Elemental Music: Nonprofit Profile, Financials & Form 990 (EIN 27-3274582)

Josephine Moerschel’s $125K as Executive & Artistic Director is at the 52nd 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023
Josephine Moerschel	$125,475	$112,000	$102,604

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 2No
Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Offers music education to Los Angeles County students, culminating in live performances.

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3 programs · $161K · in their own filed words · FY2024

01

Elemental Strings

Our signature string orchestra provides students in grades 3 to 5 with two levels of string orchestra: intermediate and advanced. Students receive sectional rehearsals and full ensemble experiences under professional musicians and teaching artists. The program prepares students for music studies at the middle school level.

$94Kprogram expense

02

Elemental Band

Our concert band for students in grades 35 was launched in 2013. The ensemble helps young band students develop ensemble skills and gives them a chance to perform as a full concert band something not available in elementary school music classes where students are grouped in instrument-specific classes.

$35Kprogram expense

03

Prelude

This is an introductory-level string ensemble for students in grades 3 to 5. There is no prior experience required to join this program and most students in the ensemble are learning an instrument for the first time.

$32Kprogram 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

Thelma Pearl Howard FoundationFY2024$30K

Lebel Charitable FoundationFY2024$30K

California Community FoundationFY2024$30K

Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$25K

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$24K

Colburn FoundationFY2024$15K

American Online Giving Foundation INCFY2024$13K

The Mary Alice Fortin FoundationFY2024$10K

Total grants receivedfrom 11 funders$190K

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By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

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from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$1.2M

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$628K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$468K

Other incomeLn 4–11$116K

Money outPt IX

$1.3M

Ln 25

Programscol B$983K

Managementcol C$121K

Fundraisingcol D$168K

Owns and owesPt X

$167K

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$266K

Total assetsLn 16$1.1M

LiabilitiesLn 26$969K

PeoplePt VI, VII

10

listed · VII A

PaidVII A1

Voting boardVI 1a9

IndependentVI 1b9

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$628K

Government grantsLn 1e$111K

Noncash giftsLn 1g$66K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$468K

Investment incomeLn 3$105

Other incomeLn 4–11$116K

Gains on assetsLn 7−$3K

Total revenueLn 12$1.2M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$196K

SavingsLn 2$70K

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$266K

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$18K

Other assetsLn 15$645K

Total assetsLn 16$1.1M

LiabilitiesLn 26$969K

Net assetsLn 32$167K

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 554

VolunteersI 690

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

Line	Start FY25	End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$361K	$266K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$82K	$18K
Total assetsLn 16	$633K	$1.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$293K	$969K
Net assetsLn 32	$340K	$167K

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$741K	$602K	$44K	$96K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$15K	$670	$15K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$66K	$54K	$4K	$9K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$5K		$5K
Investment management feesLn 11f	$947		$947
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$1K	$1K
Office expensesLn 13	$21K	$995	$19K	$389
OccupancyLn 16	$203K	$199K	$4K
InsuranceLn 23	$8K	$3K	$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$153K	$80K	$14K	$59K
All other expensesLn 24e	$59K	$42K	$12K	$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$1.3M	$983K	$121K	$168K

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest Viewing	$1.2M	$1.3M	−$61K	$167K	990 PDF
FY2024	$1.1M	$1.1M	−$33K	$340K	990 PDF
FY2023	$1.2M	$1.0M	$140K	$368K	990 PDF
FY2022	$702K	$675K	$27K	$230K	990 PDF
FY2021	$475K	$502K	−$27K	$202K	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 M · Noncash O · Explanations

See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $1,212,017 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $559,987$627,746

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $492,353$468,130

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $8,000$105

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$116,036

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,060,340$1,212,017

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 $262,333$822,610

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $830,741$450,238

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,093,074$1,272,848

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$32,734−$60,831

Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9

VI-1b Independent voting members9

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 $1,212,017 across 10 lines filed

VIII-1e Government grants$111,169

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$516,577

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$65,648

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$627,746

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $468,130$468,130

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $3,529$3,529

VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$3,424−$3,424

VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $100,052$100,052

VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $5,474 · Excluded from tax $10,510$15,984

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $473,604 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $110,667$1,212,017

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,272,848 across 11 lines filed

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $601,573 · Management $44,168 · Fundraising $95,702$741,443

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $670 · Management $14,566$15,236

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $53,520 · Management $3,851 · Fundraising $8,560$65,931

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $5,000$5,000

IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $947$947

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,409$1,409

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $995 · Management $19,394 · Fundraising $389$20,778

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $199,228 · Management $3,600$202,828

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,356 · Management $4,476$7,832

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $80,278 · Management $13,630 · Fundraising $58,866$152,774

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $41,909 · Management $11,804 · Fundraising $4,957$58,670

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $982,938 · Management $121,436 · Fundraising $168,474$1,272,848

Part X · Balance sheet $1,135,847 assets, 15 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $142,778$195,689

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $218,120$69,988

X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$75,154

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $160,593$131,879

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $82,391$18,052

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $29,500$645,085

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $633,382$1,135,847

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$1,308

X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $292,984$274,105

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$693,256

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $292,984$968,669

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $217,106$150,405

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $123,292$16,773

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $340,398$167,178

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $633,382$1,135,847

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $167,178 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$1,212,017

XI-2 Total expenses$1,272,848

XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$60,831

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$340,398

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$10,607

XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$122,996

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$167,178

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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