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Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment reported $16.5 million in revenue and $1.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $88.59 went to program services, $11.41 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 89.5% of the total. Revenue rose 2581% 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 $1.3MFor 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 $16MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.4% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 89.5% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | Not reported | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | Not reported | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 445.8 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 6 | 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 expenseThe primary area in which the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment assists the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, inc. For program services is through general operating assistance. All of the money granted to the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is based on the formula approved by the endowment trustees
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–1b6 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aNo
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13No
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aNo
- 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 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 66
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment'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 Symphony Orchestra Endowment, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment spent in FY2025, $88.59 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Metropolitan Indianapolis Public MediaIndianapolis, IN · revenue $16M · programs 58.6% · FY2025
- The Chrysler MuseumNorfolk, VA · revenue $17M · programs 86.5% · FY2025
- Discovery PlaceCharlotte, NC · revenue $16M · programs 75.1% · FY2025
- San Francisco Ballet Endowment FoundationSan Francisco, CA · revenue $17M · programs 94.3% · FY2025
- Holocaust Memorial Foundation of IllinoisSkokie, IL · revenue $16M · programs 75.2% · 2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Wisconsin
Questions people ask
How much of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment reported that 88.6% of its $1.3 million in expenses went to program services, 11.4% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
Where does Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment get its money?
Of $16.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 89.5% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Endowment a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 39-1715515 as a 501(c)(3) organization (supporting organization (509(a)(3))), 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 202611329349302586 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202501329349303470 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441419349301404 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202331989349302803 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202221969349301717 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202101959349302005 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 39-1715515: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.