Creating spaces for authentic expression, interconnection, and healing through song and music

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
62¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 75 volunteers and 2 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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 $4K a year · 1% 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
62%
of spending
Worth a look: 62% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$115K
to officers and key staff · 49% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 49% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.0 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $91K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$102
0.3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$169K
-48% vs prior year
Spent
$233K
To programs
62%
Net assets
$39K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$169K
FY2025▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$323K
FY2021$359K
FY2022$475K
FY2023$434K
FY2024$328K
FY2025$169K
Expenses
$233K
FY2025▼ -34%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$236K
FY2021$357K
FY2022$407K
FY2023$477K
FY2024$353K
FY2025$233K
Net assets
$39K
FY2025▼ -62%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$102K
FY2021$105K
FY2022$173K
FY2023$129K
FY2024$104K
FY2025$39K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2017.

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

Where the money goes

62 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 62% · $144K Management & general 16% · $38K Fundraising 22% · $52K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $115K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$62,410Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$52,395Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Orlando Morales’s $62K as Executive Director is at the 58th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Erin Guinup—$94,274$90,022$85,050$75,000$68,125
Orlando Morales$62,410—————
John W Lotts$52,395$11,900————
Mariia Pozhar-Davey————$33,306—

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 Refugee Choir Project 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Fosters authentic expression, connection, and healing through song and music in a safe community space.

Questions for Refugee Choir Project

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $144K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Interconnection and Community Building

TRC events demonstrate the power of interconnection and community building across diverse populations. In 2025, our spring Common Threads concert united 322 people at Theater on the Square through performances featuring community artists, soloists, and a Rwandan dance group, with Choir members passing yarn from stage to the audience as a…

$113Kprogram expense
02

Creating Space for Authentic Expression

The Tacoma Refugee Choir (TRC) fosters authentic expression through 37 weekly choir rehearsals held in 2025, creating space for honest conversations where people bring their unique gifts and perspectives. Members learn that their voice and stories matter, messages they otherwise hear too seldom.

$25Kprogram expense
03

Healing Through the Arts

TRC provides healing through the arts by creating opportunities for emotional support, creative expression, and meaningful connection. The emotional resonance of TRCs work was evident throughout the 2025 season, with concert audience members sharing powerful responses: I didnt realize how much I needed this. I laughed and cried.

$6Kprogram 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 7 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$169K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$166K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3K
Investment incomeLn 3$4
Money outPt IX
$233K
Ln 25
Programscol B$144K
Managementcol C$38K
Fundraisingcol D$52K
Owns and owesPt X
$39K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$39K
Total assetsLn 16$39K
LiabilitiesLn 26$102
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$166K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3K
Investment incomeLn 3$4
Total revenueLn 12$169K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$39K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$39K
Total assetsLn 16$39K
LiabilitiesLn 26$102
Net assetsLn 32$39K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 675
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$104K$39K
Total assetsLn 16$104K$39K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$102
Net assetsLn 32$104K$39K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$148K$99K$22K$27K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$10K$10K$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$259$0$259$0
Information technologyLn 14$1K$0$1K$0
OccupancyLn 16$11K$10K$750$0
TravelLn 17$4K$3K$367$0
InsuranceLn 23$3K$0$3K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$19K$15K$0$4K
All other expensesLn 24e$38K$6K$11K$21K
Total functional expensesLn 25$233K$144K$38K$52K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $169K$233K−$64K$39K 990 PDF
FY2024 $328K$353K−$25K$104K 990 PDF
FY2023 $434K$477K−$44K$129K 990 PDF
FY2022 $475K$407K$68K$173K 990 PDF
FY2021 $359K$357K$3K$105K 990 PDF
FY2020 $323K$236K$87K$102K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $168,888 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $319,446$166,124
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $8,260$2,760
I-10 Investment income$4
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $327,706$168,888
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $280,799$147,779
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $72,215$85,449
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $353,014$233,228
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$25,308−$64,340
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $168,888 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$166,124
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$166,124
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$2,760
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$4
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,764 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$168,888
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $233,228 across 9 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $98,977 · Management $21,893 · Fundraising $26,909$147,779
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $10,426 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$10,426
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $0 · Management $259 · Fundraising $0$259
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $0 · Management $1,124 · Fundraising $0$1,124
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $10,069 · Management $750 · Fundraising $0$10,819
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,338 · Management $367 · Fundraising $0$3,705
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $2,711 · Fundraising $0$2,711
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $15,202 · Management $0 · Fundraising $3,692$18,894
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $5,629 · Management $10,908 · Fundraising $20,974$37,511
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $143,641 · Management $38,012 · Fundraising $51,575$233,228
Part X · Balance sheet $39,496 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $103,734$39,496
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $103,734$39,496
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$102
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$102
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $103,734$39,394
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $103,734$39,394
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $103,734$39,496
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $39,394 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$168,888
XI-2 Total expenses$233,228
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$64,340
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$103,734
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$39,394

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

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