Chautauqua Institution

Chautauqua, NY · EIN 16-0758844 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Latest filing: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Chautauqua Institution reported $63.4 million in revenue and $47.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $73.87 went to program services, $20.38 to management and general costs and $5.75 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 53.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $472,001 (PRESIDENT). 22 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 98% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.

Where $100 of spending went

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $48M

Program services$73.87 $35M
Management & general$20.38 $9.7M
Fundraising$5.75 $2.7M

For 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

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $63M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$53.63 $34M
Program service revenue$43.04 $27M
Investment income$1.44 $910K
Other revenue$1.89 $1.2M

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

2024 filing. Median across 876 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	2024	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	73.9%	78.5%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	20.4%	13.6%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	5.7%	6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.08	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	53.6%	57.5%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	0.0%	1.7%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	43.0%	20.8%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$472,001	$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	0.99%	2.03%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	22	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	74.8	36.6
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	24 of 24	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

2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense

$19M expenses · 53.9% of program spending · grants $1.0M · revenue $8.3M

With a foucus on lifelong learning, Chautauqua Institution brings to its constituents and to the surrounding communities the perspectives and innovations of thought and interfaith leaders, context experts, and renowned performers and prodigies in the context of four pillars of foucus: education, religion, recreation and the arts. Our learning environment is characterized by intergenerational, civil dialogue and participation. A broad range of programs are curated to appeal to an increasingly diverse audience. In excess of 4,000 students across generations participate in special studies…

$16M expenses · 46.1% of program spending · revenue $20M

Support services, box office and parking municipal services which include facility maintenance and food service for students. These services are necessary for all program function. (100,000+ are served)

Highest reported compensation

2024 · 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 Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$416,195	$0	$55,806	$472,001
SR VP & CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$233,632	$0	$41,367	$274,999
EXECUTIVE VP Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$233,889	$0	$39,716	$273,605
SR VP & CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$233,834	$0	$38,338	$272,172
SR VP, GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$230,645	$0	$34,778	$265,423
SR VP & CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$221,408	$0	$38,711	$260,119
DIR, Chautauqua Climate Change Initiative Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week	$207,667	$0	$40,199	$247,866
VP OF ADVANCEMENT & CAMPAIGN OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week	$202,017	$0	$39,741	$241,758

22 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Chautauqua Institution (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.8M (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked

RevenueExpenses

Filing	Revenue	Expenses	Programs	Net assets	Top pay
2024 ⓘ	$63M	$48M	73.9%	$298M	$472,001
2023 ⓘ	$49M	$44M	77.0%	$267M	$458,960
2022 ⓘ	$44M	$44M	76.3%	$245M	$460,253
2021 ⓘ	$48M	$33M	76.9%	$266M	$433,344
2020 ⓘ	$15M	$24M	71.4%	$112M	$370,101
2019 ⓘ	$32M	$32M	85.0%	$121M	$364,897

Governance answers, as filed

2024 · 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–1b24 · 24 independent
Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
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 4Yes
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 51,167
Volunteers Part I, line 6300

Largest outside contractors

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

PBS FOUNDATION Documentary productions on Chautauqua Inst.	$800,000
LARSON KARLE ARCHITECTS Architectural Design & Construction Admin	$475,134
SIVAK STONEMASONRY LLC Stonework & Brick Pavers - Bestor Plaza	$469,400
SPEWEIK PRESERVATION CONSULTANTS INC Masonry Work - Bestor Plaza Fountain	$456,500
CORRY JOURNAL Printing of the Daily Newspaper	$387,896

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 33 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

34 private foundations reported grants to Chautauqua Institution totaling $2.4M 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 Chautauqua Institution's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Chautauqua Institution, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

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Similar-sized charities in this cause

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
Vienna, VA · revenue $63M · programs 85.3% · 2024
The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum
Winterthur, DE · revenue $64M · programs 76.7% · FY2025
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation
New Orleans, LA · revenue $62M · programs 95.8% · FY2025
The Exploratorium
San Francisco, CA · revenue $64M · programs 76.6% · FY2025
The Studio Museum in Harlem
New York, NY · revenue $62M · programs 64.7% · FY2025

All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York

Questions people ask

How much of Chautauqua Institution's spending goes to programs?

In calendar year 2024, Chautauqua Institution reported that 73.9% of its $47.8 million in expenses went to program services, 20.4% to management and general and 5.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Chautauqua Institution pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Chautauqua Institution reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $472,001, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Chautauqua Institution get its money?

Of $63.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 53.6% came from contributions and grants and 43.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Chautauqua Institution a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 16-0758844 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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

2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202512769349300131 · read the filing · XML
2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202432419349301803 · read the filing
2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202343149349301719 · read the filing
2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202242909349301944 · read the filing
2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202142469349300609 · read the filing
2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033089349301203 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 16-0758844: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.