Provide community Orchestra, music instruction and music outreach services.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$126K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $25K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$126K
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $484K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.7 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $218K
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$147K
19% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 19% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
17
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 17 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$669K
+0.5% vs prior year
Spent
$840K
To programs
86%
Net assets
$628K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$669K
FY2025▲ +0.5%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$567K
FY2021$574K
FY2022$729K
FY2023$597K
FY2024$665K
FY2025$669K
Expenses
$840K
FY2025▼ -1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$620K
FY2021$366K
FY2022$620K
FY2023$655K
FY2024$850K
FY2025$840K
Net assets
$628K
FY2025▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$698K
FY2021$983K
FY2022$969K
FY2023$913K
FY2024$767K
FY2025$628K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending May 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1992.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $721K Management & general 10% · $84K Fundraising 4% · $35K

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

19 people listed on the 990; $126K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$66,923Pt VII · Sec A
Musical Director
$59,077Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ron Brooker$66,923$58,558————
Carl Topilow$59,077$64,000$66,305$61,962$61,962$62,186
Tricia Applegate———$52,533$50,150$1,923
Laurie Korobkin—————$25,385
Tricia Calver——$9,087———

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 The Firelands Symphony Orchestra executive salaries →

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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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Offers community orchestra, music lessons, and outreach programs.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $721K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

During the year ended may 31, 2025, the firelands symphony orchestra presented live musical performances, including free orchestra concerts and free ensemble concerts.

$721Kprogram expense
02

During the year ended may 31, 2025, the firelands symphony orchestra provided private music instruction to students on varying instruments.

Pt IX · col B

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 8 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$669K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$398K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$163K
Other incomeLn 4–11$91K
Money outPt IX
$840K
Ln 25
Programscol B$721K
Managementcol C$84K
Fundraisingcol D$35K
Owns and owesPt X
$628K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$118K
Total assetsLn 16$775K
LiabilitiesLn 26$147K
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b17
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$398K
Government grantsLn 1e$47K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$7K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$163K
Investment incomeLn 3$17K
Other incomeLn 4–11$91K
Total revenueLn 12$669K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$111K
SavingsLn 2$7K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$118K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$484K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$24K
Other assetsLn 15$88K
Total assetsLn 16$775K
LiabilitiesLn 26$147K
Net assetsLn 32$628K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderMay
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$66K$118K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$617K$484K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$51K$24K
Total assetsLn 16$948K$775K
LiabilitiesLn 26$181K$147K
Net assetsLn 32$767K$628K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$126K$88K$32K$6K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$108K$76K$27K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$20K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$20K$14K$5K$997
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$2K$770$154
Investment management feesLn 11f$7K$7K
Office expensesLn 13$21K$14K$5K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$4K$3K$877$175
TravelLn 17$38K$38K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$27K$25K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$4K$3K$1K$214
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$343K$343K
All other expensesLn 24e$120K$94K$4K$21K
Total functional expensesLn 25$840K$721K$84K$35K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $669K$840K−$171K$628K 990 PDF
FY2024 $665K$850K−$184K$767K 990 PDF
FY2023 $597K$655K−$57K$913K 990 PDF
FY2022 $729K$620K$109K$969K 990 PDF
FY2021 $574K$366K$209K$983K 990 PDF
FY2020 $567K$620K−$53K$698K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $668,834 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $515,926$397,614
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $112,002$163,175
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $22,158$17,400
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $15,400$90,645
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $665,486$668,834
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $283,482$273,909
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $566,302$566,007
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $849,784$839,916
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$184,298−$171,082
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members17
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $668,834 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$47,216
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$350,398
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$7,040
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$397,614
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $163,175$163,175
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $17,400$17,400
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $85,597 · Unrelated business $5,048$90,645
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $248,772 · Unrelated business $5,048 · Excluded from tax $17,400$668,834
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $839,916 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $88,200 · Management $31,500 · Fundraising $6,303$126,003
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $75,676 · Management $27,027 · Fundraising $5,405$108,108
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $19,855$19,855
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $13,960 · Management $4,986 · Fundraising $997$19,943
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $2,156 · Management $770 · Fundraising $154$3,080
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $6,675$6,675
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,387 · Management $5,138 · Fundraising $1,028$20,553
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,927 · Management $877 · Fundraising $175$3,979
IX-17 TravelPrograms $38,452$38,452
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $25,397 · Management $1,337$26,734
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,999 · Management $1,071 · Fundraising $214$4,284
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $342,721$342,721
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $94,475 · Management $4,140 · Fundraising $20,914$119,529
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $721,205 · Management $83,521 · Fundraising $35,190$839,916
Part X · Balance sheet $774,962 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $58,097$110,976
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,425$7,436
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $123,750$55,000
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,757$5,131
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $50,945$24,211
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $617,001$484,072
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $85,068$88,136
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $948,043$774,962
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $36,618$32,243
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $144,323$114,723
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $180,941$146,966
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $682,034$539,860
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $85,068$88,136
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $767,102$627,996
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $948,043$774,962
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $627,996 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$668,834
XI-2 Total expenses$839,916
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$171,082
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$767,102
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$28,907
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$3,069
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$627,996

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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