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Detroit Opera FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Detroit, MI501(c)(3)Since 1971Arts & CultureEIN 38-2052726Revenue $20.8M in FY2023

On file with the IRSmichiganopera.org1526 Broadway St, 48226-2115 · Detroit, MITax-exempt since Sep 1968Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Detroit opera's mission is to present groundbreaking, globally recognized Opera, dance, and musical theater; expand access to the arts through community engagement; cultivate emerging artists and young audiences through education and training; and sustain a permanent home for the performing arts through the preservation and operation of the historic Detroit Opera house.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$959K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2023 · 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 $1.2M a year · 8% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$959K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $62K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$9.2M
18% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 18% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
49
of 49 voting members
Looks good: 49 of 49 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$20.8M
+0.9% vs prior year
Spent
$21.0M
To programs
78%
Net assets
$42.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$20.8M
FY2023▲ +0.9%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$12.5M
FY2021$9.2M
FY2022$20.6M
FY2023$20.8M
FY2024$17.0M
FY2025$15.4M
Expenses
$21.0M
FY2023▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$14.2M
FY2021$8.9M
FY2022$18.2M
FY2023$21.0M
FY2024$19.5M
FY2025$21.0M
Net assets
$42.5M
FY2023+0.1%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$40.1M
FY2021$40.5M
FY2022$42.5M
FY2023$42.5M
FY2024$40.2M
FY2025$34.6M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 1968.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $16.3M Management & general 17% · $3.6M Fundraising 5% · $1.1M

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

53 people listed on the 990; $959K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Wayne S Brown
President and CEO
$251,500Pt VII · Sec A
Yuval Sharon
Artistic Director
$210,877Pt VII · Sec A
Patricia Walker
Chief Adminstrative Officer
$173,142Pt VII · Sec A
Julie Kim
Director of Productions
$170,031Pt VII · Sec A
Christine Holloway
Associate Artistic Directo
$153,936Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Robert Brown
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ms Patty Isacson Sabee’s $398K as President & CEO (see Schedule O) is at the 64th percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ms Patty Isacson Sabee$398,443—————
Wayne S Brown——$251,500$246,637$226,369$305,448
Wayne Brown$147,981$256,308————
Yuval Sharon$225,764$219,504$210,877$202,946——
Patty Isacson Sabee—$200,000————
Patricia Walker—$156,918$173,142$171,843$144,288$162,909
Christine Holloway$170,864$156,878$153,936$104,530——
Julie Kim——$170,031———

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

Produces main-stage opera, ballet, and musical theater performances while providing cultural outreach programs to enrich Detroit and the state of Michigan.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $16.3M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Main stage opera and ballet, musical theater performances and local outreach programs.

$16.3Mprogram expense

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 · FY2025
CulturesourceFY2025$36K
Ruth F Rattner and the Ann F and Norman D Katz Charitable FoundatioFY2025$25K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$62K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

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from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$20.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$7.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.8M
Money outPt IX
$21.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$16.3M
Managementcol C$3.6M
Fundraisingcol D$1.1M
Owns and owesPt X
$42.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.7M
Total assetsLn 16$51.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
53
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a49
IndependentVI 1b49
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$2.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$40K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7.0M
Gains on assetsLn 7−$35K
Total revenueLn 12$20.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$41.7M
Other assetsLn 15$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$51.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.2M
Net assetsLn 32$42.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5627
VolunteersI 6430
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
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.4M$2.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.7M$2.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$42.8M$41.7M
Total assetsLn 16$51.6M$51.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.1M$9.2M
Net assetsLn 32$42.5M$42.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$475K$189K$266K$21K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.9M$5.4M$1.1M$358K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.1M$811K$244K$69K
Payroll taxesLn 10$575K$400K$144K$30K
Legal feesLn 11b$416K$317K$78K$21K
Accounting feesLn 11c$58K$44K$11K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2.0M$1.4M$510K$85K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$751K$736K$6K$9K
Office expensesLn 13$690K$546K$143K
OccupancyLn 16$1.4M$1.1M$224K
InterestLn 20$258K$258K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.1M$2.0M$65K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4.2M$3.3M$465K$492K
All other expensesLn 24e$94K$21K$73K−$222
Total functional expensesLn 25$21.0M$16.3M$3.6M$1.1M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $15.4M$21.0M−$5.6M$34.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $17.0M$19.5M−$2.5M$40.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $20.8M$21.0M−$220K$42.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $20.6M$18.2M$2.4M$42.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $9.2M$8.9M$268K$40.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $12.5M$14.2M−$1.7M$40.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $20,797,237 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $13,473,002$11,041,880
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,840,921$2,759,892
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $333,759$39,950
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,963,294$6,955,515
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $20,610,976$20,797,237
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 $7,562,118$9,093,577
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $10,615,538$11,923,503
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $18,177,656$21,017,080
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,433,320−$219,843
Part VI · Governance 49 of 49 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body49
VI-1b Independent voting members49
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 $20,797,237 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $781,644 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$2,744,477
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$8,297,403
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$11,041,880
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,759,892$2,759,892
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $75,448$75,448
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$35,498−$35,498
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $425,090$425,090
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,522,418 · Unrelated business $2,275,430 · Excluded from tax $950,933$5,748,781
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $6,063,954 · Unrelated business $2,275,430 · Excluded from tax $1,415,973$20,797,237
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $21,017,080 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $189,261 · Management $265,542 · Fundraising $20,679$475,482
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,442,922 · Management $1,119,131 · Fundraising $358,120$6,920,173
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $811,215 · Management $243,624 · Fundraising $68,518$1,123,357
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $400,341 · Management $144,303 · Fundraising $29,921$574,565
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $316,800 · Management $77,886 · Fundraising $21,306$415,992
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $43,904 · Management $10,794 · Fundraising $2,952$57,650
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,410,247 · Management $510,062 · Fundraising $85,376$2,005,685
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $736,332 · Management $6,199 · Fundraising $8,801$751,332
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $546,359 · Management $143,320$689,679
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,135,579 · Management $223,761$1,359,340
IX-20 InterestManagement $258,499$258,499
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,003,827 · Management $65,337$2,069,164
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,265,205 · Management $464,773 · Fundraising $492,112$4,222,090
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $20,939 · Management $73,355 · Fundraising −$222$94,072
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $16,322,931 · Management $3,606,586 · Fundraising $1,087,563$21,017,080
Part X · Balance sheet $51,718,290 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,442,945$2,666,109
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,224,593$3,888,055
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $893,020$223,026
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $311,458$186,058
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $42,839,244$41,679,102
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,717,798$1,960,800
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $196,886$1,115,140
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $51,625,944$51,718,290
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,819,970$590,313
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,838,127$803,529
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $624,201$1,207,659
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $9,131,661$9,174,324
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $29,250,130$33,676,895
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $13,244,153$8,867,071
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $42,494,283$42,543,966
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $51,625,944$51,718,290
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $42,543,966 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$20,797,237
XI-2 Total expenses$21,017,080
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$219,843
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$42,494,283
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$269,526
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$42,543,966

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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