Chorus America
Chorus America is a Washington, DC-based Form 990 public charity that advances the choral field through advocacy, research, leadership development, and services for choral organizations and people involved in choral music. Founded in 1977, it serves choruses and individuals across the United States and Canada.
Chorus America at a glance
In short: Chorus America gave $453K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), top state Minnesota. 71% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $452,500
- +4.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $21,548
- -10.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $2,916,904
- -27.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 71% first-time grantees (15 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Chorus America
- How to Apply
-
Eligible organizations may apply for one or both opportunities; the available information does not specify application materials or a submission process.
- Review Cycle
- November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
- Deadline
- November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1200 - 18Th Street Nw 1250, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 331-7577
Website: https://chorusamerica.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Chorus America funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was August Heritage Center Inc ($25K). Together the top 10 received $233K.
Grant Size Distribution
76 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 76 grants of 76 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Music Education Partnership Grants’ stated eligible regions are British Columbia and the Northwest U.S., Central Appalachia, the Southwest U.S., and the Upper Midwest U.S. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Minnesota (20%), California (18%), Arizona (14%), New Mexico (9%), and Tennessee (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Chorus America open to new grantees?
71%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 21 grantees (71%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 29% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $330K (2023) to $525K (2022). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $453K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| August Heritage Center Inc Elkins, WV | Music Grant | $25,000 |
| B-National Arts Institute Naco, AZ | Music Grant | $25,000 |
| Commusication Saint Paul, MN | Music Grant | $25,000 |
| ABQ Coro Lux Albuquerque, NM | Music Grant | $22,500 |
| Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN | Music Grant | $22,500 |
| Border Crossing Saint Paul, MN | Music Grant | $22,500 |
| Compas Inc Saint Paul, MN | Music Grant | $22,500 |
| Montgomery County Council for the Arts Mt Sterling, KY | Music Grant | $22,500 |
| SNS Choirs Palmdale, CA | Music Grant | $22,500 |
| Refugee Choir Project Tacoma, WA | Music Grant | $22,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Chorus America?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,916,904 | $1,841,623 | $2,624,576 | $452,500 | 21 | $42,453 |
| 2024 | $4,031,404 | $1,841,756 | $2,295,016 | $433,000 | 18 | $126,017 |
| 2023 | $4,527,621 | $3,817,865 | $2,383,374 | $330,000 | 18 | $16,256 |
| 2022 | $2,563,365 | $1,205,440 | $2,149,653 | $525,000 | 19 | $2,550 |
| 2021 | $3,662,005 | $3,530,946 | $1,325,466 | — | — | $75,852 |
| 2020 | $1,345,775 | $1,447,053 | $1,208,367 | — | — | $81,808 |
| 2019 | $987,321 | $1,401,253 | $1,414,849 | — | — | $15,384 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Chorus America states its mission as strengthening singing communities with the advocacy, connections, and resources they need to be a vital part of society. Its programs also include professional development, publications, research, and peer networking for the choral field.
The organization’s 2023 filing describes Music Education Partnership Grants as supporting collaborative projects between community organizations and schools, increasing access to choral music education and cross-cultural learning. The website says the Music Education Partnership Grants support partnerships between choral singing organizations and community organizations serving students from early childhood through grade 12. Projects must focus on group singing, include a community partner, and engage students in that age range. The website identifies four eligible regions for the upcoming cycle: British Columbia and the Northwest U.S., Central Appalachia, the Southwest U.S., and the Upper Midwest U.S. It encourages projects led by and serving historically marginalized communities.
The 2025 grants went to varied organizations. For example, grantee Commusicaton describes its work as providing free after-school music programs for K–12 youth, while Border Crossing says it uses choral music to bring historically segregated audiences and musicians together. Phoenix Children’s Chorus describes its focus as youth development through choral education and performance.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Chorus America reported 21 grants totaling $452,500. Awards ranged from $20,000 to $25,000, with a median of $20,000. The listed grants were designated for “MUSIC GRANT.”
Notable 2025 awards included $25,000 each to August Heritage Center, B-National Arts Institute, and Commusicaton. Grants of $22,500 each went to ABQ Coro Lux, Lincoln Memorial University, Border Crossing, COMPAS, Montgomery County Council for the Arts, SNS Choirs, and Refugee Choir Project. The Harmony Project and La Crosse Chamber Chorale each received $20,000.
