIVE CONCERTS AND 74 WORKSHOPS, REACHING MORE THAN 32,700 PEOPLE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 October 13, 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 August 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 1992.

    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 October 21, 2026.

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