Mission: The Mockingbird Foundation broadens access and educational opportunities for young people in music and the musical arts.
History: Mockingbird started as an all-volunteer non-profit in 1996 in order to raise money for music education for children. The original impetus was the compilation of the most accurate and literary book on Phish’s music available. We’ve done that, in three highly successful editions, as well as taken on a wide range of projects, including an album, art, special events, and branded merchandise.
Purpose: The Mockingbird Foundation has no salaries, paid staff, office space, or endowment — thus distributing all possible funds to charity. No director or volunteer benefits financially from the Foundation in any way, and all proceeds from Mockingbird projects are donated to tax-exempt organizations. The Foundation’s primary purpose is charitable, with more than $1.9M in grants to 534 grantees covering all 50 states.
Virtual: Borne from a Usenet newsgroup, and started in a mailing list, Mockingbird now incorporates a wide array of tools and media, and publishes content from Phish.net in print form, to other sites through a set of APIs, and to various mobile apps through strategic partnerships. Yet it still exists almost exclusively online, using the Internet for publicity, fundraising, all internal communications, and even to develop, produce, and distribute intellectual property
Formal: Though the Foundation exists almost exclusively online, it is a formally recognized nonprofit, with 501(c)3 tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Donations are thus tax-deductible, and contributions are applied to the next round of regular grants. We attempt to remain as transparent as possible, and welcome you to review these formal Foundation documents:
- 501(c)3 “Determination letter” from the IRS
- 2007 Confirmation of 501(c)3 Determination
- Articles of Incorporation
- Bylaws (last revised 4/8/19)
- FY2020 Federal 990 Tax Return
“It’s nice to see how a real charity works.” – MusicDish