Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1995.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
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Who runs it and what they're paid
20 people listed on the 990; $93K paid to officers and key staff.
Caroline Koelker’s $70K as Executive Director is at the 64th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2215 $100K–1M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline Koelker | $69,642 | $63,624 | $68,094 | $60,830 | $53,094 | $51,888 |
| Dona D Vaughn | $23,833 | $21,334 | $18,626 | $22,480 | — | — |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
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Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
Programs and updates
Presents inspiring opera performances, nurtures young talent, and educates the community.
Questions for Opera Maine
Your first name shows with your question. Opera Maine answers here, for everyone.
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In 2025, Opera Maine extended its season to include a winter production. On January 24 and 26, in collaboration with the Portland Symphony Orchestra, we presented a semi-staged performance of Puccini's La Boheme in Merrill Auditorium in Portland. The production was a critical success and drew an audience of 3,300.
On June 28 and 29, Opera Maine's Studio Artist Program presented two performances of Paul's Case, a contemporary chamber opera by Gregory Spears and Kathryn Walat. Held at Stevens Square Theater in Portland the production featured seven emerging opera singers and attracted an audience of 230.
In 2025, Opera Maine provided community engagement and educational programs that expanded access to opera and vocal music education across Maine. Through its Opera for All initiative, the organization served more than 1,100 K-12 students at five schools in four counties, prioritizing communities with limited access to arts education.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $137K | $117K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $145K | $161K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $310K | $291K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $38K | $0 |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $272K | $291K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | $0 | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $90K | $40K | $34K | $17K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $46K | $2K | $19K | $25K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $9K | $1K | $4K | $3K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $0 | $0 | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $26K | $22K | $2K | $2K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $10K | $4K | $3K | $4K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $622 | $622 | ||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $13K | $5K | $7K | $859 |
| TravelLn 17 | $6K | $6K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $8K | $5K | $2K | $683 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $505K | $496K | $0 | $10K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $713K | $581K | $70K | $62K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest Viewing | $719K | $713K | $6K | $291K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $650K | $610K | $40K | $272K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $471K | $516K | −$45K | $202K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $549K | $524K | $25K | $232K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $497K | $371K | $126K | $217K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $210K | $149K | $61K | $91K | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $719,073 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, 1 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $719,073 across 14 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $713,302 across 24 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $290,969 assets, 15 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $290,969 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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