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Earplay

EIN 94-2972810 · Oakland, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

EARPLAY NURTURES THE FINEST NEW CHAMBER MUSIC OF OUR TIME, LINKING AUDIENCES, PERFORMERS, AND COMPOSERS THROUGH CONCERTS, COMMISSIONS AND RECORDINGS.

Income
$106,910
Spending
$136,936
Reserves
6.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 68%
Highest pay
$23,333, executive director

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

Financial health

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 28% of income.

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

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ 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 (1)
  1. $82,569 spent. EARPLAY PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FYE2025EARPLAY'S 40TH SEASON PRESENTED THREE EXCEPTIONAL LIVE CONCERTS IN ITS SAN FRANCISCO HOME SERIES AT NOE VALLEY MINISTRY.THE PERFORMANCES INCLUDED FOUR WORLD PREMIERES, ONE US PREMIERE, AND FOUR WEST COAST PREMIERES, WITH TWO WORKS COMMISSIONED BY EARPLAY. THE LIVE CONCERTS WERE STREAMED TO A LARGE AND ENTHUSIASTIC ONLINE AUDIENCE. EARPLAY ADDED AUDIO RECORDINGS OF THE CONCERTS TO EARPLAY'S ONLINE ARCHIVES AND CAPTURED CONCERT VIDEO FOR ARCHIVAL USE.EARPLAY ALSO PERFORMED TWO CONCERTS FEATURING THE MUSIC OF EARPLAY FOUNDER PETER JOSHEFF, IN SAN FRANCISCO AND BERKELEY.EARPLAY CONDUCTED THE 2025 EARPLAY DONALD AIRD COMPOSERS COMPETITION, NOW IN ITS 25TH YEAR, AND PERFORMED THE 2024 AIRD PRIZE WINNER CONCERT. THE 2025 COMPETITION GENERATED ENTRIES FROM COMPOSERS REPRESENTING 20 US STATES AND 20 OTHER COUNTRIES.EARPLAY CONTINUED ITS D.E.I. OUTREACH WITH THE THIRD YEAR OF ITS VIBRANT SHORES COMPETITION FOR COMPOSERS IDENTIFYING AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, LATINX, ASIAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER, OR PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND PERFORMED THE 2024 VIBRANT SHORES PRIZE WINNER.EARPLAY WILL PERFORM THE 2025 AIRD AND VIBRANT SHORES PRIZE WINNERS IN THE UPCOMING 2026 SEASON.2025 MARKED THE NINTH YEAR OF EARPLAY'S ONGOING COLLABORATION WITH WEST EDGE OPERA ON THEIR SNAPSHOT SERIES. THE SERIES INCUBATES NEW OPERAS BY PAIRING COMPOSERS AND LIBRETTISTS OF AN IN-PROGRESS WORK WITH A MUSICAL ENSEMBLE, SINGERS, DIRECTION, AND VENUE FOR PERFORMING STAGED READINGS.SNAPSHOT 2025 PRESENTED A PROGRAM CONSISTING OF FOUR WORKS-IN-PROGRESS IN BERKELEY AND IN SAN FRANCISCO.EARPLAY SOLIDIFIED ITS CONNECTION TO ITS DONOR BASE IN A DIFFICULT PERFORMING ARTS FUNDRAISING CLIMATE WITH DONOR EVENTS AND RECEPTIONS FOLLOWING CONCERTS.

Source: Form 990EZ 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 December 1985.

    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.