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Pacific Symphony

Irvine, CA · EIN 95-3635496 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Latest filing: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Pacific Symphony reported $35.7 million in revenue and $26.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $65.28 went to program services, $26.95 to management and general costs and $7.77 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 65.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $463,247 (MUSIC DIRECTOR). 15 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 102% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.

Where $100 of spending went

The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $27M

For 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $36M

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

FY2025 filing. Median across 876 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
MeasureFY2025Median
Program services
Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)
65.3%78.5%
Management & general
Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)
27.0%13.6%
Fundraising
Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)
7.8%6.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions
Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h
$0.09$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1h ÷ 12
65.7%57.5%
Government grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1e ÷ 12
2.6%1.7%
Program service revenue share
Part VIII 2g ÷ 12
24.7%20.8%
Highest reported compensation
Part VII-A, columns D–F
$463,247$385,706
Highest compensation as share of expenses
Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)
1.74%2.03%
People paid over $100,000
Part VII, line 2
158
Net assets, in months of expenses
Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses
31.036.6
Independent voting board members
Part VI 1a–1b
71 of 72100.0%

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 expense
$13M expenses · 73.7% of program spending · revenue $6.5M

Classical, pops, family, summer, and contract concerts (including american ballet theater, pacific chorale, soka university, and other organizations). Approximately 125,000 experiences provided

$4.6M expenses · 26.3% of program spending · revenue $2.3M

Educational events and community outreach programs including appreciation of music in schools programs, symphony in the cities, symphony on the go, youth orchestra and others. Approximately 100,000 experiences provided

Highest reported compensation

FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here
RoleFrom this orgFrom related orgsOtherTotal
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week
$448,340$0$14,907$463,247
PRESIDENT
Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week
$363,158$0$36,274$399,432
VP OF DEVELOPMENT
Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week
$225,553$0$15,364$240,917
CONCERT MASTER
Key employee, 10.0 hrs/week
$216,912$0$14,520$231,432
EVP & COO
Officer, 40.0 hrs/week
$187,279$0$20,942$208,221
SR DIRECTOR OF MAJOR GIFTS
Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week
$182,326$0$6,318$188,644
VP OF ARTISTIC PLANNING & PROD
Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week
$158,348$0$17,739$176,087
VP OF MARKETING & COMM.
Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week
$134,379$0$18,336$152,715

15 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Pacific Symphony (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.3M (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked
RevenueExpenses
$0$10M$20M$30M$40MFY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025$36M$27M
FilingRevenueExpensesProgramsNet assetsTop pay
FY2025 ⓘ$36M$27M65.3%$69M$463,247
FY2024 ⓘ$26M$24M66.6%$56M$495,728
FY2023 ⓘ$24M$24M67.7%$50M$489,918
FY2022 ⓘ$31M$22M68.2%$48M$388,494
FY2021 ⓘ$18M$11M61.2%$43M$421,098
FY2020 ⓘ$18M$19M62.5%$28M$460,315

Governance 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–1b72 · 71 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 5426
  • Volunteers Part I, line 61,400

Private foundation grants it received

29 private foundations reported grants to Pacific Symphony totaling $2.2M 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 Pacific Symphony's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Pacific Symphony, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Similar-sized charities in this cause

All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in California

Questions people ask

How much of Pacific Symphony's spending goes to programs?

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Pacific Symphony reported that 65.3% of its $26.6 million in expenses went to program services, 27.0% to management and general and 7.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Pacific Symphony pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Pacific Symphony reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $463,247, for the role of MUSIC DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Pacific Symphony get its money?

Of $35.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 65.7% came from contributions and grants (including 2.6% from government grants) and 24.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Pacific Symphony a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 95-3635496 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 June 30, 2025, object 202601359349305215 · read the filing · XML
  • FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541359349317404 · read the filing
  • FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401369349306965 · read the filing
  • FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331349349301158 · read the filing
  • FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221369349317117 · read the filing
  • FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101379349306065 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 95-3635496: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.