For the 2026–27 cycle, the website says applications will be accepted for both the Dale Warland Singers Commission Grant and Music Education Partnership Grants. Organizations with tax-exempt status or fiscally sponsored projects may apply for one or both opportunities. Music Education Partnership Grants offer up to $50,000 over two years, with awards considered in two budget categories: organizations with budgets below $150,000 or run by volunteers, and organizations with budgets of $150,000 or more and at least one regular or part-time employee.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Alysia Lee, Steven Smith, Rollo Dilworth, Robert Istad, Molly Buzick Pontin, Mary Doughty Mauch, Marcela Molina, and John Nuechterlein as directors; Steven Neiffer as treasurer; and Mark Lawson as chair elect.
Chorus America is led by Catherine Dehoney, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 2 of 39 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine Dehoney
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$147K (2019) → $28K (2025)
Christopher Eanes
President & CEO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$150K (2025)
Anton Armstrong
Chair
Director → Chair Elect, 2021
Chair Elect → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Ramsey
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne B. Keiser
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony Trecek-King
Director
Director → Past Chair, 2021
Past Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Newhouse
Director
Chair → Past Chair, 2022
Past Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles Berardesco
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dashon Burton
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Hayes
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Morrow
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dianne Peterson
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Duain Wolfe
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Nunez
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eugene Rogers
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Iris Derke
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Barnett
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Nuechterlein
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Doughty Mauch
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Molly Buzick Pontin
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Istad
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rollo Dilworth
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alysia Lee
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marcela Molina
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig H. Johnson
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Oliver
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven Smith
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Adlers
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maria Ellis
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Verdugo
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jean-Sebastien Vallee
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Tuuk Kuras
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ahmed Anzaldua
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carrie Tennant
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Cheng
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Cooke
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Lawson
Chair Elect
Director → Chair Elect, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven Neiffer
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diana Saez
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (23)
- Former: John Earls (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Karen P. Thomas (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Robyn Reeves Lana (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Linda Moxley (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Marie Bucoy-Calavan (2019–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Todd Estabrook (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Pearl Shangkuan (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Hilary Apfelstadt (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Corty Fengler (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Craig Jessop (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Elfrieda Heinrichs (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Miguel Angel Felipe (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Morna Edmundson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Roland Carter (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Catherine Peterson (2019–2020) — Past Chair
- Former: Joy Douglass (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Leonard Ratzlaff (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Shawn Crouch (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: David C. Howse (2019) — Director
- Former: Grant Gershon (2019) — Director
- Former: Hugh Davies (2019) — Director
- Former: Joshua Habermann (2019) — Director
- Former: Michael McCarthy (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $150K, to Christopher Eanes (President & CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Chorus America
How much does Chorus America give each year?
Chorus America gave $453K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $433K across 18 grants.
What is Chorus America's typical grant size?
Chorus America's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $21,548, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chorus America that year got $22K on average.
Where does Chorus America give grants?
Chorus America's top state is Minnesota, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (18%) and Arizona (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Saint Paul, MN (3 grants), Albuquerque, NM (2 grants), Los Angeles, CA (2 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (2 grants).
Does Chorus America give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Chorus America's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Music Grant" (21 grants).
Who are Chorus America's largest grantees?
Chorus America's largest 2025 grantees include August Heritage Center Inc ($25,000), B-National Arts Institute ($25,000) and Commusication ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Chorus America?
Chorus America reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.
What does Chorus America fund?
Chorus America states its mission as strengthening singing communities with the advocacy, connections, and resources they need to be a vital part of society. Its programs also include professional development, publications, research, and peer networking for the choral field. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chorus America?
Eligible organizations may apply for one or both opportunities; the available information does not specify application materials or a submission process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Chorus America's EIN?
Chorus America's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2062595. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 31, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Chorus America funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chorus America's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Chorus America funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/chorus-america-morg_6bdcc59619db4a2b9033c9f3744831f9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232062595_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Chorus America funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/chorus-america-morg_6bdcc59619db4a2b9033c9f3744831f9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Chorus America's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Chorus America down — hundreds of funders to go?