Girls Rock Charlotte DBA We Rock Charlotte

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
473489351
IRS 990 coverage
2023–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2022, Form 990-N 2018
Location
Charlotte, NC, USA
Rating
73
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Arts Education

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$278,100
Expenses
$254,124
Assets
$169,671
Liabilities
$1,617

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Brit Swider (Executive Dir.): $30,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

We Rock Charlotte provides accessible music education programs that empower youth to become confident creators and collaborators. Through camps, lessons, and band-based experiences, participants learn instruments, write and perform original music, and build skills in teamwork, self-expression, and leadership.

What it reported doing in 2025

Our programs at We Rock Charlotte empower youth through musical exploration, creative expression, and community building. Grounded in our mission of empowering advocates and allies through music and arts, we create accessible pathways for young people to discover their voices and build confidence. Since 2014, we have produced 7 student albums featuring 210 original songs, hosted 12 years of Summer Rock Camp serving 692 campers, and supported the formation of over 124 bands. We have also provided more than 5,964 music lessons and awarded 180+ scholarships, expanding access to music education for youth of varying backgrounds and experience levels. Our programming creates a safe, inclusive environment where participants can explore their identities, collaborate with peers, and develop leadership skills. Through songwriting, performance, and mentorship, youth gain tools for self-expression, advocacy, and connection. We Rock Charlotte is a nurturing, creative space where all voices are valued. By removing barriers to participation and fostering community through music, we aim to cultivate confident young people who contribute to a more connected and equitable society.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 62
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 68
  • Sustainability: 42
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 64.9%; rating input score 65
  • Program expense ratio: 71.1%; rating input score 71
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.42 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 88.9%; rating input score 89; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 8.6%; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.67; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.8%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.8% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 22.2% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 37.5% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 64.9% of revenue deployed · 71.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 9 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $181K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $30K · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2023 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 23/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 54/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 31/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 25/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 40/100.