Home › Arts, culture & humanities
Merit School of Music
Merit School of Music reported $13.8 million in revenue and $9.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.13 went to program services, $12.76 to management and general costs and $7.11 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 50.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $200,693 (President and Executive Director). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 36% between FY2021 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $9.8MFor 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 August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.1% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.8% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 7.1% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.10 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 50.1% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 24.6% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $200,693 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.05% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 56.0 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 27 of 27 | 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 expenseThe Merit Music in Communities (MMiC) program was founded in response to a request from Chicago Public Schools to create an in-school music education program. MMiC provides provides high-quality music education to students at dozens of schools throughout the city through group instruction in strings, band, choir, piano, guitar, early childhood, and general music. In addition to leading year-long courses, Merit faculty also participate in multi-week general music residencies where they collaborate with students and CPS teachers to creatively enhance reading, language, and critical thinking…
Merit School of Music has a robust private lesson program for jazz and classical students of all ages and levels of musical ability. Over 900 students take private lessons at Merit, working one-on-one with celebrated music faculty to explore individual talents and interests, develop skills and technique, and overcome challenges. Most all of students enrolled in private lessons at Merit receive financial aid
Merit's Instrumental & Vocal Music program provides beginning and intermediate K-9 musicians with small group after-school programming for string, band, piano, guitar, and voice. As students move through the program's sequential curriculum by achieving set goals, the program becomes deeper and more rigorous, preparing students for entry into Merit's prestigious Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President and Executive Director Officer, 37.5 hrs/week | $194,006 | $0 | $6,687 | $200,693 |
| Vice President for Development & Marketing Officer, 37.5 hrs/week | $133,546 | $0 | $4,698 | $138,244 |
| Vice President for Programming Officer, 37.5 hrs/week | $119,556 | $0 | $3,919 | $123,475 |
| Vice President for Finance & Administration Officer, 37.5 hrs/week | $106,527 | $0 | $3,919 | $110,446 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Merit School of Music (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $554K (Part IX, line 5).
6 filings since FY2020 (2 mo.)
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–1b27 · 27 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 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- 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 5224
- Volunteers Part I, line 680
Private foundation grants it received
62 private foundations reported grants to Merit School of Music totaling $2.8M 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 Merit School of Music's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Merit School of Music, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Merit School of Music spent in FY2025, $80.13 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Cincinnati Ballet CompanyCincinnati, OH · revenue $14M · programs 77.5% · FY2025
- Flint Cultural Center CorporationFlint, MI · revenue $14M · programs 75.0% · FY2025
- Eleutherian Mills-Hagley FoundationWilmington, DE · revenue $14M · programs 72.1% · 2024
- Columbus Museum of ArtColumbus, OH · revenue $14M · programs 83.3% · FY2025
- Children's Theatre Company and SchoolMinneapolis, MN · revenue $14M · programs 73.0% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Merit School of Music's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Merit School of Music reported that 80.1% of its $9.8 million in expenses went to program services, 12.8% to management and general and 7.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Merit School of Music pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Merit School of Music reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $200,693, for the role of President and Executive Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Merit School of Music get its money?
Of $13.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 50.1% came from contributions and grants (including 0.8% from government grants) and 24.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Merit School of Music a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-3028768 as a 501(c)(3) organization (school), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 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 August 31, 2025, object 202600799349301400 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202520769349300432 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202440599349301004 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202320599349301422 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202200949349300750 · read the filing
- FY2020 (2 mo.): Form 990 for the 2-month short period ending August 31, 2020, object 202131139349300913 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-3028768: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.