# Sistema Utah

**Type:** resource
**Status:** Draft
**Confidence:** Medium
**Tier:** D
**Focus:** El Sistema, after-school orchestra, free music education, West Valley City, Title I schools
**Primary Location:** Draper, UT
**Utah Location:** West Valley City, UT (two program sites at American Preparatory schools)
**Region:** West Valley City
**Domain:** culture-place
**Website:** https://www.sistemautah.org
**Identifiers:** ein=45-5259246
**Updated:** 2026-08-11
**Relates:** cites [Source: Sistema Utah — Official Website](sistema-utah-official-website.md) · https://greatutah.work/pages/sistema-utah-official-website.md · https://www.sistemautah.org/
**Relates:** cites [Source: Sistema Utah — About Page](sistema-utah-about-page.md) · https://greatutah.work/pages/sistema-utah-about-page.md · https://www.sistemautah.org/about.html
**Relates:** cites [Source: IRS Form 990 Record — Sistema Utah](sistema-utah-form-990-record.md) · https://greatutah.work/pages/sistema-utah-form-990-record.md · https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/455259246

## Summary

**Sistema Utah** is a nonprofit after-school music program modeled on **El Sistema**, offering **free**
orchestral and band instruction to underserved students. It began **October 2013** at the **American
Preparatory** family of schools and reports serving **nearly 400 students** at **two Title I sites
in West Valley City**, **65%** of whom receive free or reduced lunch
([about page](sistema-utah-about-page.md)).

Students attend **three hours a day, five days a week** (**15 hours** weekly) for group instruction,
general music, singing, homework help, and a daily snack — **at no cost to families**
([about page](sistema-utah-about-page.md)). The legal entity **Sistema Utah** (EIN **45-5259246**)
is registered in **Draper** and recognized by the IRS as a **501(c)(3)** since **February 2021**
([Form 990 record](sistema-utah-form-990-record.md)); it is **not** a fiscal-sponsor arrangement — it
files under its own EIN and is classified as having **operated a school** on its Dec. 2024 return.

## Who It's For

Children at participating **West Valley City** school sites — described as **Title I** schools with
a majority of students on free or reduced lunch ([about page](sistema-utah-about-page.md)). The
homepage lists instruments from **violin through percussion, bucket band, and taiko**
([official site](sistema-utah-official-website.md)). Advanced students join **Sistema Strings**
performance groups that play community service concerts.

## How To Use It

This shard captured no enrollment application workflow. Contact **[email protected]** or
**385-351-3090 x 1139** per the organization's site
([official site](sistema-utah-official-website.md)). The About page describes the program as hosted
at **American Preparatory** school sites rather than open drop-in registration at the Draper mailing
address on the IRS record.

## Open Questions

- **Draper vs. West Valley City.** IRS address is **12894 S Pony Express Rd Ste 400, Draper**; all
  captured program-site language points to **West Valley City** schools. Whether Draper hosts any
  instruction is **not stated** on captured pages — the lead's dual-city framing is only half
  documented.
- **990 scale vs. program scale.** FY 2024 revenue was **$24,791** on the 990-EZ
  ([Form 990 record](sistema-utah-form-990-record.md)) against a self-reported **~400 students**
  and **15 hours/week** each. How labor, instruments, and facilities are financed beyond cash
  contributions is not explained in captured documents.
- **The Best of State medals are now documented, and they are two, in one year.** The 2025 program book
  lists Sistema Utah as the winner in **Children's Orchestra** (Arts & Entertainment) and in **Musical
  Instruments** ([2025 program book](best-of-state-2025-winners-list.md)). Read that as two paid category
  entries judged on their own submissions, not as two contests won against deep fields — see
  [Best of State Awards](best-of-state-awards.md) for what a medal establishes. For a nonprofit running
  on $24,791 of reported revenue, what it usefully corroborates is that the program was operating at the
  scale it describes in 2025.

## Evidence

- [Source: Sistema Utah — Official Website](sistema-utah-official-website.md) · https://greatutah.work/pages/sistema-utah-official-website.md · https://www.sistemautah.org/
- [Source: Sistema Utah — About Page](sistema-utah-about-page.md) · https://greatutah.work/pages/sistema-utah-about-page.md · https://www.sistemautah.org/about.html
- [Source: IRS Form 990 Record — Sistema Utah](sistema-utah-form-990-record.md) · https://greatutah.work/pages/sistema-utah-form-990-record.md · https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/455259246
- [Source: Best of State 2025 Awards Program Book (PDF)](best-of-state-2025-winners-list.md) · https://greatutah.work/pages/best-of-state-2025-winners-list.md · https://www.bestofstate.org/__l5e/assets-v1/1a1ae534-b5f4-4d81-a8f0-394011da6318/2025_bos_winners.pdf