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Grant Park Orchestral Association
Grant Park Orchestral Association reported $10.1 million in revenue and $8.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $68.16 went to program services, $13.17 to management and general costs and $18.67 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 92.3% of the total. Government grants made up 29.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $321,968 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 51% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $8.1MFor 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 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $10M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$62.55 $6.4M
- Government grants$28.99 $3.0M
- Program service revenue$1.24 $126K
- Investment income$7.22 $736K
Other revenue was negative: −$83,412. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 68.2% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 18.7% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.16 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 92.3% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 29.2% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $321,968 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.98% | 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 | 54.7 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 38 of 38 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseIn 2025, the Grant Park music festival celebrated a major milestone in our nearly century-long history with the arrival of six-time grammy award-winning conductor giancarlo guerrero as our new artistic director and principal conductor. Giancarlo's inaugural season (june 11-august 16, 2025) drew 203,000 chicago residents and summer visitors to millennium park for the festival's free symphonic and choral performances. Notably, average attendance for our core classical concerts topped 7,500-a 3% increase over the prior year. From its inception, the festival has brought people of diverse…
The festival proudly nurtures the next generation of classical music talent, providing vital career development for emerging artists from historically under-represented backgrounds, and supporting community efforts that expand access to quality music education for chicago's young people. The festival's string and vocal fellowship program welcomed our 11th cohort in 2025. Fellows rehearsed and performed with festival ensembles, took part in master classes with visiting guest artists, developed and delivered free chamber concerts in neighborhood parks, and appeared in chicago's venerable dame…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 & CEO Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $287,876 | $0 | $34,092 | $321,968 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $156,021 | $0 | $25,184 | $181,205 |
| GENERAL MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $174,078 | $0 | $5,404 | $179,482 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $156,170 | $0 | $21,417 | $177,587 |
| CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $142,125 | $0 | $26,885 | $169,010 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Grant Park Orchestral Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $322K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b38 · 38 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 11aNo
- 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 5382
- Volunteers Part I, line 690
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| KOBOTECH INC Concert production services | $445,356 |
| CAMPBELL & COMPANY Endowment campaign consulting | $137,400 |
| D&B GRAPHICS Printing and direct mail | $134,403 |
| RESOLUTE PUBLIC AFFAIRS Public affairs & creative/design service | $106,500 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 6 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
24 private foundations reported grants to Grant Park Orchestral Association 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 Grant Park Orchestral 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 Grant Park Orchestral Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Grant Park Orchestral Association spent in 2025, $68.16 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Grant Park Orchestral Association's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Grant Park Orchestral Association reported that 68.2% of its $8.1 million in expenses went to program services, 13.2% to management and general and 18.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Grant Park Orchestral Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Grant Park Orchestral Association reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $321,968, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Grant Park Orchestral Association get its money?
Of $10.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 92.3% came from contributions and grants (including 29.2% from government grants) and 1.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Grant Park Orchestral Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 32-0005884 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202642619349300014 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202542589349302364 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202422789349300947 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202332829349300723 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202213129349305231 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202142959349300444 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202002809349300945 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 32-0005884: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.