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Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra
Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra reported $42.0 million in revenue and $15.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.55 went to program services, $7.81 to management and general costs and $15.64 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 85.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $346,057 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 205% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $16MFor 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 July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $42MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.8% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 15.6% | 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 | 85.1% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.3% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 8.5% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $346,057 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.20% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 10 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 81.5 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 of 15 | 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 expenseSarasota Orchestra is one of the leading regional orchestras in the United States, performing a wide range of classical, Pops, and chamber music concerts. Each season Sarasota Orchestra performs for more than 65,000 people across more than 100 live musical performances in a 36-week season from September to May. The 2024-2025 concert season was impacted by hurricane damage to its primary performance venue requiring the cancellation or relocation of fall concerts to smaller venues. Highlights of the season included Billy Child's Concerto for saxaphone, Arturo Marquez' Fandango violin concerto…
Founded in 1965, the Sarasota Music Festival is one of the United States' premier teaching and performance festivals focused on chamber music. It was designated by the Florida State legislature as the "Official teaching and performing Festival of the State of Florida" in 1984. Through a competitive application process, the Festival accepts more than 60 talented fellows each summer, the majority of them college-aged, pre-professional artists, to participate in three weeks of master classes and coaching sessions, along with public orchestral and chamber music performances. A roster of more than…
For over 65 years, Sarasota Orchestra has sponsored a Youth Orchestra Program that currently consists of eight orchestras: five string orchestras, one wind band, and two symphonic orchestras. The Sarasota Youth Orchestras meet once a week from September through April and present six concerts that are free to the public. 54% of the Sarasota Youth Orchestras' students were supported by scholarship assistance. Sarasota Orchestra also presents a Summer Music Camp for two weeks each July. Sarasota Orchestra's Summer Music Camp supports "true beginners," enabling aspiring musicians as young as…
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 AND CEO Officer, 38.0 hrs/week | $281,144 | $0 | $64,913 | $346,057 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $176,747 | $0 | $28,916 | $205,663 |
| CHIEF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $131,629 | $0 | $29,026 | $160,655 |
10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $772K (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–1b15 · 15 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 5359
- Volunteers Part I, line 6250
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Garfield PublicPrivate Project Management | $413,800 |
| Community Counseling Service LLC Consulting | $336,300 |
| Opus 3 Artists Guest Conductors/artists | $298,633 |
| AYSMM Digital Digtal Marketing | $250,560 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
6 private foundations reported grants to Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra totaling $93,500 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 Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota 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 Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra spent in FY2025, $76.55 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Peace Center FoundationGreenville, SC · revenue $42M · programs 90.8% · FY2025
- Houston Ballet FoundationHouston, TX · revenue $42M · programs 82.5% · FY2025
- Dia Center for the ArtsNew York, NY · revenue $42M · programs 76.3% · FY2025
- Artis-NaplesNaples, FL · revenue $42M · programs 74.6% · FY2025
- Fayetteville Performing Arts Center at TrilithFayetteville, GA · revenue $42M · programs 97.0% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Florida
Questions people ask
How much of Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra reported that 76.5% of its $15.7 million in expenses went to program services, 7.8% to management and general and 15.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra reported for one person in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 was $346,057, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra get its money?
Of $42.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, 85.1% came from contributions and grants (including 1.3% from government grants) and 8.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota Orchestra a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 59-2603081 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 July 31, 2025, object 202533479349300003 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2024, object 202423529349301217 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2023, object 202303479349300610 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2022, object 202223479349300612 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021, object 202133489349300703 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2020, object 202013499349300601 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 59-2603081: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.