Passes our checks

Cleveland Rocks Past Present and Future

EIN 45-4532432 · Cleveland, OH

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

What it says it does

To support and preserve Clevelands popular music culture, enrich local social welfare & economic growth by stimulating music-centered initiatives.

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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

Reserves
28 of 35
Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20
It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15
Income exceeded spending by 23% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15
Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15
71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

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

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

Independent board
25 of 25
13 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15
Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8
Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7
Reports no 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.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15
Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10
Reports 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

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)

$35,230 spent. Waterloo Makes Music-This Program was 11 months of free public concerts plus 10 months of free workshops and songwriters showcases. All of these programs involved live streams that have helped build audiences for musicians.
$11,078 spent. This is an annual free music festival in 7 spaces along Waterloo Road just before Christmas where musicians are paid to perform their own twist on holiday songs or their original music.
$64,000 spent. Suma Archives project-The preservation of historic music recordings that date back to the 1950s. Old 1/2 inch tape recordings can break recordings can break down and historic records can be lost, but there is a process to bake the tapes to a certain temperature and then have the possibility of running them through a digital transfer machine to preserve them to a new format. The Suma Recording Studio has over 3000 vintage recordings that need this process.
$77,548 spent. Incubator/Accelerator Program-guidance to musicians and touring support Cleveland Rocks Presents-Helps local bands Waterloo Arts Fest-Supports musicians perform at the festival Hamann Recording Project-Provides recording time at Suma Studio Mental Health Workshops-Work with musicians. Cleveland Rocks Shop-Space to sell local musicians products.
Incubator/Accelerator Program-guidance to musicians and touring support 77548. 0. 0.

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

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 December 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 August 2012.
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.