Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo reported $231.1 million in revenue and $185.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.52 went to program services, $12.55 to management and general costs and $6.93 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 63.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $675,829 (PRESIDENT). 56 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 198% 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 $185MFor context, the median across 237 covered recreation & sports charities: $88.05 programs, $10.89 management, $1.06 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 $231MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.5% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.5% | 10.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.9% | 1.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.18 | $0.05 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 31.3% | 25.2% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 63.7% | 61.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $675,829 | $365,322 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.36% | 2.14% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 56 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 29.1 | 14.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 478 of 488 | 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 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo welcomed 2.7 million guests over the 23-day event, setting an all-time attendance record. - this year's event included nine first-time entertainers and 10 auction records - total attendance for all activities on the grounds, feb. 27 - march 1 (world's championship bar-b-que contest and feb. 27 - march 23, 2025 (Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo) reached a record breaking 2,735,695. - in three days, the world's championship bar-b-que contest entertained 226,463 guests. - rodeohouston awarded $2,533,500 to its contestants in 2025. - rodeo fans gathered…
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 Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $614,216 | $0 | $61,613 | $675,829 |
| CHIEF STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFIC Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $395,491 | $0 | $44,337 | $439,828 |
| CHIEF VOLUNTEER & HR OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $368,565 | $0 | $43,488 | $412,053 |
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $315,935 | $0 | $90,187 | $406,122 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $317,886 | $0 | $59,209 | $377,095 |
| CHIEF MARKETING DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $310,338 | $0 | $30,673 | $341,011 |
| CHIEF SHOW OPERATIONS OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 50.0 hrs/week | $349,067 | $0 | −$13,974 | $335,093 |
| General Counsel Officer, 50.0 hrs/week | $171,961 | $71,105 | $1,287 | $244,353 |
56 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.4M (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–1b488 · 478 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 11aNo
- 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 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 51,524
- Volunteers Part I, line 636,000
Private foundation grants it received
52 private foundations reported grants to Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo totaling $948K 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 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo spent in FY2025, $80.52 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
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All recreation & sports charities · Largest charities in Texas
Questions people ask
How much of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo reported that 80.5% of its $185.4 million in expenses went to program services, 12.5% to management and general and 6.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $675,829, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo get its money?
Of $231.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 31.3% came from contributions and grants and 63.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 74-1142851 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 202631649349300708 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202541909349301704 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202421649349300617 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341949349301519 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202201949349301430 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202111029349301411 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 74-1142851: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.