Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 1985.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
15 people listed on the 990; $59K paid to officers and key staff.
Scott Garlock’s $59K as Executive Director is at the 53rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Garlock | $58,657 | $55,000 | $40,000 |
| Theresa Lesh | — | $38,400 | $38,400 |
| Paul Ferguson | — | — | $33,600 |
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.
See Cleveland Jazz Orchestra executive salaries →Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Promotes big band jazz through performances, education, and creative encouragement for all.
Questions for Cleveland Jazz Orchestra
Your first name shows with your question. Cleveland Jazz Orchestra answers here, for everyone.
Live Performances
The cleveland jazz orchestras season series promotes jazz in its historical and contemporary forms through concerts featuring a stellar lineup of jazz luminaries, arrangers, composers and educators. It also performs for a number of cjo in the city concerts at music halls, summer festivals, places of worship, and in theaters.
Educational Outreach
Most of cleveland jazz orchestras performers are master educators who work regularly with students from public and private middle and high schools. Programs include hollys high notes, an instrument donation program, and a school residency program.
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 | FY25 | FY24 | FY23 | FY22 | FY21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of yearLn 1g | $333K | $293K | $266K | $125K | $0 |
| Given inLn 1b | $10K | $0 | $121K | $135K | $0 |
| SpentLn 1d–1f | $4K | $4K | $2K | $281 | $0 |
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $260K | $248K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $409K | $429K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $32K | $28K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $377K | $402K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $59K | $29K | $15K | $15K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $79K | $57K | $22K | $0 |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $12K | $8K | $3K | $1K |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $11K | $2K | $8K | $389 |
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $4K | $853 | $3K | $139 |
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $146K | $146K | $0 | $0 |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $10K | $9K | $818 | $0 |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $2K | $0 | $2K | $0 |
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $387 | $387 | $0 | $0 |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $21K | $21K | $0 | $0 |
| TravelLn 17 | $2K | $2K | $0 | $0 |
| InterestLn 20 | $689 | $0 | $689 | $0 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $4K | $0 | $4K | $0 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $7K | $4K | $325 | $2K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $358K | $281K | $59K | $19K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 14, 2026 | $352K | $358K | −$7K | $402K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Mar 19, 2025 | $351K | $406K | −$54K | $377K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS May 15, 2024 | $295K | $327K | −$32K | $414K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2022 | $252K | $243K | $10K | $240K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Dec 20, 2021 | $152K | $128K | $24K | $230K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $351,867 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, 3 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $351,867 across 6 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $358,414 across 14 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $429,126 assets, 15 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $401,532 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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