Milwaukee World Festival

Also known as Summerfest

Milwaukee, WI · EIN 39-1049688 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Latest filing: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Milwaukee World Festival reported $70.0 million in revenue and $75.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $90.02 went to program services, $8.73 to management and general costs and $1.25 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 74.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $462,058 (PRESIDENT & CEO (NON VOTING)). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 31% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.

Where $100 of spending went

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $76M

Program services$90.02 $68M
Management & general$8.73 $6.6M
Fundraising$1.25 $947K

For 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 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $70M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$19.26 $13M
Government grants$0.36 $254K
Program service revenue$74.56 $52M
Investment income$1.07 $749K
Other revenue$4.75 $3.3M

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

2024 filing. Median across 876 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	2024	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	90.0%	78.5%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	8.7%	13.6%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	1.3%	6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.07	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	19.6%	57.5%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	0.4%	1.7%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	74.6%	20.8%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$462,058	$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	0.61%	2.03%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	18	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	3.1	36.6
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	23 of 23	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

2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense

$34M expenses · 49.4% of program spending · revenue $36M

Summerfest is an annual festival in the milwaukee metropolitan area. It is the world's largest music festival. Total attendance was 555,925 in 2024

$22M expenses · 32.9% of program spending · revenue $44,721

This category represents seasonal operating revenues and expenses that are not directly attributed to a specific event. Additionally, it represents other income and expense

$12M expenses · 17.6% of program spending · revenue $13M

This category represents ethnic and cultural events, music concerts and other events including walks/runs for charity. Total attendance was 582,101 in 2024

$3,326 all other programs (line 4d)

Highest reported compensation

2024 · 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 (NON VOTING) Officer, 45.00 hrs/week	$428,000	$0	$34,058	$462,058
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT/CEO (NV) Officer, 35.00 hrs/week	$379,583	$0	$45,098	$424,681
VICE PRESIDENT/CFO Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$228,915	$0	$39,211	$268,126
VP PLANNING/DEVELOPMENT Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$202,818	$0	$30,219	$233,037
VP OF ENTERTAINMENT Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$183,900	$0	$40,940	$224,840
VP/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$198,471	$0	$22,705	$221,176
VP SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Key employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$204,665	$0	$12,651	$217,316
INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEER MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week	$142,637	$0	$25,473	$168,110

18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Milwaukee World Festival (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.1M (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked

RevenueExpenses

Filing	Revenue	Expenses	Programs	Net assets	Top pay
2024 (amended) ⓘ	$70M	$76M	90.0%	$20M	$462,058
2023 ⓘ	$75M	$77M	90.5%	$25M	$961,573
2022 ⓘ	$59M	$68M	91.4%	$27M	$3,309,439
2021 ⓘ	$65M	$66M	91.4%	$32M	$991,154
2020 ⓘ	$5.8M	$21M	75.3%	$31M	$1,282,243
2019 ⓘ	$54M	$51M	88.1%	$48M	$1,183,095

Governance answers, as filed

2024 · 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–1b23 · 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 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 52,441
Volunteers Part I, line 626

Largest outside contractors

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

TDE TOURING LLC Artist performances	$3,000,000
STAGEHANDS INC Union labor	$2,068,843
HICKMAN HOLLER ROAD SHOW INC Artist performances	$1,658,955
M5 TOURING INC Artist performances	$1,450,000
NU CRUE INC Artist performances	$1,200,000

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 58 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

3 private foundations reported grants to Milwaukee World Festival totaling $72,152 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 Milwaukee World Festival's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Milwaukee World Festival, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Report a correction Respond as Milwaukee World Festival How this works

Similar-sized charities in this cause

Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, CA · revenue $70M · programs 86.7% · FY2025
Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Orlando, FL · revenue $71M · programs 84.3% · FY2025
Academy of Mathematics and Science South
Tempe, AZ · revenue $70M · programs 72.8% · FY2025
San Francisco Ballet Association
San Francisco, CA · revenue $71M · programs 83.2% · FY2025
The Colburn School
Los Angeles, CA · revenue $70M · programs 81.3% · FY2025

All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Wisconsin

Questions people ask

How much of Milwaukee World Festival's spending goes to programs?

In calendar year 2024, Milwaukee World Festival reported that 90.0% of its $75.7 million in expenses went to program services, 8.7% to management and general and 1.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Milwaukee World Festival pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Milwaukee World Festival reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $462,058, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (NON VOTING) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Milwaukee World Festival get its money?

Of $70.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 19.6% came from contributions and grants (including 0.4% from government grants) and 74.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Milwaukee World Festival a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 39-1049688 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

2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (amended), object 202543569349300124 · read the filing · XML
2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413209349305811 · read the filing
2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323189349310637 · read the filing
2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203199349315650 · read the filing
2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202101759349300905 · read the filing
2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043189349302129 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 39-1049688: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.