The Johnson String Project Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
472313740
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2015–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025
Location
Newton, MA, USA
Phone
6179640954
Rating
50
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Arts, Culture, and Humanities N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$6,930
Expenses
$11,582
Assets
$15,001
Liabilities
$4,335

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

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MAUREEN WALL (PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • MAUREEN WALL (PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR)
  • MARGARET ADDISON (TREASURER/DIRECTOR)
  • JOSEPH HEFFERNAN (CLERK/DIRECTOR)

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 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The johnson string project supports el sistema-inspired string programs in under-serviced communities in Massachusetts. One of the largest barriers these programs face is obtaining high-quality instruments. Through the development of our instrument lending library, we strive to ease these financial burdens and provide access to this crucial piece of the musical experience.

What it reported doing in 2025

Provided program funding for a non-profit organization offering tuition-free and sliding-scale music education.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 31
  • Transparency & Controls: 82
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 36.1%; rating input score 36
  • Program expense ratio: 21.6%; rating input score 22

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -67.1%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.3; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.29; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -9.8% per year; rating input score 0; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -19% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -12% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 36.1% of revenue deployed · 21.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2015 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 36/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 22/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 10/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 54/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 10/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.