The Palmetto Opera

Tax-deductible

Columbia, SC501(c)(3)Since 2001Arts & CultureEIN 57-1129329Revenue $71K in FY2025

On file with the IRSpalmettooperasc.orgPo Box 50462, 29250-0462 · Columbia, SCTax-exempt since Mar 2002Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To raise awareness of Opera and fine arts in SC.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 7 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $12K a year · 12% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 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
$2K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 90% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $1K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$71K
-26% vs prior year
Spent
$100K
To programs
79%
Net assets
$133K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$71K
FY2025▼ -26%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$59K
FY2021$216K
FY2022$64K
FY2023$76K
FY2024$96K
FY2025$71K
Expenses
$100K
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021$60K
FY2022$95K
FY2023$100K
FY2024$107K
FY2025$100K
Net assets
$133K
FY2025▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$61K
FY2021$219K
FY2022$179K
FY2023$164K
FY2024$151K
FY2025$133K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2002.

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% · $79K Management & general 3% · $3K Fundraising 18% · $18K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $2K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Treasurer
$1,750Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Acting Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Melanie Becht’s $2K as Treasurer is at the 10th percentile of top reported officer pay among 250 <$100K 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Melanie Becht$1,750$1,750$1,750$1,750$1,000

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.

See The Palmetto Opera executive salaries →

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Promotes opera and fine arts awareness in South Carolina.

Questions for The Palmetto Opera

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $79K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Grand operas and concerts our operas feature highly acclaimed international opera soloists, local performers, and an orchestra with local musicians.

$79Kprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$1K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$71K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$47K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$22K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$100K
Ln 25
Programscol B$79K
Managementcol C$3K
Fundraisingcol D$18K
Owns and owesPt X
$133K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$32K
Total assetsLn 16$133K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$47K
Government grantsLn 1e$5K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$1K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$22K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Total revenueLn 12$71K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$24K
SavingsLn 2$9K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$32K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$101K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$133K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$133K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 67
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$63K$32K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$88K$101K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$151K$133K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$151K$133K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2K$2K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$13K$13K
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$3K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$18K$18K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0$0$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$7K
Office expensesLn 13$5K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$2K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$1K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$48K$48K
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$100K$79K$3K$18K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $71K$100K−$29K$133K 990 PDF
FY2024 $96K$107K−$11K$151K 990 PDF
FY2023 $76K$100K−$24K$164K 990 PDF
FY2022 $64K$95K−$31K$179K 990 PDF
FY2021 $216K$60K$156K$219K 990 PDF
FY2020 $59K$61K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $71,081 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $49,618$47,162
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $30,264$21,874
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $16,095$2,045
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $95,977$71,081
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $12,790$14,564
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$18,000
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $94,435$67,231
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $107,225$99,795
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$11,248−$28,714
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $71,081 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$5,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$42,162
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$1,348
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$47,162
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $21,874$21,874
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,045$2,045
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $21,874 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,045$71,081
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $99,795 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,750$1,750
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $12,814$12,814
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,525$2,525
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $18,000$18,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $6,988$6,988
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,879$4,879
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,782$1,782
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,640$1,640
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,264$1,264
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $48,153$48,153
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $79,270 · Management $2,525 · Fundraising $18,000$99,795
Part X · Balance sheet $133,064 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $27,312$23,553
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $35,479$8,912
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $88,117$100,599
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $150,908$133,064
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $150,908$133,064
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $150,908$133,064
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $133,064 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$71,081
XI-2 Total expenses$99,795
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$28,714
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$150,908
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$10,870
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$133,064

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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