Chicago Symphony Orchestra
76% goes to programs $6 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Chicago, Illinois, registered in 1927, with $125,469,447 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 76% of spending to programs.
220 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60604 EIN 36-2167823 Since 1927
Revenue (FY2023)
$125.5M
▲ 55.2% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2023)
$88.6M
Net assets
$420.3M
Employees
1,170
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating76% to programs · $6 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Chicago Symphony Orchestra: 76% to programs · $6 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating57 mo reserves · +29% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Chicago Symphony Orchestra: 57 mo reserves · +29% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Chicago Symphony Orchestra: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Chicago Symphony Orchestra: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
See schedule o - supplemental information.with the chicago symphony orchestra at its core, the mission of the chicago symphony orchestra association is to enrich, inspire and transform lives through music, community engagement and education - locally, nationally and internationally.
What they do
Symphony center presents concerts - the chicago symphony orchestra association offers concerts by acclaimed guest artists in the fields of jazz, classical, world and folk music as part of the symphony center presents series. the 23/24 season featured over 30 concerts, including recital debuts by pianists bruce liu and lucas and arthur jussen; three visiting orchestras, the staatskapelle berlin, bavarian radio orchestra and mahler chamber orchestra; and the scp jazz series debut of samara joy. christian mcbride led a musical tribute to civic rights icons and the all-black gateways festival orchestra also made its debut. other artists and ensembles featured on the series included eliades ochoa, anoushka shankar, "the president's own" united states marine band, herbie hancock, evgeny kissin and yo-yo ma.
Civic orchestra of chicago - the civic orchestra of chicago, the cso's prestigious training program for young professional musicians, presented seven programs in orchestra hall and community venues, including south shore cultural center, nicholas senn high school, kenwood academy high school and fourth presbyterian church. in addition to gaining performance experience, civic musicians participated in coaching sessions and workshops with principal conductor ken-david masur, cso musicians and guest artists. eleven fellows participated in the civic fellowship program, which provides select civic members with supplemental training in artistic planning, music education, social justice and project management. civic fellows collaborated with the chicago refugee coalition in a new partnership this season.
Retail sales - music-related merchandise is available for purchase at the symphony store and online.
Contact & location
- Address
- 220 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60604
- City
- Chicago
- State
- Illinois
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Performing Arts
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $102.5M (FY2013) to $125.5M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $161.5MNet assets $420.3M
Operating margin
29.4%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$581.8M
Total liabilities
$161.5M
Net assets
$420.3M
Salaries & benefits
$54.3M
61% of expenses
Board members
123
122 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $125,469,447▲55.2% | $88,621,632▲3.5% | $420,305,404▲22.6% | $581,822,920▲12.9% | 990 |
| 2022 | $80,827,722▼21.1% | $85,601,183▲14.0% | $342,750,772▲3.7% | $515,186,651▼3.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $102,432,097▼6.8% | $75,080,250▲59.0% | $330,419,224▼5.2% | $530,890,156▼7.9% | 990 |
| 2020 | $109,905,535▲48.9% | $47,205,442▼38.1% | $348,654,845▲60.8% | $576,700,123▲21.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $73,806,692▲2.4% | $76,256,229▼3.1% | $216,865,233▼18.8% | $475,390,554▼5.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $72,050,421▼11.9% | $78,697,891▼3.2% | $266,959,506▼8.4% | $503,065,284▼1.1% | 990 |
| 2017 | $81,820,078▲2.7% | $81,339,432▲2.1% | $291,282,226▲9.0% | $508,805,441▲1.8% | 990 |
| 2016 | $79,683,734▲2.6% | $79,669,618▼0.3% | $267,271,961▲8.2% | $499,889,304▲2.3% | 990 |
| 2015 | $77,635,145▼8.4% | $79,902,368▲0.9% | $246,960,507▼18.7% | $488,657,963▼5.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $84,720,324▼17.4% | $79,160,340▼1.6% | $303,876,254▼5.8% | $519,503,965▼1.7% | 990 |
