The Walden School FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

San Francisco, CA501(c)(3)Since 1972Arts & CultureEIN 35-2374612

The walden school inspires artistic expression and personal growth through experiential music programs.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$98K 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $35K a year · 3% 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
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$98K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $408K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$231K
45% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 45% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.0M
+83% vs prior year
Spent
$1.0M
To programs
78%
Net assets
$282K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.0M
FY2021▲ +83%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$546K
FY2021$1.0M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2024$1.7M
Expenses
$1.0M
FY2021▲ +107%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$488K
FY2021$1.0M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2024$1.5M
Net assets
$282K
FY2021▼ -7%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$303K
FY2021$282K
FY2022$673K
FY2023$690K
FY2024$440K
FY2024$738K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending September 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 (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 2010.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $784K Management & general 12% · $117K Fundraising 11% · $110K

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

17 people listed on the 990; $98K 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
Executive Director
$97,500Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director Start July 17, 2021
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Seth Brenzel’s $110K as Executive Director is at the 40th 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

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Seth Brenzel$110,000$100,000$100,000$99,999$97,500$95,000

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 The Walden School 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

Inspires artistic expression and personal growth through hands-on music programs.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until The Walden School claims this page.

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3 program services account for $784K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

The walden school young musicians program provides an unparalleled creative summer experience for musically inclined students ages 9 to 19. Part school, part camp, and part festival, the program convenes each summer for five weeks in dublin, NH.

$570Kprogram expense
02

The walden school creative musicians retreat (CMR) offers training and development opportunities for the well-rounded musicians (ages 18+). At the creative musicians retreat (CMR), participants take classes (including courses in the walden schools musicianship course), sing in the chorus, write music, and improvise.

$199Kprogram expense
03

The Walden School Hosts Various Alumni Events, Including

(I) walden winter wednesdays (from january 27TH - march 10TH, 2021), a series of casual online gatherings over zoom; (ii) a composers forum, featuring members of the international contemporary ensemble performing works composed by walden alumni; and (iii) an alumni composers forum featuring YARN/WIRE performing works composed by walden…

$14Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$408K
Grants paid · 6 grants · $725K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$200,150
Unitemized GrantFY2023$184,700
Unitemized GrantFY2022$95,350
Unitemized GrantFY2021$110,700
Unitemized GrantFY2020$124,200
Unitemized GrantFY2019$9,700

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$538K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$459K
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Money outPt IX
$1.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$784K
Managementcol C$117K
Fundraisingcol D$110K
Owns and owesPt X
$282K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$100K
Total assetsLn 16$513K
LiabilitiesLn 26$231K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$538K
Government grantsLn 1e$78K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$150K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$459K
Investment incomeLn 3$273
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$314
Total revenueLn 12$1.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$85K
SavingsLn 2$15K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$100K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$370K
Other assetsLn 15$8K
Total assetsLn 16$513K
LiabilitiesLn 26$231K
Net assetsLn 32$282K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 540
VolunteersI 635
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$153K$100K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$269K$370K
Total assetsLn 16$458K$513K
LiabilitiesLn 26$156K$231K
Net assetsLn 32$303K$282K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$124K$124K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$99K$44K$30K$25K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$229K$160K$10K$59K
Payroll taxesLn 10$28K$17K$3K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$13K$13K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$59K$54K$4K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$48K$31K$16K$600
Office expensesLn 13$192K$174K$9K$8K
Information technologyLn 14$6K$5K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$173K$153K$11K$8K
TravelLn 17$17K$18K−$948
InsuranceLn 23$19K$500$18K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4K$3K$820
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.0M$784K$117K$110K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $1.2M$1.5M−$276K$440K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.2M$1.2M$12K$690K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.5M$1.1M$392K$673K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $1.0M$1.0M−$10K$282K 990 PDF
FY2020 $546K$488K$58K$303K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,000,739 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $753 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$77,988
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$459,518
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$150,315
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$537,506
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $459,291$459,291
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $273$273
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$314−$314
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $3,230$3,230
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $460,044 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $3,189$1,000,739
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,010,402 across 13 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $124,200$124,200
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $44,438 · Management $29,625 · Fundraising $24,688$98,751
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $159,562 · Management $10,120 · Fundraising $59,418$229,100
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $17,253 · Management $3,339 · Fundraising $7,235$27,827
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $12,984$12,984
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $53,670 · Management $4,203 · Fundraising $1,250$59,123
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $30,820 · Management $16,290 · Fundraising $600$47,710
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $174,090 · Management $9,352 · Fundraising $8,433$191,875
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,844 · Management $1,211$6,055
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $152,902 · Management $11,296 · Fundraising $8,349$172,547
IX-17 TravelPrograms $17,966 · Management −$948$17,018
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $500 · Management $18,492$18,992
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,400 · Management $820$4,220
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $783,645 · Management $116,784 · Fundraising $109,973$1,010,402
Part X · Balance sheet $513,130 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $127,859$84,614
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $25,484$15,204
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,000$33,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,000$1,526
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $268,941$370,486
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $33,175$8,300
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $458,459$513,130
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $24,294$151,333
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $68,650$24,360
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $62,988$55,397
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $155,932$231,090
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $186,901$166,414
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $115,626$115,626
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $302,527$282,040
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $458,459$513,130
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $282,040 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,000,739
XI-2 Total expenses$1,010,402
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$9,663
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$302,527
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,230
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$12,054
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$282,040

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

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