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Philadelphia Orchestra Association
Philadelphia Orchestra Association reported $65.0 million in revenue and $59.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $73.92 went to program services, $21.23 to management and general costs and $4.85 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 41.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,225,614 (MEMBER/PRES & CEO (THRU 12/24)). Revenue rose 52% 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 $60MFor 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 $65MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 73.9% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 21.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.9% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 41.9% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.8% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 28.3% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,225,614 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.05% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 44.0 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 15 | 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 expenseOrchestral music programs: the Philadelphia Orchestra took part in approximately 140 performance events throughout the year: main classical series (68), special concerts (26), family, school and community events (39) and tours and regional concerts (35). The Philadelphia Orchestra also provided free virtual concerts through its website and community engagement offerings
Highest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEMBER/PRES & CEO (THRU 12/24) Director/trustee, officer, 20.00 hrs/week | $0 | $1,159,583 | $66,031 | $1,225,614 |
| MEMBER/PRES & CEO (AS OF 04/25) Director/trustee, officer, 20.00 hrs/week | $0 | $486,110 | $65,030 | $551,140 |
| EXEC VP & COO (AS OF 02/25) Officer, 20.00 hrs/week | $0 | $364,063 | $61,929 | $425,992 |
| BOARD MEMBER(NON-VOTING)/CFO/TREAS Officer, 20.00 hrs/week | $0 | $358,273 | $62,133 | $420,406 |
| SECRETARY (THRU 12/24) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $281,465 | $36,724 | $318,189 |
0 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Philadelphia Orchestra Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.7M (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–1b15 · 14 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 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- 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 26Yes
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 6450
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| 9482-4075 QUEBEC INC Music & artistic dir svcs | $1,276,333 |
| OPUS 3 ARTISTS LLC Artist management | $776,649 |
| ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING Marketing and advertising | $698,931 |
| NAKA TECHNOLOGIES LLC It services | $509,068 |
| CHAMBERS GROUP Marketing and advertising | $367,457 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 24 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
40 private foundations reported grants to Philadelphia Orchestra Association totaling $5.8M 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 Philadelphia Orchestra Association's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Philadelphia Orchestra Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Philadelphia Orchestra Association spent in FY2025, $73.92 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The ExploratoriumSan Francisco, CA · revenue $64M · programs 76.6% · FY2025
- The Eames InstitutePetaluma, CA · revenue $65M · programs 81.6% · 2024
- The Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur MuseumWinterthur, DE · revenue $64M · programs 76.7% · FY2025
- Ravinia Festival AssociationHighland Park, IL · revenue $66M · programs 80.6% · FY2025
- Chautauqua InstitutionChautauqua, NY · revenue $63M · programs 73.9% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Pennsylvania
Questions people ask
How much of Philadelphia Orchestra Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Philadelphia Orchestra Association reported that 73.9% of its $59.9 million in expenses went to program services, 21.2% to management and general and 4.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Philadelphia Orchestra Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Philadelphia Orchestra Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $1,225,614, for the role of MEMBER/PRES & CEO (THRU 12/24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Philadelphia Orchestra Association get its money?
Of $65.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 41.9% came from contributions and grants (including 1.8% from government grants) and 28.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Philadelphia Orchestra Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-1352289 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202611969349300636 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202511919349300036 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202421949349300412 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202321959349301447 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202221949349300237 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202131939349301308 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-1352289: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.