Our mission is to enhance our community through the performance of symphonic music that engages and inspires. Our vision is that we envision a stronger community through the power of music and musician artisry. Our goals include: with the power of symphonic music, we will create an environment that nurtures music-making at the highest possible levels. We will be an organization creating moving and engaging experiences for our audiences. We will become deeply intergrated into the community and assume a leadership role in order to engage as many people as possible.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
61¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$173K 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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FY2021 · 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 $33K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
61%
of spending
Worth a look: 61% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$173K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $30K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$541K
29% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 29% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
18
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 18 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$795K
-8% vs prior year
Spent
$925K
To programs
61%
Net assets
$1.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$795K
FY2021▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$868K
FY2021$795K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.3M
Expenses
$925K
FY2021▼ -11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$925K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$1.3M
FY2021▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$4K
FY2023−$116K
FY2024−$202K
FY2025$673K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Mar 1944.

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

Where the money goes

61 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 61% · $567K Management & general 38% · $350K Fundraising 1% · $8K

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

24 people listed on the 990; $173K 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
Executive Director
$83,294Pt VII · Sec A
Music Director
$80,691Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$2,814Pt VII · Sec A
$2,606Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$2,334Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$912Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

David Arnott’s $64K as Executive Di is at the 9th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M 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
Brandon Vanwaeyenberghe—$84,975$86,399$82,339$83,294$22,531
Dirk Meyer————$80,691$82,280
David Arnott$64,271$49,433————
Kevin Peterson—————$48,734
Kathy Sanders——$2,792$3,469$2,606$12,353
Kathleen Sanders$3,682—————
Nairi Stack$2,814—$3,160$2,480$2,334$2,980
James McLeod$2,966—$1,847$2,320$2,814$2,301

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

Performs symphonic concerts and supports youth orchestras for the community.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $567K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Although duluth had a history of organized orchestra performances as far back as 1883, it would not be until 49 years later that the first public performance of the duluth civic orchestra would be organized on may 2, 1932.

$567Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$30K

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$795K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$713K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$62K
Other incomeLn 4–11$13K
Money outPt IX
$925K
Ln 25
Programscol B$567K
Managementcol C$350K
Fundraisingcol D$8K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$285K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$541K
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b18
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$713K
Government grantsLn 1e$201K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$62K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Other incomeLn 4–11$13K
Gains on assetsLn 7$5K
Total revenueLn 12$795K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$100
SavingsLn 2$285K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$285K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$173K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$20K
Other assetsLn 15$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$541K
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5171
VolunteersI 6175
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$93K$285K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$148K$173K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$27K$20K
Total assetsLn 16$1.6M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$401K$541K
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M$1.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$175K$90K$85K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$305K$211K$94K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$11K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$32K$16K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$53K$53K
Investment management feesLn 11f$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$28K$19K$900$8K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$37K$32K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$21K$398$20K
Information technologyLn 14$30K$937$29K
OccupancyLn 16$55K$55K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$640$640
InterestLn 20$4K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$7K$7K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$156K$129K$26K
All other expensesLn 24e$919$919
Total functional expensesLn 25$925K$567K$350K$8K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.3M$1.1M$249K$673K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.2M$1.3M−$97K−$202K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.2M$1.3M−$129K−$116K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.3M$1.2M$80K$4K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $795K$925K−$129K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 $868K$1.0M−$171K$1.2M 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 $795,245 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $498,408$713,410
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $297,936$61,991
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6,957$7,298
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $64,674$12,546
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $867,975$795,245
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 $714,019$522,588
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $324,748$401,989
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,038,767$924,577
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$170,792−$129,332
Part VI · Governance 18 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members18
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 $795,245 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$201,249
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$512,161
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$713,410
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $61,991$61,991
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,735$2,735
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $4,563$4,563
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $11,562 · Excluded from tax $984$12,546
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $61,991 · Unrelated business $11,562 · Excluded from tax $8,282$795,245
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $924,577 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $89,639 · Management $84,933$174,572
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $211,350 · Management $93,792$305,142
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $11,103$11,103
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $16,420 · Management $15,351$31,771
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $53,307$53,307
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $1,650$1,650
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $19,175 · Management $900 · Fundraising $7,500$27,575
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $32,492 · Management $4,321$36,813
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $398 · Management $20,116$20,514
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $937 · Management $29,383$30,320
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $54,913$54,913
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $640$640
IX-20 InterestPrograms $3,903$3,903
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,445$7,445
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $8,100$8,100
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $129,451 · Management $26,439$155,890
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $919$919
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $567,042 · Management $350,035 · Fundraising $7,500$924,577
Part X · Balance sheet $1,861,417 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $100$100
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $92,557$284,872
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $18,512$2,450
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $36,983$10,862
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $15,504$10,022
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $26,885$20,032
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $148,217$173,413
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,236,283$1,359,666
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,575,041$1,861,417
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $134,872$90,541
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $135,010$169,114
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $131,000$130,988
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $400,882$540,643
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$263,085−$243,801
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,437,244$1,564,575
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,174,159$1,320,774
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,575,041$1,861,417
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,320,774 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$795,245
XI-2 Total expenses$924,577
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$129,332
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,174,159
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$27,564
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$248,383
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,320,774

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

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