Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
76% goes to programs $7 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Saint Louis, Missouri, registered in 1926, with $45,222,768 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 76% of spending to programs.
718 N Grand Blvd, Saint Louis, MO, 63103 EIN 43-0666769 Since 1926
Revenue (FY2023)
$45.2M
▼ 13.4% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2023)
$32.2M
Net assets
$143.9M
Employees
525
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 · $7 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 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra: 76% to programs · $7 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating54 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 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra: 54 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 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 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 Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The mission of the st. louis symphony orchestra (slso) is to enrich lives through the power of music. the slso provides orchestra concerts, community programs, and educational resources for the st. louis community and beyond.
Contact & location
- Address
- 718 N Grand Blvd, Saint Louis, MO, 63103
- City
- Saint Louis
- State
- Missouri
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Performing Arts
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $58.4M (FY2013) to $45.2M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $68.5MNet assets $143.9M
Operating margin
28.8%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$212.4M
Total liabilities
$68.5M
Net assets
$143.9M
Salaries & benefits
$22.2M
69% of expenses
Board members
45
42 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $45,222,768▼13.4% | $32,181,029▼0.2% | $143,872,049▲10.1% | $212,351,537▲13.7% | 990 |
| 2022 | $52,207,291▼30.0% | $32,253,444▲2.7% | $130,712,970▲16.4% | $186,709,364▲57.3% | 990 |
| 2021 | $74,555,125▲21.6% | $31,405,124▼1.9% | $112,306,226▲61.2% | $118,688,808▲52.8% | 990 |
| 2020 | $61,304,520▲44.8% | $32,008,260▲14.5% | $69,649,751▲86.6% | $77,659,859▲46.8% | 990 |
| 2019 | $42,338,715▲8.0% | $27,963,792▼4.9% | $37,320,368▲62.0% | $52,911,715▲49.8% | 990 |
| 2018 | $39,199,125▲23.0% | $29,391,582▼2.6% | $23,043,512▲50.3% | $35,320,195▲37.8% | 990 |
| 2017 | $31,867,507▼4.8% | $30,176,798▲0.6% | $15,327,064▼12.3% | $25,638,074▼11.7% | 990 |
| 2016 | $33,475,680▼21.9% | $30,010,463▲3.5% | $17,484,348▼58.9% | $29,032,965▼52.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $42,872,751▲7.6% | $28,985,138▲3.7% | $42,586,763▲21.3% | $61,280,780▲23.7% | 990 |
| 2014 | $39,846,205▼31.7% | $27,947,449▲0.1% | $35,098,469▼4.8% | $49,556,010▲0.7% | 990 |
| 2013 | $58,362,402 | $27,927,796▼3.7% | $36,884,657▲159% | $49,198,648▲90.3% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $28,997,802▲9.0% | $14,260,495▼38.7% | $25,852,092▼31.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $26,597,756▲1.1% | $23,271,031▲35.3% | $37,947,116▲31.7% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $26,306,728▲2.3% | $17,197,150▲11.3% | $28,815,625▼0.9% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $25,727,043 | $15,456,091 | $29,090,545 | 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: Marie-helene Bernard — $518,860 (1.61% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marie-helene Bernard | President/chief Executive | 40 | $518,860 |
| David Halen | Concertmaster | 40 | $273,560 |
| Steven Rosenzweig | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $230,445 |
| Scott D Andrews | Musician | 40 | $185,023 |
| Daniel Lee | Musician | 40 | $178,887 |
| Beth Chu | Musician | 40 | $177,926 |
| Julie Gibbs | Vp & Chief Philanthropy Officer | 40 | $177,337 |
| Alan Stewart | Trustee / Musician | 40 | $120,336 |
| Bjorn Ranheim | Trustee / Musician | 40 | $103,693 |
| Allison W Roberts | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Andrew O'brien | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Barry H Beracha | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Bella Sanevich | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Bhavani Amirthalingam | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carolyn F Henges | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carolyn Graham Farrell | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Daniel C Wessel | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| David L Steward | Vice Chair | 2 | — |
| Debbie Dillon | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Dr David Piston | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Deneve Stephane David Alexandre | Music Director / Conductor | $541,798 |
| Classical Movements Inc | Concert Tour Management | $364,627 |
| Gardaworld Security System | Security Services | $282,254 |
| Bennett Direct Inc | Fundraiser | $182,275 |
| Advertisers Printing Co Inc | Printing & Mailing Services | $182,009 |
Grants received · $14.2M total
95 grants to Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra totaling $14.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $602,334 |
| United Way of Greater St Louis Inc | Ccs-health and well-being | 2024 | $300,000 |
| St Louis Community Foundation Incorporated | General support, annual gift, annual fund contribution | 2024 | $110,531 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $63,500 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $15,450 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Arts, culture | 2024 | $13,750 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $9,497 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2023 | $633,268 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $544,884 |
| United Way of Greater St Louis Inc | Ccs - community stability and crisis response | 2023 | $250,000 |
| St Louis Community Foundation Incorporated | Annual fund and campaign | 2023 | $91,333 |
| Mhm Support Services | Support mission | 2023 | $50,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $46,760 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $42,200 |
| Washington University | Sponsorship | 2023 | $13,000 |
Grants made · $689K in FY2023
1 grant totaling $689K in FY2023. All grants made by Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis Symphony Endowment Trust | Investment | $688,973 |
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Compare Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Frequently asked questions
- Is Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 43-0666769, based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra's EIN?
- Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 43-0666769.
- How much revenue does Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra report?
- Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra reported $45,222,768 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra's spending goes to programs?
- Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra spends about 76% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra have?
- CharityIndex grades Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra's latest Form 990 is $518,860, paid to Marie-helene Bernard (President/chief Executive).
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Data for Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (EIN 43-0666769) 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.