Music Center Foundation
The mission of Music Center Foundation is to provide endowment support to the music center performing arts center of los Angeles county, its education and artistic programs and resident companies through planned giving fundraising and asset management.
Music Center Foundation at a glance
In short: Music Center Foundation gave $8.1M across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $1.6M), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,053,861
- -10.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,610,772
- -10.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,462,035
- Total assets
- $314,072,066
- +2.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Music Center Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Los Angeles Philharmonic Association ($3.2M). Together the top 5 received $8.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
25 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 19 grants of 25 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Music Center Foundation gives
- Giving fell 68% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7.4M (2021) to $25.3M (2022). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $8.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Philharmonic Association Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $3,199,098 |
| Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles Inc Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $1,613,082 |
| The Music Center Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $1,462,035 |
| Los Angeles Opera Company Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $1,416,760 |
| Los Angeles Master Chorale Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $362,886 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $314,072,066 | $14,852,023 | $9,084,745 | $8,053,861 | 5 | $9,209,860 |
| 2024 | $306,563,538 | $10,480,339 | $10,080,290 | $9,027,380 | 5 | $3,452,705 |
| 2023 | $285,118,946 | $2,501,518 | $9,113,867 | $8,160,238 | 5 | $1,083,338 |
| 2022 | $314,452,554 | $21,090,065 | $26,234,757 | $25,328,741 | 5 | $16,508,629 |
| 2021 | $340,652,329 | $8,558,391 | $8,399,396 | $7,431,515 | 5 | $7,913,620 |
| 2020 | $250,555,015 | $3,922,014 | $8,657,561 | $7,643,170 | 5 | $1,531,117 |
| 2019 | $285,498,844 | $6,205,031 | $9,103,620 | $7,776,971 | 5 | $5,027,060 |
About Music Center Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Music Center Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Los Angeles, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $314.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $8.1M. Net investment income was $9.2M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Music Center Foundation is led by Steven T. Benson, President & CEO since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 2 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Steven T. Benson
President & CEO
President → President & CEO, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$347K (2019) → $368K (2025)
Shelby Notkin
Chairman
Director → Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darell L. Krasnoff
Director
Vice Chairman → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John B. Emerson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip Swan
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Miscikowski
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Soros
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelsey N. Martin
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas L. Beckmen
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy R. Forbes
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keith Leonard
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sue Wegleitner
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Michelson
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Stern
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Subotky
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Reardon
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Nhieu
Controller
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$103K (2025)
Kenneth S. Williams
Secretary & Treasurer
Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kiki R. Gindler
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Kent Kresa (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Jerrold L. Eberhardt (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Peter W. Mullin (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Bowen H. McCoy (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: C. Daniel Ewell (2019–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Marc I. Stern (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Sarah H. Ketterer (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Stephen F. Hinchliffe (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Susan C. Schnabel (2019–2021) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Lisa Specht (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Stuart M. Ketchum (2019–2020) — Vice President
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 $368K, to Steven T Benson (President and CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Music Center Foundation
How much does Music Center Foundation give each year?
Music Center Foundation gave $8.1M across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $9.0M across 5 grants.
What is Music Center Foundation's typical grant size?
Music Center Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,462,035, and its average grant was $1,610,772, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Music Center Foundation give grants?
Music Center Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (5 grants).
Does Music Center Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Music Center Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 5) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Music Center Foundation's largest grantees?
Music Center Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Los Angeles Philharmonic Association ($3,199,098), Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles Inc ($1,613,082) and The Music Center Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County ($1,462,035), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Music Center Foundation?
Music Center Foundation reported $314.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $14.9M.
What is Music Center Foundation?
Music Center Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Los Angeles, CA. It holds $314.1M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Music Center Foundation's EIN?
Music Center Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7298290. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 4, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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