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Phoenix Conservatory of Music

EIN 86-0917748 · Litchfield Pk, AZ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO UNLEASHING THE POWER OF MUSIC BY PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. ITS VISION IS TO BE A LEADER IN MUSIC EDUCATION WITH A FOCUS ON CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, SERVING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS GREATER PHOENIX THROUGH INNOVATIVE, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, AND STUDENT-CENTERED PROGRAMMING THAT PREPARES YOUNG PEOPLE FOR LIFELONG SUCCESS.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
3.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 52%
Employees
79
Volunteers
46
Highest pay
$78,787, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 27% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 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

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 June 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 (4)
  1. $519,499 spent. COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM (CPP):PCM'S COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CONTEMPORARY MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM AND A MEMBER OF THE BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC CITY MUSIC NETWORK. STUDENTS IN GRADES 412 RECEIVE INTENSIVE, COLLEGE-STYLE TRAINING INCLUDING PRIVATE LESSONS, ENSEMBLES, MUSIC THEORY, AND CAREER-FOCUSED ENRICHMENT.IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, CPP SERVED 121 STUDENTS WITH OVER 1,100 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION, WITH 62-75% OF STUDENTS RECEIVING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, DEMONSTRATING PCM'S COMMITMENT TO ACCESS AND EQUITY. STUDENTS ENGAGE IN 3-10 HOURS PER WEEK OF INSTRUCTION AND EXPLORE PATHWAYS IN PERFORMANCE, PRODUCTION, SONGWRITING, AND MUSIC BUSINESS, SUPPORTED BY PARTNERSHIPS WITH BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY, AND INDUSTRY LEADERS. OUTCOMES INCLUDE 100% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES, OVER 80% COLLEGE OR CAREER PLACEMENT, AND CUMULATIVE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP EARNINGS EXCEEDING $5.5M+. STUDENTS REPORT 85% IMPROVEMENT IN MUSICAL SKILLS AND 77% INCREASED CONFIDENCE, REFLECTING STRONG ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL IMPACT.
  2. $389,624 spent. PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS:PRIVATE LESSONS PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED, LONG-TERM SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORSHIP. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, PCM SERVED 447 STUDENTS THROUGH PRIVATE LESSONS, DELIVERING OVER 10,000 HOURS OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION. APPROXIMATELY 35% OF INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS WERE SUPPORTED THROUGH FINANCIAL AID OR SCHOLARSHIPS.THIS PROGRAM REPRESENTS A CRITICAL EARNED REVENUE STREAM WHILE MAINTAINING ACCESS THROUGH A SLIDING TUITION SCALE AND SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT, ENSURING THAT HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTION REMAINS ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES OF ALL INCOME LEVELS.
  3. $64,937 spent. SCHOOL & COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS (AFTER SCHOOL / OUTREACH): PCM DELIVERS MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN TITLE I SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS SERVED APPROXIMATELY 197 STUDENTS WITH 100% OF PARTICIPANTS RECEIVING FULLY SUBSIDIZED PROGRAMMING, TOTALING OVER 400 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION. PROGRAMS INCLUDE GUITAR, VOICE, PERCUSSION, WORLD MUSIC, AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CURRICULUM, DESIGNED TO BUILD DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION.
  4. $154,482 spent. SUMMER CAMPS AND LEARNING LABS: PHOENIX CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC'S SUMMER CAMPS AND CREATIVE LEARNING LABS PROVIDE IMMERSIVE, WEEK-LONG MUSIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCES DESIGNED TO SUPPORT SKILL DEVELOPMENT, CREATIVITY, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL GROWTH DURING OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, PCM SERVED 342 STUDENTS THROUGH 42 WEEK-LONG CAMP SESSIONS OVER 7 WEEKS IN THE SUMMER (AVG. 6 PER WEEK), DELIVERING 966 HOURS OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION. THESE PROGRAMS OFFERED HANDS-ON LEARNING IN AREAS SUCH AS INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE (GUITAR, PIANO, VOICE, PERCUSSION), SONGWRITING, AUDIO PRODUCTION, BEAT-MAKING, AND CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE WORK, CULMINATING IN LIVE PERFORMANCES AND FAMILY SHARING EVENTS. MORE THAN 60% OF SUMMER CAMP PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OR SCHOLARSHIPS, MAKING THIS PROGRAM ONE OF PCM'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCESS POINTS FOR STUDENTS FROM LOW- TO MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM AREAS (GROUP CLASSES, CAMPS, EARLY CHILDHOOD, LEARNING THROUGH MUSIC):PCM OFFERS A CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMS FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH ADULTHOOD:EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS: SERVED 22 FAMILIES WITH FOUNDATIONAL MUSIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES SUPPORTING EARLY DEVELOPMENT (32 INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS). IN-HOUSE CLASSES: SERVED 171 STUDENTS THROUGH GROUP-BASED INSTRUCTION ACROSS INSTRUMENTS AND SKILL LEVELS.LEARNING THROUGH MUSIC (LTM): SERVED STUDENTS IN TITLE I AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES WITH 50% RECEIVING AID, REINFORCING PCM'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ACCESS.ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS, PCM DELIVERED MORE THAN 13,052 HOURS OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION, EMPHASIZING SEQUENTIAL, HIGH-QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION THAT SUPPORTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, CONFIDENCE, AND CAREER READINESS.PCM'S PROGRAMS GO BEYOND MUSIC INSTRUCTION TO FOSTER ACADEMIC SUCCESS, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL GROWTH, AND WORKFORCE READINESS. 86% OF STUDENTS REPORT IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND PARTICIPANTS GAIN CRITICAL SKILLS IN COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING. THROUGH A TRAUMA-INFORMED AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE APPROACH, PCM CREATES A SAFE, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS BUILD IDENTITY, CONFIDENCE, AND A SENSE OF BELONGING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 June 2025.

    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 April 1999.

    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 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.