Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IT IS CLEARWATER JAZZ HOLIDAY FOUNDATION'S MISSION TO BE THE LEADING PROPONENT OF JAZZ ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATION IN FLORIDA THROUGH THE ANNUAL PRESENTATION OF A WORLD-CLASS, LIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL IN CLEARWATER, FLORIDA (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) DURING THE THIRD WEEK OF OCTOBER AND TO PROMOTE TOURISM TO PINELLAS COUNTY AS A KEY COMPONENT OF THIS CELEBRATION.
- Income
- $592,315
- Spending
- $729,385
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 8.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 74%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 85
- Highest pay
- $183,071, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 26% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 69% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 21 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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, 2024, 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 (2)
- $390,196 spent. CLEARWATER JAZZ HOLIDAY IS TAMPA BAY'S SIGNATURE MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH A 45-YEAR TRADITION OF DIVERSE, WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCES AND SIGNIFICANT SUSTAINED CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT. THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL TRADITION OCCURS EVERY OCTOBER. THE FESTIVAL HAS A JAZZFEST VIBE AND HAS EVOLVED INTO AN INTERNATIONAL, MULTI-GENRE CELEBRATION, WITH UNIQUE JAZZ HERITAGE, FEATURING A HIGH-PROFILE LINEUP OF LEGENDARY AND CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) THE CITY OF CLEARWATER COMPLETED ITS IMAGINE CLEARWATER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN THE SUMMER OF 2023. UNFORTUNATELY, THE 2024 FESTIVAL (OCTOBER 17-20) WAS CANCELED DUE TO THE UNPRECEDENTED IMPACT OF HURRICANES HELENE AND MILTON, WHICH STRUCK WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF EACH OTHER. THE COMBINATION OF SAFETY CONCERNS, LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES, AND OTHER CRITICAL FACTORS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE AND INFEASIBLE TO PROCEED WITH THE EVENT. THE ORGANIZATION IS NOW PREPARING FOR THE FESTIVAL TO RETURN TO ITS LONGTIME HOME ON THE WATERFRONT IN A BEAUTIFULLY REDESIGNED COACHMAN PARK, A UNIQUE SETTING THAT ACCOMMODATES THOUSANDS OF ATTENDEES. THE 2025 FESTIVAL IS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL AS WE CELEBRATE A "BACK TO OUR ROOTS" THEME WITH A REFRESHED FORMAT THAT EMBRACES THE FULL BEAUTY OF COACHMAN PARK AND THE WATERFRONT, RESTORING THE FESTIVAL'S BELOVED INTIMACY AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT, AND THE 2025 EXPERIENCE WILL ALSO FEATURE LATE AFTERNOON CONCERTS IN THE LOWER PLAZA AND ON THE PROMENADE PIER AHEAD OF THE EVENING HEADLINERS ON THE MAIN STAGE. CJH IS PRODUCED AND ORGANIZED BY THE CLEARWATER JAZZ HOLIDAY FOUNDATION, INC., A 501(C)(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND PROUD RECIPIENT OF THE 2016 CLEARWATER REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S JUDGES' CHOICE NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR AWARD. EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH ARE CENTRAL TO THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION. THE ORGANIZATION CELEBRATES AND PROMOTES THE ART FORM OF JAZZ YEAR-ROUND WITH INNOVATIVE MUSIC APPRECIATION AND INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS, MEANINGFUL PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES, TARGETED FUNDING INITIATIVES, ONLINE RESOURCES, CREATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES, AND BY CULTIVATING A DIVERSE, VIBRANT SOCIAL COMMUNITY.
- $99,523 spent. ACCORDINGLY, WHILE CJH IS THE ORGANIZATION'S MAIN PROGRAM SERVICE, THE MONEY EARNED FROM CJH AND OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IS USED NOT ONLY TO OPERATE THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL BUT ALSO TO FURTHER THE ORGANIZATION'S COMMUNITY IMPACT. THESE YEAR-ROUND INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES AND SOCIAL EVENTS ARE CHANGING LIVES AND PROVIDING SPECIAL EXPERIENCES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND VARYING SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, FROM THE VERY YOUNG TO THE SENIOR COMMUNITY. THE ACTIVITIES ALSO PROMOTE PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, INSPIRE JAZZ/MUSIC APPRECIATION, CREATE AUDIENCES, AND INCREASE CULTURAL AWARENESS THROUGH YEAR-ROUND SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) THESE OPPORTUNITIES IGNITE CREATIVITY, CULTIVATE MUSICIANSHIP, INSPIRE LIFELONG CAREERS IN MUSIC, AND FOSTER MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WHILE ENRICHING SKILLS AND BUILDING NEW AUDIENCES. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE HIGHLIGHTED ONLINE AT THE CJH EDUCATION & OUTREACH AND CJH QUICK LOOK PAGES WHICH CONTAIN SEVERAL INFORMATIVE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS. CJH YEAR-ROUND EDUCATION & OUTREACH INITIATIVES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: HISTORY OF JAZZ OUTREACH - IMPACTS THOUSANDS OF MIDDLE AND UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH A LIVE, INTERACTIVE MUSIC EXPERIENCE TO LOCAL SCHOOLS (INCLUDING TITLE I SCHOOLS) AS WELL AS OTHER SPECIAL GROUPS. THE PROGRAM IS FREE AND CONSISTS OF A JAZZ EDUCATOR AND OUTREACH BAND OF PROFESSIONALS DELIVERING ENGAGING PRESENTATIONS, TELLING THE STORY OF JAZZ THROUGH MUSIC. THE PROGRAM IS ADAPTABLE AND ALSO REACHES CHILDREN WHOSE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE ARE LIMITED BY GEOGRAPHY, ECONOMICS, CIRCUMSTANCE, OR DISABILITY. IN 2020, THE ORGANIZATION ALSO LAUNCHED ITS ONLINE STOP-TIME