Grateful Crane Ensemble
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE AND PRESENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT TELL THE STORIES OF SACRIFICES MADE BY FIRST AND SECOND GENERATION IMMIGRANTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY. THESE PROGRAMS EDUCATE AND FOSTER INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.
- Income
- $159,290
- Spending
- $160,227
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 12.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 35
- Highest pay
- $47,616, exec director
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 41% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (1)
- $138,807 spent. GRATEFUL CRANE HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN OF SERVICE TO NIKKEI SENIORS, BUT IN 2024 WE EXPANDED TO REACH COLLEGE STUDENTS, CHILDREN AND THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE. BUDDHIST CHURCHES OF AMERICA 125TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW: IN 2024, GRATEFUL CRANE DEBUTED A BRAND NEW SHOW IN CELEBRATION OF THE BUDDHIST CHUCHES OF AMERICA'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY. FEATURING A CAPTIVATING NARRATIVE COVERING 125 YEARS OF HISTORY AND FAVORITE JAPANESE, AMERICAN AND BUDDHIST SONGS, OUR "LIVING GRATITUDE" SHOW PREMIERED AT THE BCA'S NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING IN FEBRUARY, 2024 IN SACRAMENTO. BISHOP MARVIN HARADA WAS SO MOVED BY OUR SHOW THAT HE APPROVED A NATIONWIDE TOUR OF THE SHOW WHICH WOULD START IN 2024, AND CONTINUE INTO 2025 AND 2026 TO SEVEN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. GUEST SPEAKER AT TWO DAY OF REMEMBRANCE PROGRAMS: IN FEBRUARY 2024, GRATEFUL CRANE'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/PLAYWRIGHT SOJI KASHIWAGI WAS THE FEATURED SPEAKER AT TWO DAY OF REMEMBRANCE PROGRAMS AT THE JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH, AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH. AT BOTH EVENTS, ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 500 PEOPLE, SOJI SPOKE ABOUT BEING A "SON OF NO-NO, AND ADDRESSED A TOPIC PREVIOUSLY IGNORED AND AVOIDED WITHIN THE JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY: JAPANESE AMERICAN PROTEST AND RESISTANCE DURING THEIR WWII INCARCERATION. THE SECOND EVENT AT UCI WAS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE WAS LARGELY YOUNG NIKKEI STUDENTS, WHO WERE MOST LIKELY LEARNING ABOUT THIS TOPIC FOR THE FIRST TIME. MEMORIES CONCERTS FOR JA SENIORS LIVING WITH MEMORY ISSUES: THROUGHOUT 2024, MEMBERS OF GRATEFUL CRANE PERFORMED OUR "MEMORIES CONCERTS" FOR NIKKEI SENIORS LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S OR DEMENTIA AT VARIOUS NURSING HOMES AND MEMORY CARE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AT EVERY SHOW, SENIORS WHO COULD NOT REMEMBER WHAT THEY HAD FOR LUNCH WOULD START JOYFULLY SINGING ALONG TO EVERY SONG, AND KNOWING EVERY WORD. ONE WOMAN WHO HAD STOPPED SPEAKING ALL OF A SUDDEN WAS SINGING. OUR CONCERTS NOT ONLY BROUGHT JOY TO THE SENIORS, BUT TO THE STAFF AS WELL, WHO SAW THE PERSON LOCKED INSIDE LITERALLY COME TO LIFE RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES.TEACHING TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CHILDREN SONGS TO NIKKEI CHILDREN: IN JUNE 2024, WE COLLABORATED WITH KIZUNA, A YOUTH-FOCUSED ORGANIZATION, IN TEACHING NIKKEI CHILDREN TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CHILDREN'S SONGS AT ITS ANNUAL SUMMER CAMP. BY TEACHING A SONG LIKE "HARU GA KITA," TO NIKKEI KIDS, WE WERE PASSING ON SONGS AND TRADITION BROUGHT TO AMERICA BY OUR FIRST GENERATION ISSEI ANCESTORS, WHO TAUGHT THESE SONGS TO THEIR CHILDREN. OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP THESE SONGS ALIVE, FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, GOING ON FIVE GENERATIONS NOW.
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 September 2007.
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.
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.