Silkroad creates music that engages difference, sparking radical cultural collaboration and passion-driven learning for a more hopeful and inclusive world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$687K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2022 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $185K a year · 5% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$687K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $946K
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$498K
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.9M
-22% vs prior year
Spent
$3.7M
To programs
72%
Net assets
$4.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.9M
FY2022▼ -22%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$5.0M
FY2022$3.9M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$3.2M
FY2025$4.8M
Expenses
$3.7M
FY2022▲ +115%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$1.7M
FY2022$3.7M
FY2023$3.9M
FY2024$4.0M
FY2025$3.7M
Net assets
$4.5M
FY2022▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$924K
FY2021$4.2M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$2.8M

From the FY2022 Form 990 (year ending June 2022) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1999.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $2.7M Management & general 15% · $570K Fundraising 12% · $448K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

25 people listed on the 990; $687K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2021); the FY2022 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$265,500Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Director
$152,583Pt VII · Sec A
Development Director
$149,960Pt VII · Sec A
Ex-Officio Board Member
$58,353Pt VII · Sec A
Ex-Officio Board Member (through July 2021)
$46,001Pt VII · Sec A
Ex-Officio Board Member
$11,700Pt VII · Sec A
$2,829Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ben Hartley’s $282K as Chief Executive Officer, President is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ben Hartley$282,318$172,045————
Kathy Fletcher——$247,100$265,500$202,564$22,121
Eduardo Braniff—————$210,670
Anthony Barbir$178,113$84,134$182,861$152,583$102,387—
Jennifer Klahn$178,113$84,134$167,659$149,960——
Alicia Robinson Reese$174,629$168,675$149,005———
Rhiannon Giddens$128,418$125,379$121,745$58,353——
Lori Lyn Taylor—————$106,493

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Silk Road Project INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Creates music that sparks cultural collaboration and learning for a more inclusive world.

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3 programs · $1.1M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Phoenix Rising

As silkroad's first artistic endeavor under the leadership of rhiannon giddens, phoenix rising is a concert series that serves as a collective grieving song and clarion call, uniting audiences through varied cultural experiences to model our vision for a more peaceful and just world as we emerge from a long and stunning upheaval from the…

$531Kprogram expense
02

Gmw

Silkroad's global musician workshop (GMW) is an intensive musician training program modeled after the unique inception of the silkroad ensemble that fosters a community of globally-minded musicians through workshops that explore and engage with musical genres, styles, and traditions from around the world.

$324Kprogram expense
03

Home Within

Home within is an emotional accounting of home in a time of conflict. An audio-visual performance conceived by syrian composer and clarinetist kinan azmeh and syrian armenian visual artist kevork mourad, the result is an impressionistic reflection on the unity of loss, longing, and the impact of tragedy on our sense of 'home'.' rather…

$195Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 11 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$570K
Other incomeLn 4–11$19K
Money outPt IX
$3.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.7M
Managementcol C$570K
Fundraisingcol D$448K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$498K
PeoplePt VI, VII
25
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$757K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$570K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Other incomeLn 4–11$19K
Total revenueLn 12$3.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$858K
SavingsLn 2$441K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$14K
Other assetsLn 15$18K
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$498K
Net assetsLn 32$4.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 516
VolunteersI 619
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M$1.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$32K$14K
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$255K$498K
Net assetsLn 32$4.2M$4.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$522K$283K$114K$125K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$852K$462K$186K$204K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$326K$163K$100K$63K
Payroll taxesLn 10$69K$44K$4K$20K
Legal feesLn 11b$27K$0$27K$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$50K$12K$38K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$941K$936K$3K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$48K$47K$1K$0
Office expensesLn 13$102K$39K$47K$16K
OccupancyLn 16$61K$51K$8K$2K
TravelLn 17$449K$421K$11K$17K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$12K$0$12K$0
InsuranceLn 23$20K$0$20K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$206K$206K$0$16
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.7M$2.7M$570K$448K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $4.8M$3.7M$1.0M$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.2M$4.0M−$895K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.1M$3.9M−$1.8M$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $3.9M$3.7M$263K$4.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.0M$1.7M$3.3M$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.7M$2.5M−$771K$924K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,944,577 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,850,136$3,352,354
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $165,811$570,487
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $529$2,593
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $9,259$19,143
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,025,735$3,944,577
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $889,730$1,768,140
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $822,703$1,913,652
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,712,433$3,681,792
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,313,302$262,785
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,944,577 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $189 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$757,476
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,594,878
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,352,354
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $570,487 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$570,487
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,593$2,593
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $2,045 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$2,045
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $16,909 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$16,909
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $589,630 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,593$3,944,577
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,681,792 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $282,672 · Management $113,768 · Fundraising $125,099$521,539
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $461,879 · Management $185,893 · Fundraising $204,408$852,180
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $162,734 · Management $100,388 · Fundraising $62,555$325,677
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $44,483 · Management $4,486 · Fundraising $19,775$68,744
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $26,501 · Fundraising $0$26,501
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $11,599 · Management $37,914 · Fundraising $0$49,513
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $935,951 · Management $2,598 · Fundraising $2,000$940,549
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $47,133 · Management $1,028 · Fundraising $0$48,161
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $39,471 · Management $47,078 · Fundraising $15,658$102,207
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $51,493 · Management $7,735 · Fundraising $1,500$60,728
IX-17 TravelPrograms $420,769 · Management $11,002 · Fundraising $17,121$448,892
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $11,811 · Fundraising $0$11,811
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $19,537 · Fundraising $0$19,537
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $205,737 · Management $0 · Fundraising $16$205,753
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,663,921 · Management $569,739 · Fundraising $448,132$3,681,792
Part X · Balance sheet $4,997,714 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,079,402$858,321
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $0$440,922
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$3,485,701
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,314,503$65,146
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$8,867
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $65,904$106,680
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $31,968$13,813
X-15 Other assets$18,264
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,491,777$4,997,714
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $244,901$495,347
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $10,000$2,706
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $254,901$498,053
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $754,924$918,218
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,481,952$3,581,443
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,236,876$4,499,661
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,491,777$4,997,714
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,499,661 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,944,577
XI-2 Total expenses$3,681,792
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$262,785
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,236,876
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,499,661

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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