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Arts Organizations | Artists

D & B Registration for Nonprofit Arts Organizations - 2004



What is a DUNS number?

Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) is a company that provides business information for credit, marketing, and purchasing decisions. Its "data universal numbering system," known at DUNS, issues unique 9-digit numbers that are used by businesses and the federal government to keep track of more than 70 million businesses world-wide. Some entities, such as states and universities, will also have what is known as "DUNS + 4," which is used to identify specific units within a larger entity.

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Why does my organization need a DUNS number?

There are two reasons that it is important for all of the nation’s nonprofit arts organizations to secure a DUNS number. First, the federal government has recently adopted a new policy that requires organizations to provide a DUNS number as part of their grant applications and proposals, and many state and local arts agencies are already doing the same. Second, Americans for the Arts has developed a powerful geo-political advocacy tool—the Creative Industries project—that uses the DUNS number to identify each for-profit and nonprofit arts-related business in the country. The more accurate the information is, the more successful our combined efforts to increase awareness of the national scope of the arts industry will be.

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How do I find out if my organization already has a DUNS number?

Your executive director, business manager, board treasurer, or accountant is likely to know and be able to provide your organization’s DUNS number if you already have one. If you still aren’t sure, call a D&B operator (1.866.705.5711) or visit http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html and use the "Are you already in D&B’s database?" search feature on the right side of the page.

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What’s the easiest way to get a DUNS number if my organization needs one?

Your organization can request a DUNS number from D&B by phone (1.866.705.5711) or on the Internet. Visit D&B’s web site at https://eupdate.dnb.com/requestoptions/government/ccrreg/ for detailed information about securing your DUNS number. Note that an executive or other authorizing official of your organization should request a DUNS number. The process is free and takes only minutes to complete. During DUNS registration, you will be asked to provide a primary Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code that defines your organization type (e.g., arts council, theater, or opera). Use the information in the paragraph below to identify the correct SIC code for your organization. In addition, you will be asked to provide the following information:

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What are the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes for nonprofit arts organizations?

The table below provides the primary 8-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes for common nonprofit arts organizations. If you don’t see a match for your organization, click here for a detailed list of the 644 SIC codes for all arts-related businesses and individual artists (both for-profit and nonprofit). Note that "arts council" is the most appropriate code for government arts agencies such as a cultural affairs department; therefore, they share the same SIC code.

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Common SIC Codes for Nonprofit Arts Organizations

(click here to download a complete list in Adobe PDF format)

Organization Type 8-Digit SIC Code
Arts council 86999902
Government arts agency (e.g., Department of Cultural Affairs) (same code as arts council) 86999902
Museum 84129902
Arts or science center 84120102
Art gallery, non-commercial 84120101
Art school, non-commercial 82990101
Symphony orchestra 79290111
Summer theater 79220306
Opera company 79220303
Theatrical companies 79220300
Performing arts center production 79220203
Community theater production 79220202
Ballet production 79220201
Dance studios, schools, and halls 79110000
Theater building, ownership and operation 65120302

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If my organization already has a DUNS number, do we need to do anything?

Yes. We have found that some of the nonprofit arts organizations that already have a DUNS number are associated with incorrect, non-arts Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes in the D&B database. Use the information provided in the previous paragraph to identify the most accurate SIC code for your organization. Then call a D&B operator (1.866.705.5711) to request the SIC code that is currently associated with your organization, and provide the accurate SIC code if necessary. Unfortunately, you cannot confirm or change your SIC code on the Internet. However, D&B operators are knowledgeable and friendly. And the phone call should take less than ten minutes.

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Is there other information—in addition to the SIC code—that my organization should update?

Yes. While you cannot confirm or update your SIC code on the Internet, you can use D&B’s web page to confirm and update other background information about your organization including the business address and the number of people employed. Both pieces of information are vital to the success of our Creative Industries study and to increase awareness of the scope and impact of the U.S. arts industry. To update this information, visit D&B’s web page at https://eupdate.dnb.com/. You’ll need to log in using your DUNS number and password. If you don’t have this information, or if you’d like to update this information over the phone at the same time you confirm your art-related SIC code, you can simply call a D&B operator (1.866.705.5711).

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Is there a fee for registering a DUNS number?

No. There is no fee for registering a DUNS number, nor are you obligated to purchase any of D&B’s products.

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