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Cincinnati Opera Association
Cincinnati Opera Association reported $10.6 million in revenue and $8.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.10 went to program services, $14.24 to management and general costs and $10.66 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 60.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $262,656 (General Director & CEO). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 110% 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 $8.7MFor 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 $11M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$58.48 $6.2M
- Government grants$1.72 $184K
- Program service revenue$17.19 $1.8M
- Investment income$22.61 $2.4M
Other revenue was negative: −$24,435. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.1% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.7% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 60.3% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 17.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $262,656 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.01% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 54.4 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 43 of 43 | 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 expenseCincinnati Opera, the nation's second-oldest opera company, presented its 105th anniversary season at historic Music Hall. The company's 2025 Summer Festival spanned June and July and included three mainstage productions featuring renowned singers, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Boychoir, and dancers from Cincinnati Ballet. Repertoire included a new-to-Cincinnati production of Giuseppe Verdi's tragic Rigoletto, a sumptuous production of Giacomo Puccini's timeless classic Tosca, and a brand-new production of the beloved musical Fiddler on the Roof.…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Director & CEO Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $242,965 | $0 | $19,691 | $262,656 |
| Artistic Director Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $236,928 | $0 | $17,299 | $254,227 |
| Chief Financial Officer Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $124,772 | $0 | $12,717 | $137,489 |
| Chief Philanthropy Officer Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $72,756 | $0 | $6,427 | $79,183 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cincinnati Opera Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $734K (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–1b43 · 43 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 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 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5127
- Volunteers Part I, line 6111
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Cincinnati Arts Association Rent and Building Services | $1,257,629 |
| Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Orchestra Services | $1,071,668 |
| Community Counselling Service Co LLC Professional Fundraising Service | $142,897 |
| Clark Schaefer Strategic HR HR Services | $120,504 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
25 private foundations reported grants to Cincinnati Opera Association totaling $1.7M 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 Cincinnati Opera 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 Cincinnati Opera Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Cincinnati Opera Association spent in FY2025, $75.10 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Connecticut Association for the Performing ArtsColumbus, OH · revenue $11M · programs 83.5% · FY2025
- Omaha Symphony AssociationOmaha, NE · revenue $11M · programs 86.6% · FY2025
- Community Center for the ArtsJackson, WY · revenue $11M · programs 72.7% · 2024
- Cincinnati Public RadioCincinnati, OH · revenue $11M · programs 69.1% · FY2025
- Maryland Historical SocietyBaltimore, MD · revenue $11M · programs 69.5% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Ohio
Questions people ask
How much of Cincinnati Opera Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Cincinnati Opera Association reported that 75.1% of its $8.7 million in expenses went to program services, 14.2% to management and general and 10.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cincinnati Opera Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cincinnati Opera Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $262,656, for the role of General Director & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cincinnati Opera Association get its money?
Of $10.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 60.3% came from contributions and grants (including 1.7% from government grants) and 17.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cincinnati Opera Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 31-0549044 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 202630909349300213 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202540999349301419 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202401079349300120 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202321179349302017 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202211519349300326 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202120859349301132 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 31-0549044: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.