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Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra reported $54.7 million in revenue and $40.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $79.61 went to program services, $13.99 to management and general costs and $6.40 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 83.8% of the total. Government grants made up 5.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $585,474 (PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE). 83 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 $40MFor 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 $55MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 79.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.0% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.4% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 83.8% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 5.4% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 13.4% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $585,474 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.45% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 83 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 47.8 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 46 of 49 | 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 expenseHighest 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/CHIEF EXECUTIVE Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $523,461 | $0 | $62,013 | $585,474 |
| CONCERTMASTER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $275,329 | $0 | $49,680 | $325,009 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (THRU 11/24) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $228,044 | $0 | $50,773 | $278,817 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $207,902 | $0 | $43,707 | $251,609 |
| MUSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $189,659 | $0 | $50,441 | $240,100 |
| MUSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,941 | $0 | $40,618 | $235,559 |
| MUSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $184,068 | $0 | $50,119 | $234,187 |
| TRUSTEE / MUSICIAN Director/trustee, 40.00 hrs/week | $109,937 | $0 | $44,393 | $154,330 |
83 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (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–1b49 · 46 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 26Yes
- 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 5496
- Volunteers Part I, line 6398
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| DENEVE STEPHANE DAVID ALEXANDRE Music director / conductor | $605,093 |
| BENNETT DIRECT INC Fundraiser | $259,825 |
| ADVERTISERS PRINTING CO INC Printing & mailing services | $203,052 |
| PENTAGRAM DESIGN INC Branding | $178,053 |
| SPECTRUM REACH Advertising | $138,862 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 13 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
34 private foundations reported grants to Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra totaling $5.2M 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 Saint Louis 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 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra spent in FY2025, $79.61 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Raymond F Kravis Center for the Performing ArtsWest Palm Beach, FL · revenue $55M · programs 80.6% · FY2025
- The Nelson Gallery FoundationKansas City, MO · revenue $56M · programs 70.5% · FY2025
- Tennessee Performing Arts Center (Tpac) Management CorporationNashville, TN · revenue $54M · programs 76.5% · FY2025
- Museum of ScienceBoston, MA · revenue $56M · programs 73.7% · FY2025
- Mann Center for the Performing ArtsPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $54M · programs 88.7% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Missouri
Questions people ask
How much of Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra reported that 79.6% of its $40.4 million in expenses went to program services, 14.0% to management and general and 6.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $585,474, for the role of PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra get its money?
Of $54.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 83.8% came from contributions and grants (including 5.4% from government grants) and 13.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 43-0666769 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202641609349301244 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202511499349300431 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202421379349302602 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341669349301404 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202221319349300807 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202131149349300608 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 43-0666769: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.