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MUSIC PUBLISHERS ASSOC OF THE US INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 132990527 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Micro (<$100K) · mpa.org
revenue
$51K
expenses
$170K
net assets
$139K
employees
1
volunteers
19
mission · from form 990

TO SERVE AS A FORUM FOR PUBLISHERS TO ADDRESS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY'S (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) VITAL ISSUES AND TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION AMONG INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Music Publishers Association of the United States is a trade association serving music publishers by addressing industry-wide issues and facilitating communication among participants. It provides educational resources on copyright compliance, particularly for churches and educational institutions, and promotes best practices in music publishing. The organization also administers the Paul Revere Awards for Graphic Excellence, recognizing high-quality music engraving and design.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Copying Under Copyright
Offers educational materials outlining legal requirements for reproducing copyrighted music, targeting schools, churches, and music users.
Paul Revere Awards for Graphic Excellence
Annual awards program recognizing excellence in music engraving, notation, and design across multiple categories including choral, keyboard, and educational music publications.
Resources for Churches
Provides guidance on copyright compliance for churches, including permissions, streaming, and copying practices for religious music use.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Music Licensing Rights Management 6 activities
    • Advocating for legal compliance in music licensing and copyright use
      Provides authoritative guidance on obtaining proper licenses for public performances, mechanical reproductions, synchronization, and dramatic rights; clarifies limitations on copying for academic use, emergency provisions, and promotes ethical standards through practical U.S. copyright law resources.
    • Answering common copyright questions and guiding users to rights holders
      Provides clear answers to frequently asked questions about music copyright, advises users to seek permission for special uses, and directs them to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and other databases to locate copyright owners.
    • Distributing standardized forms and tools for copyright permissions
      Provides downloadable standardized forms for requesting permission to photocopy out-of-print music, create arrangements, report copyright infringement anonymously, and obtain authorization for library use, along with access to publisher contact information and directories.
    • Providing educational resources on music publishing
      Offers educational materials and guidance on music publishing fundamentals, copyright practices, and revenue generation for publishers, performers, students, teachers, and other users of copyrighted music.
    • Publishing guides for creating authorized musical arrangements
      Produces and distributes specialized guides for orchestras, bands, choirs, and arrangers on how to legally create, license, and distribute authorized arrangements of copyrighted music, including updated standards for orchestral pops, band, and choral settings.
    • Supporting church music licensing compliance
      Endorses and supports the CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing, Inc.) license for churches and provides educational resources to help religious institutions use copyrighted music legally.
  • Music Awards and Honors Programs 2 activities
    • Administering the Paul Revere Awards for Graphic Excellence
      Organizes and conducts an annual awards program recognizing excellence in music publishing design, including receipt and judging of submissions; in 2025, received 140 entries from 28 publishers and held judging at Concord's offices on July 7.
    • Presenting annual awards at a luncheon event
      Honors achievements in the music publishing industry through an annual awards luncheon held in New York City.
  • Industry Trade Association Services 1 activity
    • Facilitating industry dialogue on music publishing issues
      Serves as a forum for music publishers to address critical industry challenges and promote communication among stakeholders in the music publishing ecosystem.
  • Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
    • Hosting educational seminars for music industry professionals
      Organizes an annual one-day seminar covering the fundamentals of music publishing and revenue generation, limited to 40 participants, with one year of free membership offered to new or lapsed independent publishers who register.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$51K
Contributions & grants$11K22%
Program service revenue$40K78%
Investment income$840%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$170K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$81K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$139K
Cash$139K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$139K
Liquid reserves9.8 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -60.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 21
  • ALEX SHAPIRO — BOARD MEMBER
  • DANIEL DORFF — BOARD MEMBER
  • DAVID FLACHS — OUTGOING BOARD MEMBER (6/2025)
  • DEMETRIUS ROBINSON — BOARD MEMBER
  • DENNIS TOBENSKI — BOARD MEMBER
  • GEORGE MALOIAN — BOARD MEMBER (DECEASED 3/2025)
  • IAN MCLOUGHLIN — BOARD MEMBER
  • JAMES GRUPENHOFF — BOARD MEMBER
  • JEFF SCHROEDL — OUTGOING BOARD MEMBER (11/2024)
  • JOHN SHORNEY — BOARD MEMBER
  • KAREN HEYMANN — BOARD MEMBER
  • KATHLEEN MARSH — SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT
  • MARCO BERROCAL — BOARD MEMBER
  • MATTHEW KEISER — BOARD MEMBER
  • MEGHAN ROY CLEGG — BOARD MEMBER
  • MELINDA VARGA — VICE-PRESIDENT
  • NORMAN RYAN — BOARD MEMBER
  • PEGGY MONASTRA — BOARD MEMBER
  • SONYA KIM — TREASURER
  • STEPHEN CULBERTSON — BOARD MEMBER
  • STEVEN LANKENAU — PRESIDENT
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • ASCAP Partner — Collaborates by directing users to its ACE database for identifying copyright holders.
  • ASCAP Partner — Collaborates with ASCAP by directing users to its database for identifying music publishers.
  • ASCAP Partner — Collaborates with ASCAP to guide users on public performance licensing for non-dramatic musical works.
  • American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Partner — Collaborates with ASCAP by linking to its search tools for locating music publishers and rights information.
  • BMI Partner — Collaborates by directing users to its HYPER-REPERTOIRE database for identifying publishers of copyrighted songs.
  • BMI Partner — Collaborates with BMI by directing users to its database for identifying music publishers.
  • BMI Partner — Collaborates with BMI to guide users on public performance licensing for non-dramatic musical works.
  • Boosey & Hawkes Partner — Featured as a speaker organization at the Blueprint seminar.
  • Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) Partner — Collaborates with BMI by linking to its search tools and participating in SONGVIEW for comprehensive music catalog access.
  • Christian Copyright Licensing, Inc. Partner — Endorsed and cooperated with CCLI to make copyright licensing available to churches.
  • Concord Partner — Featured as a speaker organization at the Blueprint seminar.
  • Concord Partner — Hosted the judging event for the MPA's engraving competition on July 7, 2025
  • Concord Partner — Hosted the judging for the 2025 Paul Revere Awards for Graphic Excellence at its offices.
  • Harry Fox Agency Partner — Provides a link to the Harry Fox Agency as a resource for mechanical licensing and music rights information.
  • MPA Network — Member companies participate in the Paul Revere Awards submission process.
  • National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) Network — Listed as a related organization, indicating membership or affiliation within the broader music publishing advocacy network.
  • SESAC Partner — Collaborates by directing users to its ON-LINE REPERTORY for identifying works in its repertory.
  • SESAC Partner — Links to SESAC's online repertory to provide access to works in its repertoire for publisher and rights information.
  • Sony Partner — Featured as a speaker organization at the Blueprint seminar.
  • Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts Partner — Provides legal education content through its representative Katie Wagner at the seminar.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Authorized Arrangements Licensing Framework
    methodology: authorized_arrangements_licensing_framework
    By establishing standardized licensing procedures for orchestral, band, and choral arrangements, the organization increases lawful adaptation and performance of copyrighted works, because clear, accessible rules reduce legal uncertainty and encourage compliance.
  • Copyright Compliance Through Education and Guidance
    methodology: copyright_compliance_education
    By educating users—such as church musicians and arrangers—on copyright law and fair-use practices, the organization promotes voluntary compliance, because understanding legal responsibilities reduces unintentional infringement and supports sustainable income for creators.
  • Industry Forum for Collective Problem-Solving
    methodology: industry-forum
    By providing a collaborative forum where music publishers can communicate and coordinate, the organization enables collective action on critical industry issues, because shared dialogue leads to more effective solutions than isolated efforts.