Richmond Jazz Society Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Daily Operations: RJS maintained its professional office space and provided resource and informational assistance to area students, journalists, researchers, arts organizations, musicians, and the general public. RJS maintained its status as a major clearinghouse for Jazz support and technical services for area arts and civic organizations. Services included media interviews; artist referrals and bookings; event planning and promotional support. Jazz preservation is a major component of our mission to educate the public and advance Jazz as an American art form. RJS continued to receive Jazz archival content from the general public including photographs, recordings, books, instruments, and other memorabilia from residents and the estates of muscians. RJS Executive Director and volunteers processed these items; digitized where appropriate; documented them. RJS maintained the organization's two independent, temperature-controlled, secured archival storage where the materials are stored. Programs Education & Outreach Programs: Our education and outreach programs feature are unique, participartory ensembles, "Make Music With Me Band"for children audiences and "Bright Moments Jazz Band"for seniors. Children's audiences learn about Jazz music's rhythms and harmonies and are invited to play instruments and dance with the band. Senior audiences enjoy singing and dancing to the songs of their youth as music thearpy. RJS awarded scholarships to studnets in the Jazz studies departments at Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University and George Mason University. RJS continued to provide performances for Senior living, rehabilitation and recreational centers in Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico counties. Technical Support/Services RJS' Artist Referral Booking Service has made the organization one of the most trusted agencies for booking Jazz artist in our region. RJS matches presenters with musicians who are appropriate for their events. The Artist Referral Service assists the musicians with marketing and promotional support, bookings lectureres, event planning media interviews and promotional support. In FY 25-26 RJS Artist Referral generated $65,670 for area Jazz musicians.RJS provided performances, program and technical support events sponsored by the Black History Museum of Virginia, VA Museum of Fine Arts; Richmond Tourism; Virginia Tourism; Va. Commonwealth Univeristy; Henrico County Council of PTA's, Venture Richmond, and 2nd Street Festival. CollaborationsRJS ongoing partnership with the Va. Museum of Fine Arts 'Dominion Energy Jazz Cafee' continues to be very successful. The 52-week series received overwhelming support from the public with hundreds of attendees each week. RJS co-produced a Jazz recording in collaboration with an area local collective group of musicians and producers, The RVA Jazz Collective. The recording, "Daddy, What is Jazz?" features instrumental music and spoken word to help educators, parents and grandparents teach their children about Jazz - American Classical Music. It featured over 40 of Richmond's most talented and celebrated Jazz artists and producers. The recording was submitted and accepted for 1st round consideration of a Grammy nomination in the Jazz catergory. Concerts: RJS co-produced 3 concerts during the fiscal year with over 100 attendees at each event. Publications/Media Projects: RJS maintained comminication with its clientele via monthly VAJAZZ News E-letters with Jazz commentary, historical information and events produced by other Jazz societies throughout the Commonwealth. Its Facebook page has over 3,000 followers and garnered tens of thousands of views from Jazz fans around the world. RJS is a co-sponsor of an on-line Jazz radio show, Jazz Infinity Radio.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 69.5%; rating input score 70
• Program expense ratio: 68.9%; rating input score 69

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: -0.6%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.39; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -4.5% per year; rating input score 0; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -1.7% per year; rating input score 0; 13th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -1% per year; rating input score 0; 23rd percentile among comparable filings