Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Play It Forward

EIN 82-1708155 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceGood71 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Mission Ensuring equal access to the M.A.G.I.C. of Music by providing musical instruments, instruction and inspiring musical opportunities to students in need. Vision We believe and studies show that music education increases Mental Wellness, Agility, Grit, Independence, & Community. We create reliable access to applied music lessons and other avenues of musical learning regardless of income, ability, proximity, or any other barriers that block a child from learning a musical instrument. While Play It Forward works to ensure children can access Music M.A.G.I.C. Mental Wellness, Agility, Grit, Independence and Community, we know that poverty can obstruct access to the kind of instrumental instruction a childs more affluent peers enjoy. We believe providing instrumental lessons and free instruments bridges the gap between desire and opportunity for hundreds of children and creates access to this vital learning opportunity where it once did not exist. Work - We currently serve over 200 ch

Income
$840,278
Spending
$869,364
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
5.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 69%
Employees
30
Volunteers
80
Highest pay
$44,071, executive dir.

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, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 47% 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

    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

    0 of 5

    Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
  1. $671,194 spent. For the year ended December 31, 2024 the organization operatated the following programs:Keys to LearningPIF serves more than 220 with weekly instruction in piano, guitar andsongwriting which totals 8000 lessons given per year. Each student is also gifted with a free instrument to keep for life.70% of students in Keys to Learning programs live at or below the federal poverty level. They attend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Kairos PDX and Boise-Eliot/Humboldt elementary schools in N & NE Portland.We provide more than 8,000 lessons annually to more than 200 students per year.Instruments for ChangePIF facilitated the donation of instruments to music education programs and schoolsthroughout rural Oregon and SW Washington.Population ServeSummer Songwriting CampIn Summer 2024, we expanded our contracts to include OMSI in order to provide a musical science camp, which served 180 children, who learned the technical skills and science behind building instruments & songwriting, blending creativity with hands-on learning. Additionally, we served summer songwriting camp activities of 150 children in Boise-Eliot/Humboldt elementary school.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 June 2017.

    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.