Home › Arts, culture & humanities
Washington Performing Arts Society
Also known as Washington Performing Arts
Washington Performing Arts Society reported $14.3 million in revenue and $6.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $71.25 went to program services, $8.01 to management and general costs and $20.74 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 84.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $365,031 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 215% 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 $6.0MFor 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 $14M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$81.60 $12M
- Government grants$1.84 $266K
- Program service revenue$11.08 $1.6M
- Investment income$5.48 $792K
Other revenue was negative: −$160K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 71.2% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.0% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 20.7% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.10 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 84.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 11.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $365,031 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 6.11% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 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 | 41 of 41 | 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 expenseSince its 1965 founding by arts visionary patrick hayes, Washington Performing Arts (wpa) has been one of america's most dynamic producers and presenters of live performance, arts education, and community engagement for almost 60 years. Guided by hayes' founding principle of "everybody in, nobody out," wpa presents performances across the washington metropolitan area in a range of venues. Through its multi-disciplinary approach, wpa demonstrates the uplifting power of live performance while building bridges. Its integrated focus creates lasting impact extending far beyond the concert hall…
Washington Performing Arts is a national leader in collaborative arts education including performances, residencies, classroom instruction, and teacher resources that reach dc public/charter schools across all eight wards, plus maryland and virginia. The embassy adoption program is a 50-year partnership with the dc public schools connecting students with embassies/diplomatic entities for cultural understanding and appreciation. The concerts in schools program delivers transformative live performances and hands-on workshops in music, dance, theater, storytelling, and visual arts. The capital…
Our signature community engagement initiative mars arts dc provides dynamic free performances in parks, clubs, street festivals, libraries, and public spaces while helping local artists build audiences. Also central to our work is a deep investment in gospel music programs, which provide training and performance opportunities for our three resident choirs, preserving, elevating, and passing on this vital american artistic tradition to future generations
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 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $346,491 | $0 | $18,540 | $365,031 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,730 | $0 | $0 | $162,730 |
| DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $115,995 | $0 | $10,932 | $126,927 |
| DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,326 | $0 | $12,420 | $122,746 |
| DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS, & CREATIVE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $106,395 | $0 | $9,552 | $115,947 |
| PRESIDENT EMERITUS Director/trustee, officer, 12.00 hrs/week | $12,149 | $0 | $19,188 | $31,337 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Washington Performing Arts Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $509K (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–1b41 · 41 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 538
- Volunteers Part I, line 693
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| STIFTUNG BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER Performer | $268,638 |
| ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA Perfromer | $145,000 |
| TESSITURA NETWORK INC Software | $121,037 |
| RIDGEWELLS CATERING Caterer | $111,165 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 6 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
29 private foundations reported grants to Washington Performing Arts Society totaling $766K 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 Washington Performing Arts Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Washington Performing Arts Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Washington Performing Arts Society spent in FY2025, $71.25 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Guild Hall of East HamptonEast Hampton, NY · revenue $14M · programs 66.2% · 2024
- Abilene Heritage SquareAbilene, TX · revenue $14M · programs 18.5% · FY2025
- StorycorpsBrooklyn, NY · revenue $14M · programs 75.0% · 2024
- George Eastman MuseumRochester, NY · revenue $14M · programs 78.3% · 2024
- Arvada Center for the Arts and HumanitiesArvada, CO · revenue $14M · programs 75.8% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Washington Performing Arts Society's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Washington Performing Arts Society reported that 71.2% of its $6.0 million in expenses went to program services, 8.0% to management and general and 20.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Washington Performing Arts Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Washington Performing Arts Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $365,031, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Washington Performing Arts Society get its money?
Of $14.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 84.4% came from contributions and grants (including 1.9% from government grants) and 11.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Washington Performing Arts Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-6062439 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 202601969349302010 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202521969349303267 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202421669349301607 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341289349302069 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202231589349300543 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202141959349300514 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-6062439: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.