SERIES WITH FRANK WILLIAMS TO COMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM WITH A FREE COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF JAZZ VIDEO ARCHIVE DELIVERED IN FRANK'S ONE-OF-A-KIND STYLE. SEGMENTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IN AUDIO FORM ON A NEW YOUNG LIONS JAZZ MASTER "VIRTUAL" SESSIONS PODCAST - FREE ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS. MY JOURNEY WITH JAZZ - A MUSIC MENTORING PROJECT IN A UNIQUE GAME FORMAT DELIVERING A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE TO NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILY CENTER AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS IN ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES. STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN TEAMS BY ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM CATEGORIES WITH GUIDED DISCOVERY. THERE IS ALSO A PERFORMANCE FINALE WHERE STUDENTS JOIN PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEY LEARNED. AT THE FINALES, STUDENTS READ SCRIPTED PARTS ABOUT IMPORTANT ERAS AND JAZZ LEGENDS. THE FINALES ARE TYPICALLY ALIGNED WITH MANDATORY PARENT MEETINGS OR OTHER FAMILY EVENTS. THE PROGRAM'S SESSIONS ARE AN INTERACTIVE MUSICAL JOURNEY THROUGH TIME. THE THEMES ARE: 1) NEW ORLEANS AND EARLY JAZZ; 2) THE SWING ERA; 3) BEBOP AND BEYOND; AND 4) JAZZ & THE WORLD. IN ADDITION TO INFLUENTIAL FIGURES, THE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANT PLACES AND PAINTS A PICTURE OF THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC CLIMATE FROM THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION THROUGH THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND BEYOND. IN THIS WAY, STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUES THAT SHAPED THE EVOLUTION OF THIS TRULY AMERICAN ART FORM, AND FROM THE VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF MUSICIANS. STUDENTS ALSO LEARN ABOUT THE POWER OF THIS MUSIC TO HEAL AND BRIDGE CULTURES. IN 2020, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED AN OFFSHOOT CALLED MY "VIRTUAL" JOURNEY WITH JAZZ TO COMPLEMENT THE TRADITIONAL PROGRAM WITH AN ONLINE RESOURCE TO REINFORCE THE IN-PERSON LEARNING. THIS VIRTUAL COMPONENT WILL ALSO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS ABOUT JAZZ INSTRUMENTATION AND OTHER SPECIAL SUBJECTS. THESE RESOURCES, GEARED TOWARD A YOUNGER AUDIENCE, ARE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE, AND ARE BUILDING A NEXT GENERATION JAZZ AUDIENCE. STUDENTS ARE ALSO AWARDED CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION AS THEY COMPLETE THE IN-PERSON CYCLES. YOUNG LIONS JAZZ MASTER SESSIONS - A ONE-OF-A-KIND INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR JAZZ STUDENTS WITH GROUP CLINICS, MASTER CLASS SESSIONS, AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES INVOLVING UNIVERSITY JAZZ EDUCATORS AND LOCAL JAZZ PROFESSIONALS, FREE TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM IS HELPING TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS WHO WILL CARRY ON THE JAZZ TRADITION. THE PEER-TO-PEER PERFORMANCE AND COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT BRIDGES STUDENTS OF VARYING BACKGROUNDS, IMPROVES SOCIALIZATION SKILLS, ELEVATES PERFORMANCE ABILITY, AND BUILDS CONFIDENCE. IN 2020, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE YOUNG LIONS JAZZ MASTER "VIRTUAL" SESSIONS, A SPECIAL PROGRAM ADOPTION, BY ENGAGING MUSICIANS TO OFFER LIVE MASTER CLASSES AND INSTRUMENT LESSONS. THESE VIRTUAL SESSIONS, ARCHIVED ONLINE IN "THE STUDIO", NOW COMPLEMENT THE TRADITIONAL IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING. ALL SESSIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IN AUDIO FORM AS PART OF THE CJH'S FREE YOUNG LIONS JAZZ MASTER "VIRTUAL" SESSIONS PODCAST. GIVE THEM A STAGE PROGRAM - THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A YEAR-ROUND, PAID PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS, HELPING ASPIRING ARTISTS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE, HONE THEIR CRAFT, NETWORK, DEVELOP FANS, AND OFTEN PLAY WITH MORE ESTABLISHED PROFESSIONALS. CJH'S WIDE REACHING PLATFORM CREATES PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES AT CJH PARTNER FUNCTIONS, VARIOUS VENUES, AND AT CJH EVENTS. AS PART OF THE PROGRAM, CJH SEEKS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO PERFORM AND HANDLES SCHEDULING. AS JAZZ IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF CJH'S EDUCATION & OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, MOST PROGRAM PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHT THE JAZZ GENRE. SPECIAL FUNDING - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROVIDING SPECIAL FUNDING IN SUPPORT OF YOUTH MUSIC AND JAZZ EDUCATION INCLUDING ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ENSEMBLES AND BAND PROGRAMS; SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS WITH ASPIRING MUSIC, MUSIC EDUCATION, AND EVENT PRODUCTION CAREERS; JAZZ CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS, AND SUPPORT TO YOUTH JAZZ PROGRAMS. LEARNING EXPERIENCES - THE ORGANIZATION IS ALSO KNOWN FOR UNIQUE, EVENT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES. HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ALL FACETS OF EVENT PRODUCTION. COLLABORATIONS WITH EDUCATION PARTNERS, SUCH AS ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE (SPC), ARE CREATING EXCITING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. ONE
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 November 6, 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 2024.
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 December 1990.
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 November 4, 2026.
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