Lead Guitar establishes permanent in-school Guitar ensemble classes in public schools with low access to the arts. Our highly-qualified teaching artists use our arts standards-based curriculum to teach students to play and train teachers to teach Guitar -see statement o

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$14K 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

FY2021 · 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $162K a year · 16% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$14K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$10K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$604K
Spent
$505K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$199K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$604K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$604K
FY2022$804K
FY2023$854K
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$822K
Expenses
$505K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$505K
FY2022$638K
FY2023$876K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$199K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$199K
FY2022$365K
FY2023$343K
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$901K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Nov 2008.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $416K Management & general 15% · $75K Fundraising 3% · $15K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $14K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Secretary
$14,400Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Brad Richter’s $112K as Secretary, E is at the 93rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 2215 $100K–1M 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Brad Richter$112,325$126,473$123,840$64,215$14,400

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.

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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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Establishes in-school guitar classes and trains teachers in public schools lacking arts access.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $416K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

In the 2020-21 academic year, lead guitar served 57 schools in 5 states, teaching 1,700 students to play guitar and 71 public school teachers to teach guitar. Students served is down significantly from prior years due to remote-learning taking place more than 3/4 of the academic year in most states served.

$416Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$8K

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$604K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$495K
Other incomeLn 4–11$98K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$11K
Money outPt IX
$505K
Ln 25
Programscol B$416K
Managementcol C$75K
Fundraisingcol D$15K
Owns and owesPt X
$199K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$198K
Total assetsLn 16$209K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$495K
Government grantsLn 1e$201K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$16K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$11K
Investment incomeLn 3$113
Other incomeLn 4–11$98K
Total revenueLn 12$604K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$198K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$198K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$652
Total assetsLn 16$209K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K
Net assetsLn 32$199K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 612
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$122K$198K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$652
Total assetsLn 16$216K$209K
LiabilitiesLn 26$116K$10K
Net assetsLn 32$100K$199K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$122K$122K
Payroll taxesLn 10$9K$9K
Management feesLn 11a$49K$49K
Legal feesLn 11b$195$195
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$12K$235$11K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$1K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$662$662
OccupancyLn 16$16K$16K
TravelLn 17$873$873
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$200$200
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$86$86
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$266K$266K
All other expensesLn 24e$19K$15K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$505K$416K$75K$15K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $822K$1.1M−$240K$901K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.9M$1.1M$808K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $854K$876K−$22K$343K 990 PDF
FY2022 $804K$638K$167K$365K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $604K$505K$99K$199K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $603,649 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $393,765$494,817
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $21,400$10,800
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,295$113
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,892$97,919
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $420,352$603,649
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $114,274$131,307
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $329,091$0
I-17 Other expenses$373,767
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $443,365$505,074
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$23,013$98,575
Part VI · Governance 10 of 11 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $603,649 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1d Related organizations$16,200
VIII-1e Government grants$200,822
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$277,795
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$16,200
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$494,817
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $10,800$10,800
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $113$113
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $97,919$97,919
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $10,800 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $98,032$603,649
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $505,074 across 15 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $121,917$121,917
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $9,390$9,390
IX-11a Management feesManagement $48,602$48,602
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $195$195
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,618$3,618
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $235 · Fundraising $11,284$11,519
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,239 · Management $2,933$4,172
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $662$662
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $16,365$16,365
IX-17 TravelPrograms $873$873
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $200$200
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $86$86
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,286$2,286
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $266,078$266,078
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $15,451 · Fundraising $3,660$19,111
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $415,610 · Management $74,520 · Fundraising $14,944$505,074
Part X · Balance sheet $209,194 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $121,884$197,931
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $19,850$10,611
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$652
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $215,871$209,194
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,192$10,360
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $115,612$10,360
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $59,259$148,834
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $41,000$50,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $100,259$198,834
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $215,871$209,194
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $198,834 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$603,649
XI-2 Total expenses$505,074
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$98,575
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$100,259
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$198,834

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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