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Ravinia Festival Association
Ravinia Festival Association reported $65.8 million in revenue and $56.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.58 went to program services, $12.43 to management and general costs and $6.99 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 50.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $742,552 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 44 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 251% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $57MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $66MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.4% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 7.0% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 50.7% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 43.1% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $742,552 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.31% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 44 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 62.0 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 83 of 84 | 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 expenseFounded in 1904, ravinia is both the longest-running and the most artistically diverse outdoor music festival in north america. Approximately 400,000 people visit ravinia between june and september each year across more than 100 separate events that highlight genres as wide-ranging as the audiences. Classical music is a special focus at ravinia dating back to its first concerts, including a regular series of performances by the chicago symphony orchestra, which has formally been in summer residence at the festival since 1936
Ravinia's steans institute (steans) is a world-renowned artist development program offering emerging professional musicians from around the world immersive programs to hone their talents since its inception in 1988. Steans has provided its tuition-free services to more than 1,700 musicians who have gone on to cultivate highly visible and successful careers in performance, leadership, and music education. The institute's offerings include the classical chamber music-focused piano & strings program and singers program; the jazz program, which advances composition and small-group collaboration…
Ravinia's reach teach play (rtp) education and community engagement programs provide access to the transformative power of music. Our programs serve more than 50,000 people each year, offering 12 distinct programs that reach across the chicago area to promote music education and appreciation among children and families, teach the foundations of music by supplementing classroom curriculum, and encourage students to play music through dedicated jazz and orchestral performance studies, family-oriented classes, and more. At its core, rtp is about opening doors for students, teachers, and families…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $666,815 | $0 | $75,737 | $742,552 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $298,870 | $0 | $72,061 | $370,931 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $247,056 | $0 | $35,232 | $282,288 |
| CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $224,864 | $0 | $40,572 | $265,436 |
| CHIEF OF STRATEGY & SPECIAL PROJECTS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $200,877 | $0 | $51,929 | $252,806 |
| CHIEF OF PARK OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $215,431 | $0 | $33,409 | $248,840 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $205,514 | $0 | $41,423 | $246,937 |
44 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Ravinia Festival Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (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–1b84 · 83 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5977
- Volunteers Part I, line 6250
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Musical | $2,904,416 |
| WB OLSON Contractor | $1,752,725 |
| LOHAN ARCHITECTURE PLLC Architect | $1,707,040 |
| PERKINS COIE LLP Legal | $1,571,050 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 40 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
167 private foundations reported grants to Ravinia Festival Association totaling $6.0M 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 Ravinia Festival 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 Ravinia Festival Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Ravinia Festival Association spent in FY2025, $80.58 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Eames InstitutePetaluma, CA · revenue $65M · programs 81.6% · 2024
- Kenneth C Griffin Museum of Science and IndustryChicago, IL · revenue $66M · programs 84.4% · 2024
- Philadelphia Orchestra AssociationPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $65M · programs 73.9% · FY2025
- Radio Free AsiaWashington, DC · revenue $69M · programs 62.0% · FY2025
- The ExploratoriumSan Francisco, CA · revenue $64M · programs 76.6% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Ravinia Festival Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Ravinia Festival Association reported that 80.6% of its $56.8 million in expenses went to program services, 12.4% to management and general and 7.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Ravinia Festival Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Ravinia Festival Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $742,552, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Ravinia Festival Association get its money?
Of $65.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 50.7% came from contributions and grants (including 0.1% from government grants) and 43.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Ravinia Festival Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-6002273 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 September 30, 2025, object 202632259349302108 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202532109349300043 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202402279349302495 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202302229349300540 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202222239349300722 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202141899349301509 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-6002273: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.