Bridging Voices
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 812563221
- IRS 990-EZ coverage
- 2017–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990-EZ 2024, Form 990-N 2021
- Location
- Portland, OR, USA
- Phone
- 5034454888
- Rating
- 81
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Singing, Choral
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $90,944
- Expenses
- $92,718
- Assets
- $67,887
- Liabilities
- $0
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
12 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- RACHEL BANCROFT (CURRENT PRESIDENT/BOARD CHAIR)
- ERIK GULLICKSON (VICE PRESIDENT/BOARD VICE CHAIR)
- HEIDI ESBENSEN (PRIOR PRESIDENT/BOARD CHAIR)
People named in this filing
- RACHEL BANCROFT (CURRENT PRESIDENT/BOARD CHAIR)
- MAIA ESTES (BOARD OF DIRECTORS)
- PASCAL TOWER (BOARD OF DIRECTORS)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
The mission of bridging voices is to provide a safe, welcoming, and accessible space for the full spectrum of queer, trans, and allied youth to experience empowerment and unity through music and community. We believe in building bridges, not walls, and strive to dismantle the foundations of homophobia and transphobia through creative expression, representation, and visibility. By fostering inclusion and celebrating diversity, we help youth embrace their authentic selves while cultivating a stronger, more connected lgbtq+ community.
What it reported doing in 2024
Self-produced concerts and gala performances: bridging voices excels in producing youth concert performances, which are at the heart of our programming. These performances give our members the chance to showcase their talents in a professional setting while gaining invaluable experience in the performing arts. Beyond performance, our youth learn vital skills like teamwork, leadership, and creative problem-solving, fostering personal and artistic growth. This hands-on experience also instills a deep sense of ownership and pride in their accomplishments. Our january 2025 concert, "you and me" was held at the multnomah cultural center, and had one of the largest audiences we've had in a long time - approximately 200 people attended. On march 30, 2025, bridging voices were guest performers at a sold-out concert presented by the portland gay men's chorus, the portland lesbian choir, and the portland pride band. The event was a huge success, with an amazing selection of music and creativity. It was a powerful experience for the youth. They felt supported and seen in the choir community, and some were overcome with emotion. These connections offer our youth powerful examples of queer joy, resilience, and community beyond our own organization.our june 2025 concert, "queer delight" was a smaller, more intimate concert at the community music center in se portland. Our interim volunteer artistic director did a wonderful job leading the youth in a memorable performance.our choir also had the opportunity to perform with a headliner musician, frenchie davis, at the portland pride festival on july 20th. The day before, the kids met ms. Davis and our artistic director worked with her on deciding the songs they would perform together. One of the songs was unknown previously to many of the kids, and they really concentrated on learning the song in just one hour. After marching in the parade in the morning, the youth joined ms. Davis at the end of her set on the south stage, singing "lovely day and "seasons of love." it was a memorable experience and the kids appreciated the chance to sing with a professional musician.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 92% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
The verdict
STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 68
- Transparency & Controls: 100
- Sustainability: 45
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 68.8%; rating input score 69
- Program expense ratio: 67.2%; rating input score 67
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -2%; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.73; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 68.8% of revenue deployed · 67.2% of spending went to programs
- Governance: Filed governance answers
- Accomplishments: 4 filed program accomplishments · $62K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 12 people listed
- Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
- Schedules: 3 filed schedules
- Filing history: 6 filing years from 2017 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 41/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 38/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.