Rocky Ridge Music Center Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ROCKY RIDGE MUSIC EXISTS TO ELEVATE THE MUSICIAN INSIDE EACH OF US TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL THROUGH A UNIQUE, HOLISTIC APPROACH - MEETING EVERY STUDENT WHERE THEY ARE, HELPING THEM TO LEARN, CREATE, ENJOY, AND SUPPORT MUSIC - ULTIMATELY MAKING ALL OF US MORE FULFILLED AS HUMANS.
- Income
- $878,252
- Spending
- $835,967
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 53%
- Employees
- 74
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $100,700, exec. director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 61 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 24% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 33% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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
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 September 30, 2025, 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 (3)
- $646,881 spent. SUMMER SEMINARS MUSIC INSTRUCTIONYOUTH PROGRAMS ROCKY RIDGE MUSIC CENTER'S YOUTH PROGRAM OFFERS EVERYTHING FROM HALF HOUR LESSONS TO A MONTH-LONG RESIDENTIAL MUSIC INTENSIVE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AT ITS ESTES PARK LOCATION. DURING THE FOUR WEEKS OF COLLEGE INTENSIVE, STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES 18 TO 24 RECEIVE TWO WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSONS, PERFORM SIX SOLO AND CHAMBER CONCERTS, DELVE DEEPLY INTO ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC AND PERFORM FOR THEIR PEERS AND THE PUBLIC AT OUR HISTORIC CONCERT HALL AND IN THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, COLLEGE STUDENTS ATTEND PANEL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AND TAKE PART IN MOCK AUDITIONS AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM SEASONED ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS. IN TWO WEEKS OF JUNIOR MUSIC PROGRAMS, STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES 10 TO 17 HONE THEIR SKILLS AND DEVELOP THEIR UNIQUE MUSICAL VOICES THROUGH COMPOSITION, ENSEMBLES, PERFORMANCE, AND PRIVATE TUTORIALS. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS COLLABORATE TO COMPOSE A NEW ORCHESTRAL WORK FOR THE FINAL CONCERT. JUNIOR ARTIST COMPOSERS RECEIVE READINGS BY FACULTY AS WELL AS PREMIERE PERFORMANCE AND RECORDING OF THEIR WORKS. THEY ALSO HAVE THE OPTION TO CHALLENGE THEMSELVES FURTHER THROUGH STUDY OF ADVANCED CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE. WE HAVE ALSO ADDED TWO NEW ENTRY LEVEL JUMPSTART PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS AGES 10 TO 15 TO GIVE THEM AN INTRODUCTION AND HEAD-START TO PARTICIPATING IN THEIR SCHOOL ORCHESTRA PROGRAMS. THE "JAZZ FROM A TO Z" IS A ONE WEEK SEMINAR FOR STUDENTS OF ALL LEVELS, AGES 13-18 TO DIVE INTO THE PERFORMANCE, THEORY, AND HISTORY OF JAZZ. WE ADDED THE MARIACHI PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO DIVERISIFY OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES THROUGH TUITION-FREE SUPPORT. WE WORK WITH A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY TALENTED STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN NEED OF FULL SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.ADULT PROGRAMSIN RESPONSE TO GROWING ENTHUSIASM FOR ADULT OFFERINGS, IN ADDITION TO OUR TWO SESSIONS OF ADULT PIANO SEMINAR (APS), WE HAVE OPENED ONE SESSION OF AN ADULT GUITAR PROGRAM TO RUN CONCURRENTLY WITH APS.
- $26,120 spent. PRESERVATION OF OUR HISTORIC FACILITY.PRESERVATION AND MODERNIZATION OF OUR HISTORICAL CAMPUS IS AN ONGOING EFFORT AND PART OF OUR BOARD'S FOCUS. THIS YEAR WE INVESTED $30,927 IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES TO UPGRADE FACILITIES AND CONVERSIONS TO OTHER OTHER USES. OUR FACILITY WAS HOMESTEADED AND CONSTRUCTED AS AN INN IN THE EARLY 1900S, OCCUPIED BY ROCKY RIDGE SINCE 1951, AND WAS DECLARED A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE EARLY 1990S. THE RUSTIC HISTORIC FEEL IS INTEGRAL TO THE INTIMATE, PERSONAL NATURE OF OUR MUSIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCE. NATURE AND COMMUNITY ARE PART OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND THE SMALL STUDENT BODY AND THE CLOSE COMMUNAL LIVING IN RUSTIC CABINS REINFORCE THE MUTUAL SUPPORT THE STUDENTS FEEL FOR EACH OTHER'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THUS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE PRESERVE THE HISTORIC NATURE OF OUR FACILITY WHILE CAREFULLY MODERNIZING IT TO MEET CURRENT SAFETY CODES AND STUDENT EXPECTATIONS. BY MODERNIZING OUR CAMPUS, OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP THE ACCOMMODATIONS COMFORTABLE FOR TODAY'S STUDENTS' EXPECTATIONS - BOTH ADULT AND YOUTH - SO THAT OUR PROGRAM AND THE FACILITY CONTINUE AND PROSPER. IT HAS ALSO BEEN NECESSARY TO BRING THE FACILITY UP TO CURRENT SAFETY CODES WHICH WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. WE ARE CAREFUL TO KEEP THE HISTORIC AESTHETIC OF OUR CAMPUS IN THESE MODERNIZATIONS. WE BEGAN MODERNIZATION IN THE EARLY 1990S WHEN THE OWNER/FOUNDER TURNED THE ORGANIZATION OVER TO A VOLUNTEER IRS SEC 501(C)(3) BOARD. GRANTS FROM THE STATE HISTORICAL FUND (SHF) WERE CRUCIAL IN GETTING THE PROCESS STARTED BY ADDRESSING THE TWO MAJOR BUILDINGS AT THE HEART OF THE CAMPUS. LATER SHF GRANTS HELPED RESTORE 3 CABINS. IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS TO CATCH UP, AND THEN MATCH, THE STANDARDS OF MODERN CODES AND STUDENT EXPECTATIONS, AND IT IS ONGOING. FOR EXAMPLE IN 2018 AND 2019 WE REPLACED THE SECOND OF THREE SEPTIC SYSTEMS, WINTERIZED ONE CABIN FOR YEAR-ROUND LIVING FOR SEASONAL STAFF, AND INSTALLED THE WATER/SEWAGE INFRASTRUCURE AND ADDED A BATHROOM TO A CABIN. WE ARE NOW REPLACING OUR WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM THAT PROCESSES SURFACE WATER FOR OUR CAMP.
- MUSICAL ACADEMIES IN BOULDERTHE MUSIC ACADEMY OFFERS OUTREACH PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL SEMINARS AND CONCERTS AT THE YEAR-ROUND LOCATION IN BOULDER DOWNTOWN.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, 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 September 2025.
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 August 1961.
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.