The Firelands Symphony Orchestra: FY2021 Nonprofit Profile & Form 990 (EIN 34-1573397)

Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020	$567K
FY2021	$574K
FY2022	$729K
FY2023	$597K
FY2024	$665K
FY2025	$669K

Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020	$620K
FY2021	$366K
FY2022	$620K
FY2023	$655K
FY2024	$850K
FY2025	$840K

Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020	$698K
FY2021	$983K
FY2022	$969K
FY2023	$913K
FY2024	$767K
FY2025	$628K

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

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

82%

15%

Program services 82% · $300K Management & general 15% · $56K Fundraising 3% · $10K

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

18 people listed on the 990; $112K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII

Carl Topilow

Musical Director

$61,962Pt VII · Sec A

Tricia Applegate

Executive Director

$50,150Pt VII · Sec A

Jennifer Casey

Director

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Paul Elli

Treasurer

$0Pt VII · Sec A

John Frankel

Director

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Stacey Hartley

Vice President

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Larry McCormack

Director

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nike Mendenhall

President

$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
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.

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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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3 programs · $300K · in their own filed words · FY2020

01

During the year ended june 30, 2021, the firelands symphony orchestra presented live musical performances, including free orchestra concerts and free ensemble concerts.

$300Kprogram expense

02

During the year ended june 30, 2021, the firelands symphony orchestra provided music engagement programs to hundreds of area students in grades k-12 and awarded 1 scholarship to a student pursuing a college music education.

Pt IX · col B

03

During the year ended june 30, 2021, 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

Mylander Foundation-2001FY2024$54K

The Erie County Community FoundationFY2024$50K

Geotrac Charitable FoundationFY2024$48K

Sam S Stein and Rose Stein FoundationFY2024$23K

The Albert G & Olive H Schlink FoundationFY2024$22K

Sidney Frohman FoundationFY2024$10K

The Michelle Wightman-Karrie Wieber Charitable FoundationFY2024$8K

The Bettcher FoundationFY2024$3K

Total grants receivedfrom 8 funders$218K

See all 8 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$574K

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$500K

Other incomeLn 4–11$50K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$15K

Money outPt IX

$366K

Ln 25

Programscol B$300K

Managementcol C$56K

Fundraisingcol D$10K

Owns and owesPt X

$983K

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$334K

Total assetsLn 16$1.3M

LiabilitiesLn 26$308K

PeoplePt VI, VII

18

listed · VII A

PaidVII A2

Voting boardVI 1a16

IndependentVI 1b0

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$500K

Government grantsLn 1e$103K

Noncash giftsLn 1g$5K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$15K

Investment incomeLn 3$10K

Other incomeLn 4–11$50K

Total revenueLn 12$574K

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$133K

SavingsLn 2$201K

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$334K

InvestmentsLn 11–13$584K

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$142K

Other assetsLn 15$96K

Total assetsLn 16$1.3M

LiabilitiesLn 26$308K

Net assetsLn 32$983K

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 57

VolunteersI 60

Fiscal year endsHeaderJune

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

Line	Start FY21	End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$227K	$334K
InvestmentsLn 11–13	$327K	$584K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$174K	$142K
Total assetsLn 16	$833K	$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$135K	$308K
Net assetsLn 32	$698K	$983K

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$112K	$78K	$28K	$6K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$60K	$42K	$15K	$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$17K	$12K	$4K	$853
Accounting feesLn 11c	$2K	$1K	$408	$82
Investment management feesLn 11f	$4K		$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$463	$370		$93
Office expensesLn 13	$6K	$5K	$2K	$323
OccupancyLn 16	$3K	$2K	$783	$157
TravelLn 17	$5K	$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$31K	$31K
InsuranceLn 23	$3K	$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$87K	$87K	$28	$6
All other expensesLn 24e	$35K	$33K	$1K	$73
Total functional expensesLn 25	$366K	$300K	$56K	$10K

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest	$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 Viewing	$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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $574,402 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $363,959$499,873

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $189,770$14,553

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $7,878$9,969

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $5,201$50,007

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $566,808$574,402

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 $233,207$188,883

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $387,024$176,851

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $620,231$365,734

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$53,423$208,668

Part VI · Governance 0 of 16 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16

VI-1b Independent voting members0

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 $574,402 across 9 lines filed

VIII-1e Government grants$103,385

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$396,488

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$4,520

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$499,873

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $14,553$14,553

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,969$9,969

VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $139$139

VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $47,800 · Unrelated business $2,068$49,868

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $62,353 · Unrelated business $2,068 · Excluded from tax $10,108$574,402

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $365,734 across 13 lines filed

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $78,478 · Management $28,029 · Fundraising $5,606$112,113

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $41,795 · Management $14,927 · Fundraising $2,985$59,707

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,944 · Management $4,266 · Fundraising $853$17,063

IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $1,140 · Management $408 · Fundraising $82$1,630

IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $4,461$4,461

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $370 · Fundraising $93$463

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,518 · Management $1,614 · Fundraising $323$6,455

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,193 · Management $783 · Fundraising $157$3,133

IX-17 TravelPrograms $4,832$4,832

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $31,377$31,377

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,897$2,897

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $87,008 · Management $28 · Fundraising $6$87,042

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $33,090 · Management $1,398 · Fundraising $73$34,561

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $299,642 · Management $55,914 · Fundraising $10,178$365,734

Part X · Balance sheet $1,291,474 assets, 17 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $176,239$133,395

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $50,484$200,576

X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$110,000

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $15,000$0

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $8,299$25,111

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $173,801$142,425

X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $327,342$583,815

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $82,127$96,152

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $833,292$1,291,474

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,529$3,587

X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $85,662$304,419

X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $47,800$0

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $134,991$308,006

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $611,437$901,351

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $86,864$82,117

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $698,301$983,468

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $833,292$1,291,474

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $983,468 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$574,402

XI-2 Total expenses$365,734

XI-3 Revenue less expenses$208,668

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$698,301

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$62,474

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$14,025

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$983,468

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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The Firelands Symphony Orchestra FY2021 filing

Before you give

Is it real?

Where the money goes

Who runs it and what they're paid

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

Questions the 990 asks

Programs and updates

Questions for The Firelands Symphony Orchestra

Funders

Grants

By the numbers

Filing history

Schedules filed Part IV