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Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago reported $80.8 million in revenue and $76.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $79.10 went to program services, $14.23 to management and general costs and $6.67 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 58.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,197,245 (GENERAL DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT & CEO/UNTIL AUG 2024). 109 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 34% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $77MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $81MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 79.1% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.7% | 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 | 58.2% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 18.6% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,197,245 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.56% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 109 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 31.2 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 82 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 expenseDuring the fiscal year, 40 opera performances and 8 concert/recital performances were performed by Lyric Opera of Chicago. These performances were attended by approximately 118,269 people
Lyric unlimited, an initiative of Lyric Opera of Chicago, offers a multifaceted program of expanded community engagement and artistic initiatives and includes lyric's longstanding educational programs. Lyric seeks to enrich the lives of chicago-area children and adults through high-quality, accessible arts education, which focuses on cultivating a lifelong appreciation of opera and creating audiences for the future. Lyric's school programs embrace arts education as a core subject and promote cross-curricular integration while fulfilling state learning standards. Community programs provide…
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, PRESIDENT & CEO/UNTIL AUG 2024 Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $1,161,448 | $0 | $35,797 | $1,197,245 |
| VICE-CHAIR & MUSIC DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $621,864 | $0 | $0 | $621,864 |
| ASST SECRETARY, CAO, DEPUTY GENERAL DIRECTOR Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $536,324 | $0 | $49,858 | $586,182 |
| ASST TREASURER & CFOO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $332,145 | $0 | $41,013 | $373,158 |
| CHIEF ARTISTIC OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $295,690 | $0 | $39,717 | $335,407 |
| VICE PRESIDENT FOR PRINCIPAL GIFTS/UNTIL DEC 2024 Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $269,468 | $0 | $22,454 | $291,922 |
| CHORUS DIRECTOR & HEAD OF MUSIC Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $287,345 | $0 | $1,145 | $288,490 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, PEOPLE & CULTURE Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $258,004 | $0 | $27,451 | $285,455 |
109 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Lyric Opera of Chicago (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.6M (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 · 82 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 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 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 5990
- Volunteers Part I, line 6756
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| J and L Food Services Inc Catering | $1,191,849 |
| Allied Integrated Marketing Advertising Agency | $1,081,051 |
| Hamill Partners Inc Janitorial Services | $564,643 |
| Anchor Mechanical Inc Construction | $494,175 |
| Bulley rews Concrete Restoration LLC Construction | $460,613 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 29 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
110 private foundations reported grants to Lyric Opera of Chicago totaling $7.4M 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 Lyric Opera of Chicago's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Lyric Opera of Chicago, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Lyric Opera of Chicago spent in FY2025, $79.10 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- San Francisco SymphonySan Francisco, CA · revenue $80M · programs 74.1% · FY2025
- The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the UnionMount Vernon, VA · revenue $82M · programs 83.3% · 2024
- Friends of United HatzalahNew York, NY · revenue $79M · programs 72.0% · 2024
- San Francisco Opera AssociationSan Francisco, CA · revenue $83M · programs 74.8% · FY2025
- The Musical Arts AssociationCleveland, OH · revenue $79M · programs 80.7% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Lyric Opera of Chicago's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Lyric Opera of Chicago reported that 79.1% of its $76.8 million in expenses went to program services, 14.2% to management and general and 6.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Lyric Opera of Chicago pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Lyric Opera of Chicago reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $1,197,245, for the role of GENERAL DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT & CEO/UNTIL AUG 2024 (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Lyric Opera of Chicago get its money?
Of $80.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 58.2% came from contributions and grants (including 0.8% from government grants) and 18.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Lyric Opera of Chicago a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-6008929 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 June 30, 2025, object 202621319349303217 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511329349305411 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202411349349302141 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331319349300133 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201339349301325 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101319349302700 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-6008929: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.