| 2013 | $102,542,334 | $80,482,607▼0.3% | $322,647,591▲21.3% | $528,711,667▲11.7% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $80,705,907▲0.8% | $266,058,983▲23.6% | $473,483,741▲8.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $80,055,672▲12.5% | $215,274,706▼17.9% | $436,051,982▼4.1% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $71,174,919▲2.6% | $262,194,275▲20.0% | $454,550,299▲7.6% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $69,381,297 | $218,580,396 | $422,420,740 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Jeff Alexander — $898,151 (1.01% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Alexander | President | 40 | $898,151 |
| Riccardo Muti | Music Director | 40 | $628,175 |
| Robert Chen | Concertmaster | 40 | $566,546 |
| Esteban Batallan Cons | Principal Trumpet | 40 | $355,107 |
| Stephen Williamson | Principal Clarinet | 40 | $332,961 |
| John Sharp | Principal Cello | 40 | $329,302 |
| Dale Hedding | Vp For Development | 40 | $320,202 |
| Stacie M Frank | Vp, Cfo, & Assistant Treasurer | 40 | $315,880 |
| Vanessa Moss | Vp For Operations | 40 | $279,237 |
| Kristine Stassen | Secretary | 40 | $79,303 |
| Ann Marie Wright | Trustee | 0.2 | — |
| Anthony T Dean | Life Trustee | 0.1 | — |
| Arnold M Berlin | Life Trustee | 0.1 | — |
| Arthur C Martinez | Life Trustee | 0.1 | — |
| Brian W Duwe | Trustee | 0.1 | — |
| Britt M Miller | Trustee | 0.1 | — |
| Bruce E Clinton | Life Trustee | 0.1 | — |
| Burton X Rosenberg | Trustee | 0.2 | — |
| Carl W Stern | Life Trustee | 0.1 | — |
| Charles Ashby Lewis | Life Trustee | 0.1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Travtours | Travel Services | $2,346,148 |
| Riccardo Muti | Artist Performances | $1,931,174 |
| Levy Restaurant | Restaurant, Concessions Stand Services | $1,433,733 |
| Allied Advertising Limited Partnership | Marketing Print, Media Services | $1,313,644 |
| Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP | Legal Services | $781,889 |
Grants received · $24.2M total
131 grants to Chicago Symphony Orchestra totaling $24.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Arts and culture | 2024 | $60,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $50,000 |
| Independent Charitable Gift Fund | General support | 2024 | $50,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $33,020 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Arts and culture | 2024 | $26,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Arts, culture | 2024 | $17,500 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $10,606 |
| Underwriters Laboratories Inc | General support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund | To further the organization's exempt purpose | 2024 | $8,500 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $8,200 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Health | 2023 | $2,215,250 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2023 | $458,762 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $447,415 |
| The Chicago Community Trust | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | 2023 | $445,325 |
| Ncrc Community Development Fund Inc | Illinois coronavirus fiscal recovery funds | 2023 | $250,000 |
Grants made · $5,950 in FY2021
1 grant totaling $5,950 in FY2021. All grants made by Chicago Symphony Orchestra →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt University | Civic orchestra fellowships | $5,950 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Chicago Symphony Orchestra a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 36-2167823, based in Chicago, Illinois. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Chicago Symphony Orchestra's EIN?
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 36-2167823.
- How much revenue does Chicago Symphony Orchestra report?
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra reported $125,469,447 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Chicago Symphony Orchestra's spending goes to programs?
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra spends about 76% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Chicago Symphony Orchestra have?
- CharityIndex grades Chicago Symphony Orchestra A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Chicago Symphony Orchestra's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Chicago Symphony Orchestra's latest Form 990 is $898,151, paid to Jeff Alexander (President).
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Explore more
Data for Chicago Symphony Orchestra (EIN 36-2167823) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.