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Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra reported $38.6 million in revenue and $42.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $72.85 went to program services, $18.25 to management and general costs and $8.90 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 61.4% of the total. Government grants made up 8.8%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $475,948 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 77 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 29% 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 $42MFor 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 $39MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.9% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.9% | 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 | 61.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 8.8% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 26.3% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $475,948 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.12% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 77 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 31.5 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 23 of 26 | 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 expenseOrchestra concerts: the orchestra's performance calendar includes classical and pops concerts in orchestra hall, as well as the live from orchestra hall webcast series now in its eleventh season, sharing the music of the dso with listeners in all 50 states and 100 countries worldwide
Education and community engagement: the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's education and community engagement programming is dedicated to providing meaningful musical experiences for community members throughout their lives. Our programs provide students of all ages and musical skill levels across the greater detroit area with the opportunity to expand creativity and develop musical talent. Experiences range from concerts for toddlers, young children, and their families, to instrument training programs serving elementary up to graduate students. In this time of extraordinary need, the dso also…
Jazz and other presentations: the dso presents the world's best jazz artists through our paradise jazz series a name in homage to orchestra hall's heritage as the former paradise jazz theater. The series is currently led by grammy award-winning jazz trumpeter and composer terence blanchard. The dso is one of few orchestras in the country to have dedicated jazz programming, and the only to have a jazz creative director chair position in its artistic leadership. The dso's cube series features hundreds of artists in a variety of genres including jazz, r&b, electronic, salsa and funk. The dso…
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, 60.0 hrs/week | $465,025 | $0 | $10,923 | $475,948 |
| VP AND CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER Key employee, 60.0 hrs/week | $275,546 | $0 | $34,688 | $310,234 |
| VP AND CHIEF ADMIN AND FINANCIAL OFFICER - PART YR Key employee, 60.0 hrs/week | $265,714 | $0 | $34,115 | $299,829 |
| MUSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $268,230 | $0 | $17,635 | $285,865 |
| MUSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $180,201 | $0 | $24,442 | $204,643 |
| MUSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $167,873 | $0 | $24,616 | $192,489 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $154,442 | $0 | $34,826 | $189,268 |
| MUSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $160,825 | $0 | $19,019 | $179,844 |
77 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Detroit Symphony Orchestra (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.3M (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–1b26 · 23 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 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 4Yes
- 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 5724
- Volunteers Part I, line 6300
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| OPUS 3 ARTISTS LLC Music director and guest artists | $654,720 |
| ADAMO GROUP Construction | $416,950 |
| CAPACITY INTERACTIVE CONSULTING LLC Consulting | $389,368 |
| BENNETT DIRECT Fundraising | $296,671 |
| PLANTE & MORAN PLLC Accounting | $245,900 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 9 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
83 private foundations reported grants to Detroit Symphony Orchestra totaling $7.1M 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 Detroit Symphony Orchestra's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Detroit Symphony Orchestra, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Detroit Symphony Orchestra spent in FY2025, $72.85 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Jorge M Perez Art Museum of Miami-Dade CountyMiami, FL · revenue $38M · programs 59.3% · 2024
- Navy Seal FoundationVirginia Beach, VA · revenue $39M · programs 92.6% · 2024
- Seattle Art MuseumSeattle, WA · revenue $38M · programs 74.6% · FY2025
- American Council of Learned SocietiesNew York, NY · revenue $39M · programs 85.5% · FY2025
- American Journalism ProjectWashington, DC · revenue $38M · programs 91.1% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Michigan
Questions people ask
How much of Detroit Symphony Orchestra's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Detroit Symphony Orchestra reported that 72.9% of its $42.5 million in expenses went to program services, 18.2% to management and general and 8.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Detroit Symphony Orchestra pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Detroit Symphony Orchestra reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $475,948, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Detroit Symphony Orchestra get its money?
Of $38.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 61.4% came from contributions and grants (including 8.8% from government grants) and 26.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Detroit Symphony Orchestra a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 38-1385132 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 202601949349300835 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202540159349302109 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202420169349300892 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341989349300809 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202200149349300940 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202023579349301232 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 38-1385132: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.