Opera on the James seeks to further the appreciation and enjoyment of Opera through community education, promotion of the art form, and support of Opera singers and musicians.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
65¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2020 · 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 $60K a year · 15% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
65%
of spending
Worth a look: 65% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
11 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.1M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 11.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $77K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$7K
0.3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$454K
Spent
$407K
To programs
65%
Net assets
$2.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$454K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$454K
FY2021$294K
FY2022$376K
FY2023$350K
FY2024$377K
FY2025$545K
Expenses
$407K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$407K
FY2021$258K
FY2022$415K
FY2023$488K
FY2024$592K
FY2025$597K
Net assets
$2.0M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$2.2M
FY2022$2.0M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$1.5M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Dec 2005.

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

Where the money goes

65 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 65% · $264K Management & general 28% · $113K Fundraising 7% · $30K

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

16 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
President and Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President and Directo
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary and Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer and Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Perry Payne Milner’s $80K as General Director is at the 76th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Perry Payne Milner$80,144$33,393———
Peter Leonard$72,000$36,000$72,000$72,000$54,000
Marco Nistico———$511$21,156

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

Presents diverse, accessible opera productions featuring acclaimed artists to educate and inspire.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $264K · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

There were two opera performances produced by the organization during the year.

$250Kprogram expense
02

The tyler young artist program is a training program to identify emerging professional opera singers and give them the opportunity to share their love of opera. This program provides performances to children and youth in schools, in community venues and on the main stage.

$14Kprogram 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
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$454K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$319K
Investment incomeLn 3$96K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$34K
Money outPt IX
$407K
Ln 25
Programscol B$264K
Managementcol C$113K
Fundraisingcol D$30K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$385K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$319K
Government grantsLn 1e$31K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$29K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$34K
Investment incomeLn 3$96K
Other incomeLn 4–11$5K
Gains on assetsLn 7$59K
Total revenueLn 12$454K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$63K
SavingsLn 2$322K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$385K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$461K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7K
Net assetsLn 32$2.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 650
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$212K$385K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.2M$1.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$448K$461K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3K$7K
Net assetsLn 32$2.1M$2.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$49K$16K$16K$16K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$39K$6K$29K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$19K$5K$9K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$6K$2K$3K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$9K$4K$4K
Investment management feesLn 11f$9K$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$11K$11K
Office expensesLn 13$13K$10K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$22K$16K$6K
TravelLn 17$15K$15K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K
InterestLn 20$146$117$29
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$22K$502$21K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$174K$169K$6K
All other expensesLn 24e$12K$5K$4K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$407K$264K$113K$30K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $545K$597K−$51K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $377K$592K−$215K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $350K$488K−$139K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $376K$415K−$39K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $294K$258K$36K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $454K$407K$48K$2.0M 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $454,426 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $318,697$319,381
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $54,943$34,298
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $82,231$95,993
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $32,601$4,754
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $488,472$454,426
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 $108,828$113,447
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $346,728$293,144
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $455,556$406,591
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $32,916$47,835
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
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 $454,426 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $1,260 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$30,930
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$288,451
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$29,126
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$319,381
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $26,188 · Excluded from tax $6,850$33,038
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $36,704$36,704
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $59,289$59,289
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $3,650$3,650
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $1,104$1,104
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $28,552 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $106,493$454,426
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $406,591 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $16,429 · Management $16,429 · Fundraising $16,429$49,287
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,882 · Management $29,412 · Fundraising $3,921$39,215
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $4,984 · Management $9,072 · Fundraising $4,644$18,700
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,564 · Management $3,258 · Fundraising $1,423$6,245
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $4,500 · Management $4,500$9,000
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $4,352 · Management $4,352$8,704
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $4,380$4,380
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $11,427$11,427
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $10,228 · Management $2,557$12,785
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $15,878 · Management $6,146$22,024
IX-17 TravelPrograms $14,860$14,860
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $2,245$2,245
IX-20 InterestPrograms $117 · Management $29$146
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $502 · Management $21,187$21,689
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $168,576 · Management $5,777$174,353
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $4,666 · Management $3,758 · Fundraising $3,107$11,531
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $263,965 · Management $113,102 · Fundraising $29,524$406,591
Part X · Balance sheet $2,050,492 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $41,926$62,920
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $169,824$322,381
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $204,408$82,299
X-4 Accounts receivable$340
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,625$11,857
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $448,445$460,889
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $1,204,872$1,109,806
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,075,100$2,050,492
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,685$4,264
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,134$2,738
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,819$7,002
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,721,072$1,834,566
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $351,209$208,924
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,072,281$2,043,490
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,075,100$2,050,492
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,043,490 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$454,426
XI-2 Total expenses$406,591
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$47,835
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,072,281
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$76,626
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,043,490

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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