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ASSOCIATION OF CONCERT BANDS OF AMERICA INC

KENMORE, NY · EIN 222226114 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A6CC · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · acbands.org
revenue
$103K
expenses
$81K
net assets
$287K
employees
mission · from form 990

ENCOURAGE AND FOSTER ADULT COMMUNITY AND CIVIC BANDS

profile · synthesized from sources

Association of Concert Bands of America supports adult community and civic concert bands across the United States and Canada. It serves as a membership network that connects local bands, fosters musical collaboration, and promotes the development of amateur wind and brass ensembles. The organization does not directly produce performances but strengthens the ecosystem of community bands through affiliation and visibility.

named programs · 1 · from sources

What they call their work

Member Band Network
A national directory of adult community and civic concert bands that have paid annual membership dues, providing visibility and affiliation through the organization's website.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Music Licensing Rights Management 2 activities
    • Negotiates blanket performance licensing agreements for member bands
      Secures reduced-rate blanket performance licenses with ASCAP and BMI on behalf of member bands, enabling legal public performances of copyrighted music. These agreements were first established in 2001 and continue to be maintained.
    • Reports musical performances to performance rights organizations
      Reports over 54,000 song performances annually on behalf of member bands to ASCAP and BMI to ensure proper royalty distribution and compliance with licensing requirements.
  • Member Business Referral & Discount Programs 1 activity
    • Administers membership benefits and discount programs
      Provides members with negotiated discounts on sheet music, instrument rentals, printing services, custom signs, LED lighting, gifts, and other products through partnerships with vendors including Jupiter Instruments, Avid Reeder Music, Printastic.com, and Gifts.com. Also offers discounted access to the Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music and free Naxos Music Library streaming access.
  • Organization Website and Online Platform Management 1 activity
    • Maintains membership directories and band-finding tools
      Operates a searchable Find-A-Band Directory and an online Membership Directory to help musicians locate member community bands by location and connect with ensembles. Member organizations are listed on the ACB website with optional directory inclusion.
  • Membership Program Administration 1 activity
    • Manages organizational membership structure and categories
      Administers multiple membership types—including individual, student, family, composer, band/ensemble, and corporate—with tailored benefits such as listing on the website, email campaigns, logo placement, and bulk convention registration. Introduced a new composer membership category in June 2025.
  • Professional Networking Events 1 activity
    • Organizes annual conventions and regional events for member bands
      Hosts an annual national convention that includes educational seminars, expert lectures, ensemble performances, networking opportunities, and participation in a convention band. Regional events and virtual engagement initiatives like ACB Connects! Live Zoom presentations are also conducted to support ongoing member interaction.
  • Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
    • Publishes the ACB Journal for member communication and engagement
      Produces and distributes the ACB Journal three times per year, featuring articles on band literature, member news, event information, new music reviews, and opportunities for content contribution at reduced rates. The journal also includes editorial and design support from dedicated staff.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Provides access to resources for band development and management
      Offers members practical tools such as the ACB Band Builder's Manual, sample bylaws, archived journal issues, and the "Blueprint for Starting and Maintaining Community Bands" to support the establishment, funding, and promotion of adult concert bands.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$103K
Contributions & grants$10K10%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$11K10%
Other revenue$14K
expenses
Total expenses$81K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$13K
Grants paid out$1K
balance sheet
Total assets$443K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$287K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -25.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 6
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
CRAIG J ERHARD TREASURER 10 $3K
DEBBIE MCGARITY EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 5 $3K
SARAH MCELFRESH NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP CHAIR AND WEB ADMINISTRATOR 25 $3K
DONNA CANEEN LICENSE COORDINATOR 6 $2K
SANDY CLEVELAND JOURNAL EDITOR/DESIGNER 20 $2K
AMY J STEINER RECORDING SECRETARY/CONVENTION PROJECT MANAGER 10 $500
board members · 9
  • CLIFF CHAPMAN — DIRECTOR
  • JEFF MARLOW — DIRECTOR
  • LARRY LANG — DIRECTOR
  • MARK CLARK — DIRECTOR
  • NED SNOW — DIRECTOR
  • PAUL FURLONG — DIRECTOR
  • SCOTT MCELFRESH — DIRECTOR/REGIONAL CONNECTIONS EVENTS COORDINATOR
  • STACI ROSBURY — DIRECTOR
  • TOM SEATON — DIRECTOR
relationships · 32

