MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC

EIN 36-3028768 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A6E0)

What they do

Merit School of Music is Dedicated to Helping Young People Transform Their Lives By Removing Barriers to High-quality Music Education, With The Majority of Students Benefitting From Need-based Financial Aid, Scholarship Support, or Low-cost Instrument Rental. Merit Enables Motivated Students, Regardless of Economic Circumstance, to Develop Their Talent and to Use Music As A Springboard for Achieving Their Full Personal Potential, With 100% of Merit Graduates Going On to College. The Community Music Schools Programming Continuum Consists of Five Major Areas: Early Childhood, Instrumental & Vocal Music Program(Group Classes), Private Lessons, Merit Music In Communities, and The Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $80.10 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders32 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

56.58%of revenue went to mission work80.1% of expenses · Program services

5.02%of revenue went to fundraising7.1% of expenses

$70.60spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

9.01%of revenue went to management and office costs12.8% of expenses

$4.80in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

50.1%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $200,693 for CHARLES GRODE (PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$13,849,358

Mission workProgram services$7,835,54656.58% of revenue80.1% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,247,7519.01% of revenue12.8% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$694,9075.02% of revenue7.1% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$4,071,15429.40% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$9,778,20470.60% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 80.1% mission · 12.8% management · 7.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 70.60% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 79.1% mission · 13.9% management · 7.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 57.47% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 80.4% mission · 13.1% management · 6.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 71.61% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 79.2% mission · 14.2% management · 6.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 123.03% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 78.9% mission · 14.7% management · 6.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 69.98% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 67.1% mission · 26.4% management · 6.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 58.57% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 76.6% mission · 15.9% management · 7.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.44% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 80.5% mission · 11.5% management · 8.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.11% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$13,849,358

Expenses$9,778,204

Annual surplus $4,071,154 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$7,835,546 · 80.1% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,247,751 · 12.8% of expenses

Fundraising$694,907 · 7.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$13,849,358

Expenses$9,778,204

Assets$46,948,653

Income$13,136,249

Contributions$6,939,164

Mission work (program services)$7,835,546

Fundraising$694,907

Management and general$1,247,751

Stocks and bonds$25,130,098

Accounting fees$24,250

Investing fees$91,106

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

CHARLES GRODEPRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 38 hrs/week $200,693Base $194,006 · Other $6,687

MEREDITH BARBERVICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING · 38 hrs/week $138,244Base $133,546 · Other $4,698

KURTIS C GILDOWVICE PRESIDENT FOR PROGRAMMING · 38 hrs/week $123,475Base $119,556 · Other $3,919

AMY JOHNSONVICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION · 38 hrs/week $110,446Base $106,527 · Other $3,919

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (32)

CHARLES GRODEPRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MEREDITH BARBERVICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING

KURTIS C GILDOWVICE PRESIDENT FOR PROGRAMMING

AMY JOHNSONVICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

JOHN F YOUNGTRUSTEE

THOMAS LINGUANTIVICE CHAIR

JULIE GREEN BAUMEISTERBOARD CHAIR

KAMILA MUHAMMEDASSOCIATE BOARD REPRESENTATIVE

MARISELA ROSALES LAWSONSECRETARY

MATT GRUSECKTRUSTEE

MICHAEL ANDREWSTREASURER

MICHEAL POWERSTRUSTEE

NISHAD PARMARTRUSTEE

RYAN DEVORETRUSTEE

SANDY RUSNAKTRUSTEE

SUSIE SULTANTRUSTEE

ABIMAN RAJADURAITRUSTEE

JOE MUSSELMANTRUSTEE

JENYCE BOOLTONTRUSTEE

JENNIFER VIANELLOTRUSTEE

JENNIFER MONTAGUEVICE CHAIR

JEFFREY BRESLOWTRUSTEE

DR JENNIFER TURNERTRUSTEE

DR HUAN J CHANGTRUSTEE

DR DERRICK GAYTRUSTEE

DAVID P THOMASTRUSTEE

DAVID SCHULZTRUSTEE

CYNTHIA MUFARREHTRUSTEE

CHARLES K HUEBNERIMMEDIATE PAST BOARD CHAIR

CATHY WLOCHTRUSTEE

CAROL CLAVADETSCHERTRUSTEE

BINTA BROWNTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1979
Location: 38 S PEORIA ST, CHICAGO, IL 60607-2628
County: Cook
In care of: % MERI
Primary officer: Amy Johnson, VP for Finance & Administration

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(312) 786-9428 Officer phone(312) 267-4474

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: September 1, 2024
Return type: 990
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A6E0)