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Music City
Music City reported $11.1 million in revenue and $11.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $98.87 went to program services, $0.48 to management and general costs and $0.65 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.6% of the total. Government grants made up 88.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $819,761 (Board Member/CEO). Revenue rose 19% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 98.9% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 0.5% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.7% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.6% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 88.4% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.1% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $819,761 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 7.42% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 0.6 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 of 14 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseProduced the annual public New Year's Eve event - Nashville's Big Bash, providing free live music and fireworks for the general public to bring the city together and celebrate the transition into the new year
Produced the annual free public July 4th concert and fireworks display on behalf of the city of Nashville at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville
On behalf of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville, produced multiple live music entertainment events that were free and open to the public to bring together the citizens of the city to celebrate the South Eastern Conference men's basketball tournament that was being held in Nashville
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board Member/CEO Director/trustee, officer, 8 hrs/week | $0 | $776,436 | $43,325 | $819,761 |
| Board Member/CFO Director/trustee, officer, 8 hrs/week | $0 | $347,100 | $43,070 | $390,170 |
| Board Member Director/trustee, 8 hrs/week | $0 | $254,417 | $40,910 | $295,327 |
| Board Member Director/trustee, 1 hrs/week | $0 | $185,603 | $33,139 | $218,742 |
0 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Music City (Part VII, line 2).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b14 · 10 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 620
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Sunbelt Rentals Heavy equipment rental services | $1,429,747 |
| Moo TV Video equipment and production svcs | $416,847 |
| Guitar Monkey Touring Inc Musical artist performance | $400,000 |
| Pyro Shows Pyrotechnic services | $387,500 |
| Premier Global Production Co Stage equipment rental services | $386,186 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 26 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Music City totaling $10,000 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Music City's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Music City, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Music City spent in FY2025, $98.87 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Historic Arnolds ParkArnolds Park, IA · revenue $11M · programs 77.1% · 2024
- Friends of Town Hall FoundationNew York, NY · revenue $11M · programs 99.8% · FY2025 (9 mo.)
- Opera PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $11M · programs 67.6% · FY2025
- Wisconsin Public Broadcasting FoundationMadison, WI · revenue $11M · programs 98.3% · FY2025
- South Coast RepertoryCosta Mesa, CA · revenue $11M · programs 80.2% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Tennessee
Questions people ask
How much of Music City's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Music City reported that 98.9% of its $11.0 million in expenses went to program services, 0.5% to management and general and 0.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Music City pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Music City reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $819,761, for the role of Board Member/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Music City get its money?
Of $11.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 97.6% came from contributions and grants (including 88.4% from government grants) and 2.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Music City a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-2064764 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202640909349300544 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202520909349300027 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202440889349301504 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202330899349301428 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231269349301783 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111069349300921 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-2064764: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.