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Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society reported $17.4 million in revenue and $14.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $81.78 went to program services, $12.15 to management and general costs and $6.07 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 68.5% of the total. Government grants made up 6.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $357,015 (PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECT). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 30% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $15MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.8% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.1% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.1% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 68.5% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 6.2% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 26.7% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $357,015 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.44% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.3 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 32 of 32 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHighest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECT Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $331,782 | $0 | $25,233 | $357,015 |
| CONCERT MASTER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $181,036 | $0 | $28,529 | $209,565 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,597 | $0 | $12,737 | $162,334 |
| V.P. OF FINANCE & ADMINIST Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $117,812 | $0 | $23,543 | $141,355 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $106,822 | $0 | $11,487 | $118,309 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $450K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b32 · 32 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14No
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5395
Private foundation grants it received
29 private foundations reported grants to Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society totaling $1.2M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society spent in FY2025, $81.78 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Ogunquit Playhouse FoundationOgunquit, ME · revenue $17M · programs 83.5% · 2024
- Hennepin ArtsMinneapolis, MN · revenue $17M · programs 5.9% · FY2025
- Oakland Museum of CaliforniaOakland, CA · revenue $17M · programs 77.1% · FY2025
- Indiana Historical SocietyIndianapolis, IN · revenue $17M · programs 74.7% · 2024
- Center for Black Educator DevelopmentPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $17M · programs 54.6% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society reported that 81.8% of its $14.7 million in expenses went to program services, 12.1% to management and general and 6.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $357,015, for the role of PRESIDENT/EXECUTIVE DIRECT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society get its money?
Of $17.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 68.5% came from contributions and grants (including 6.2% from government grants) and 26.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 16-0755739 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202601899349301300 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202500779349300610 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441849349301239 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202321939349301047 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202231889349300638 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202111959349301606 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 16-0755739: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.