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Cantus

EIN 41-1934424 · Minneapolis, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CANTUS GIVES VOICE TO SHARED HUMAN EXPERIENCE BY INSPIRING AUDIENCES THROUGH SONG AND WORD, SPARKING NEW DEPTHS OF UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY.

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
6.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 46%
Employees
12
Volunteers
55
Highest pay
$74,272, executive 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

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 11 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 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 (4)
  1. $494,959 spent. CONCERTS: CANTUS CONTINUED ITS SUCCESSFUL HYBRID CONCERT MODEL, COMBINING IN-PERSON AND ONLINE PERFORMANCES. DURING THE SEASON, THE ENSEMBLE PRESENTED FIVE SUBSCRIPTION CONCERT PROGRAMS, ALONG WITH A SPECIAL COLLABORATION WITH THE WORLD-RENOWNED SWINGLES. ACROSS THE SEASON, CANTUS SOLD MORE THAN 10,000 TICKETS.THE ENSEMBLE ALSO PREMIERED A NEW WORK BY COMPOSER SAUNDER CHOI, FURTHERING ITS COMMITMENT TO PERFORMING AND COMMISSIONING CONTEMPORARY MUSIC. ONE CONCERT FROM EACH SUBSCRIPTION WEEK WAS LIVESTREAMED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE VIEWING ON A PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN BASIS, UNDERSCORING CANTUS' DEDICATION TO ACCESSIBILITY. NOTABLY, OVER 15% OF ONLINE TICKET BUYERS CHOSE TO PAY BELOW THE SUGGESTED PRICE.AS A RESULT, LISTENERS IN ALL 47 STATES, 15 COUNTRIES, AND 196 MINNESOTA CITIES EXPERIENCED CANTUS DISTINCTIVE ARTISTRY.
  2. $246,904 spent. TOURING: DURING THE 2024-2025 CONCERT SEASON, CANTUS PERFORMED IN 15 CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED PERFORMANCES IN NEW YORK CITY, DALLAS, AND AUSTIN, A RESIDENCY IN SAN FRANCISCO IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GOLDEN GATE MEN'S CHORUS AND RAGAZZI BOYS CHORUS, AND APPEARANCES AT BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY IN SALT LAKE CITY AND THE SHALIN LIU PERFORMANCE CENTER IN ROCKPORT, MASSACHUSETTS. SCHOOL DISTRICT.
  3. $133,740 spent. RECORDING: CANTUS RELEASED ALONE TOGETHER ON THE SIGNUM CLASSICS LABEL AND RECORDED THE SECRET LETTER FOR FUTURE RELEASE. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE ENSEMBLE SHARED INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES ON YOUTUBE, SHOWCASING BOTH NEW WORKS AND ITS RENOWNED STYLISTIC RANGE.ADDITIONALLY, CANTUS PARTNERED WITH AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA TO PRODUCE A NEW RADIO SPECIAL, GIVING THANKS, WHICH WAS BROADCAST BY RADIO STATIONS NATIONWIDE.
  4. $113,165 spent. EDUCATION: CENTRAL TO CANTUS' MISSION IS EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHORAL SINGERS AND ENRICHING THE MUSICAL EXPERIENCE OF SINGERS OF ALL AGES, THROUGH WORKSHOPS, MASTERCLASSES, AND SIDE-BY-SIDE REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCES. IN THE 2024-25 SEASON, CANTUS LIVED OUT THIS ASPECT OF ITS MISSION BY CONDUCTING WORKSHOPS CONNECTED TO TOURING PROGRAMS, FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITIES HOSTING TOUR PERFORMANCES. LOCALLY, CANTUS PARTNERED WITH SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL IN MINNEAPOLIS FOR A YEAR-LONG HIGH SCHOOL RESIDENCY PROGRAM, CULMINATING IN A PUBLIC CONCERT IN MARCH, 2025. THE ENSEMBLE ALSO SERVED AS CLINICIANS AND LEADERS OF A DAY-LONG CHORAL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN MARCH, 2025, FOR HIGH SCHOOL TENORS AND BASSES; MORE THAN 110 SINGERS FROM 17 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN THE FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS SPONSORED BY THE MINNESOTA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN CHORAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION. BOTH OF THESE EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES ARE NOW WOVEN INTO THE ENSEMBLE'S ANNUAL CALENDAR, AS ARE THE WORKSHOPS AND MASTERCLASSES ON TOUR.

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

  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 July 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 November 1999.

    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.

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.