Art As Mentorship Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Art as Mentorship's mission is to empower young people to write their own success stories. Our programs help underserved immigrant, Latinx and low-income young artists create their own vision for a successful life through access to world-class mentorship, real-world skill development, and mental health support. We believe the future will be made brighter by enabling the healing qualities of music to unite us.
- Income
- $525,145
- Spending
- $500,738
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 2.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 60
- Highest pay
- $73,750, executive 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
Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.4 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 81% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (1)
- $378,839 spent. Art as mentorship empowers young people, through music to write their own success stories Art as Mentorship is a Kansas City-based non-profit organization that takes an innovative approach to fully grasp young students' full potential through music programs. We envision an inclusive community where under-represented artists are emboldened to raise their voices through music. We believe the future will be made brighter by enabling the healing qualities of music to unite us and serve as a vehicle for social change. Our team is made up of musicians, creatives and industry professionals who strive to lift the voices of our students. We provide our students with consistent support to propel themselves through self-discovery, emotional intelligence and the freedom of creativity. In our programs, we give students the chance to learn and grow from music industry mentors, many of whom are world-class, GRAMMY Award-winning professionals. We work to transform young artists through access to world-class mentorship, real-world skill development and mental health support. We give students access to resources and equipment they wouldn't have otherwise to lift their voices and write their own stories. Programs include; Rebel Song Academy - The Rebel Song Academy is at the heart of our programming. Our flagship 12-week music camp takes an innovative approach to exploring young artists' full potential through creativity, mentorship opportunities, and fostering their inherent sense of exploration and achievement. Students work directly with industry-professional mentors to write, record, publish, and perform an original song. RSA Live! In 2020, we launched RSA Live!, the supplemental sister program of our Rebel Song Academy. Operating in tandem with RSA, we give students/alumni real world opportunities to perform their music and events including Crossroads Music Fest, Plaza Art Fair, and many more! We also connect students virtually with nationally-renown mentors to work directly with young artists of all backgrounds, empowering them, through music, to write their own success stories. Our industry-professional mentors work directly with students and answer questions in our virtual chat room. Camp - The Rebel Song Academy's Ignition Camp is our week-long songwriting bootcamp to find and ignite the creative spark within students! This camp appeals to a wide range of young artists - from seasoned musicians looking to enhance their songwriting skills, to those that have never picked up an instrument but love music. Students band together to create original songs and perform them at our Youth Summer Concert AMERI'KANA - AMERI'KANA is a collaborative project between Art as Mentorship and Making Movies that explores America's music- both past and present. This event highlights the contributions of Black, Indigenous, and people of color and how interwoven these individuals are in all of America's stories through this musical festival in Kansas City. AMERI'KANA gives our students resources to learn about the origins of American music as well as performance opportunities at Celebrate AMERI'KANA Music and Arts Festival. In 2024, highlights included over 6,678 individuals served and 5,014 hours of mentorship were provided to young people thought the Kanas City Metro. Over 3,000 attended the AMERI'KANA Music & Arts Festival, part of our expansive AMERI'KANA Project, represented Kansas City in the 2024 One Nation/One Project (ONOP) Arts for EveryBody nationwide arts and wellness initiative, one of only 18 cities selected nationwide. Over 3,000 area students participated in a RSA/AMERI'KANA Assembly. 23 RSA students performed at the festival. Art as Mentorship conducted 10 Rebel Song Academy programs throughout the region and 218 young artists participated in an in-person Rebel Song Academy or Ignition Camp program. Rebel Song Academy students and alumni participated in 12 live performances. 28 original songs were recorded in the Art as Mentorship LAB.
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 October 13, 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 1996.
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 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.