Who they work with

  • ACB Journal Network — Official publication of the Association of Concert Bands, used to list member-submitted compositions.
  • ASCAP Government — Partners with ASCAP to offer the ACB Blanket Performance License to eligible member ensembles.
  • ASCAP Partner — Negotiated a blanket license agreement for performance rights on behalf of member bands.
  • ASCAP Partner — Negotiated blanket performance licensing agreements to support member bands' performance rights.
  • ASCAP Partner — Submits performance data from member bands to ASCAP as part of the ACB Blanket Performance License agreement.
  • Avid Reeder Music Partner — Provides 20% discount on sheet music and custom arrangements for ACB members.
  • BMI Government — Partners with BMI to offer the ACB Blanket Performance License to eligible member ensembles.
  • BMI Partner — Negotiated a blanket license agreement for performance rights on behalf of member bands.
  • BMI Partner — Negotiated blanket performance licensing agreements to support member bands' performance rights.
  • BMI Partner — Submits performance data from member bands to BMI as part of the ACB Blanket Performance License agreement.
  • Buffalo Niagara Concert Band Partner — Founding member and board member organization for Craig J. Erhard
  • City of Fairfax Band Partner — Hosted the 2002 ACB Convention and has been led by board member Robert Pouliot.
  • Cushing Partner — Provides 20% discount on printing projects and one hour of free graphic design assistance to ACB members.
  • Custom Graphix Signworks Partner — Offers 20% discount on custom signs and banners to ACB members.
  • Custom Neon Partner — Provides 10% discount on custom LED neon signs to ACB members.
  • Gifts.com Partner — Provides 15% discount on gifts to ACB members.
  • Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music Partner — Offers ACB members access for $5 upon membership or renewal.
  • Institute for Composer Diversity Partner — Partner organization with complementary musical service goals
  • John Philip Sousa Foundation Government — Awarded the Sudler Silver Scroll to the Oregon Symphonic Band
  • Jupiter Instruments Partner — Offers 20% discount on instrument rentals to ACB member bands.
  • Lands End Partner — Partner for ACB gear sales through the Lands End Shop
  • MemberClicks Partner — Technology partner used for online membership forms and management.
  • Midwest Clinic Partner — Hosted the Oregon Symphonic Band performance in 2006
  • Music Time, Inc. Partner — Provides 25% discount to ACB organizational members.
  • NAXOS Music Library Partner — Provides members with free access to the NAXOS Music Library streaming service through a partnership.
  • Naxos Music Library Partner — Provides free streaming access to members through a partnership with ACB.
  • Personal Creations Partner — Offers 15% discount on customizable gifts to ACB members.
  • Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity Partner — Partner organization with complementary musical service goals
  • Pride Bands Alliance Network — Member band listed in the directory of the Association of Concert Bands of America Inc.
  • Printastic.com Partner — Offers 20% discount on custom printed products to ACB members.
+ 2 more
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.

  • Networked Capacity Building
    methodology: capacity_building
    By providing resources, facilitating peer networking, and enabling cost savings, the organization strengthens member bands' sustainability because shared knowledge and economies of scale improve organizational resilience and community impact.
  • Performance-Education-Advocacy Model
    methodology: performance-education-advocacy model
    By integrating performance, education, and advocacy, the organization fosters excellence in concert band music because this triad approach strengthens artistic quality, builds capacity, and elevates public appreciation simultaneously.
  • Strategic Field Advancement through Collaboration
    methodology: strategic_affiliation
    By forming affiliations with aligned organizations and sponsoring research, the organization advances the concert band field because coordinated efforts across institutions amplify reach, innovation, and cultural legitimacy.