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Detroit Opera FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

Detroit, MI501(c)(3)Since 1971Arts & Culture EIN 38-2052726Revenue $17.0M in FY2024

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.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$990K 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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FY2024 · 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
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$990K
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: 1.8 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
$9.3M
19% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 19% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
41
of 41 voting members
Looks good: 41 of 41 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$17.0M
-18% vs prior year
Spent
$19.5M
To programs
79%
Net assets
$40.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$17.0M
FY2024▼ -18%
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
$19.5M
FY2024▼ -7%
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
$40.2M
FY2024▼ -5%
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 FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $15.4M Management & general 17% · $3.3M Fundraising 4% · $846K

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

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

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Wayne Brown
Chief Executive Officer
$256,308Pt VII · Sec A
Yuval Sharon
Director of Production
$219,504Pt VII · Sec A
Patty Isacson Sabee
President and CEO
$200,000Pt VII · Sec A
Patricia Walker
Chief Adminstrative Office
$156,918Pt VII · Sec A
Christine Holloway
Associate Artistic Directo
$156,878Pt VII · Sec A
Lisa M Dichiera
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Kevin Dennis
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 · $15.4M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

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

$15.4Mprogram 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 FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$17.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$6.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.5M
Money outPt IX
$19.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$15.4M
Managementcol C$3.3M
Fundraisingcol D$846K
Owns and owesPt X
$40.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.9M
Total assetsLn 16$49.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
50
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a41
IndependentVI 1b41
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.0M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$1K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$86K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6.3M
Gains on assetsLn 7−$22K
Total revenueLn 12$17.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$39.7M
Other assetsLn 15$1.0M
Total assetsLn 16$49.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.3M
Net assetsLn 32$40.2M
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.7M$2.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.0M$2.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$41.7M$39.7M
Total assetsLn 16$51.7M$49.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.2M$9.3M
Net assetsLn 32$42.5M$40.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$588K$234K$328K$26K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.9M$5.5M$1.1M$342K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.1M$809K$198K$72K
Payroll taxesLn 10$602K$416K$157K$29K
Legal feesLn 11b$42K$17K$24K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$533K$393K$112K$28K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.8M$1.3M$362K$164K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$388K$368K$20K$663
Office expensesLn 13$939K$702K$156K$80K
OccupancyLn 16$1.4M$1.1M$210K$48K
InterestLn 20$345K$345K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.3M$2.2M$73K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.6M$2.4M$168K$36K
All other expensesLn 24e$87K$20K$50K$18K
Total functional expensesLn 25$19.5M$15.4M$3.3M$846K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $15.4M$21.0M−$5.6M$34.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $17.0M$19.5M−$2.5M$40.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $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 R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $17,012,919 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $11,041,880$9,152,654
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,759,892$1,499,511
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $39,950$86,020
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $6,955,515$6,274,734
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $20,797,237$17,012,919
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 $9,093,577$9,185,499
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $11,923,503$10,332,417
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $21,017,080$19,517,916
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$219,843−$2,504,997
Part VI · Governance 41 of 41 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body41
VI-1b Independent voting members41
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 $17,012,919 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $698,929 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$1,000
VIII-1e Government grants$1,000,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$8,151,654
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$9,152,654
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,499,511$1,499,511
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $107,585$107,585
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$21,565−$21,565
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $51,579$51,579
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,579,872 · Unrelated business $2,190,598 · Excluded from tax $753,756$5,524,226
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $4,778,312 · Unrelated business $2,190,598 · Excluded from tax $891,355$17,012,919
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $19,517,916 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $234,113 · Management $328,472 · Fundraising $25,579$588,164
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,462,775 · Management $1,110,620 · Fundraising $342,448$6,915,843
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $809,283 · Management $198,217 · Fundraising $72,136$1,079,636
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $415,542 · Management $157,016 · Fundraising $29,298$601,856
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $16,932 · Management $23,705 · Fundraising $1,693$42,330
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $392,949 · Management $111,743 · Fundraising $28,251$532,943
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,268,172 · Management $361,598 · Fundraising $163,970$1,793,740
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $367,679 · Management $19,984 · Fundraising $663$388,326
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $701,936 · Management $156,357 · Fundraising $80,376$938,669
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,093,695 · Management $209,702 · Fundraising $48,403$1,351,800
IX-20 InterestManagement $345,140$345,140
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,181,770 · Management $73,405$2,255,175
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,393,711 · Management $167,754 · Fundraising $35,590$2,597,055
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $19,567 · Management $49,959 · Fundraising $17,713$87,239
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $15,358,124 · Management $3,313,672 · Fundraising $846,120$19,517,916
Part X · Balance sheet $49,591,867 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,666,109$2,876,530
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,888,055$3,492,605
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $223,026$258,416
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $186,058$102,256
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $41,679,102$39,656,540
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,960,800$2,204,978
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,115,140$1,000,542
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $51,718,290$49,591,867
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $590,313$858,421
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $803,529$1,001,214
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,207,659$1,082,433
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $9,174,324$9,342,013
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $33,676,895$29,427,995
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $8,867,071$10,821,859
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $42,543,966$40,249,854
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $51,718,290$49,591,867
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $40,249,854 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$17,012,919
XI-2 Total expenses$19,517,916
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$2,504,997
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$42,543,966
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$225,198
XI-7 Investment expenses−$14,313
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$40,249,854

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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