Tucson Symphony Society

Tax-deductible

Tucson, AZ501(c)(3)Since 1959Arts & CultureEIN 86-0107538Revenue $8.0M in FY2025

On file with the IRStucsonsymphony.org2175 N 6th Ave, 85705-5606 · Tucson, AZTax-exempt since Apr 1965Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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The mission of the Tucson Symphony is to build and enrich community through the experience of live music of the highest quality.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 157 volunteers and 246 employees.
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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.0M a year · 29% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 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
$441K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 74% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
14
named funders · $600K
Looks good: 14 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.7M
8% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 8% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
17
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 17 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$8.0M
+25% vs prior year
Spent
$6.3M
To programs
79%
Net assets
$19.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$8.0M
FY2025▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$11.1M
FY2021$5.0M
FY2022$6.5M
FY2023$5.3M
FY2024$6.4M
FY2025$8.0M
Expenses
$6.3M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.1M
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$5.7M
FY2024$6.0M
FY2025$6.3M
Net assets
$19.8M
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.0M
FY2021$14.2M
FY2022$14.0M
FY2023$14.4M
FY2024$18.3M
FY2025$19.8M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1965.

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% · $5.0M Management & general 12% · $765K Fundraising 9% · $545K

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

27 people listed on the 990; $441K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & CEO
$169,623Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Philanthropy
$110,485Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Finance
$101,532Pt VII · Sec A
$22,196Pt VII · Sec A
$20,347Pt VII · Sec A
$16,879Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Paul Meecham’s $170K as President & CEO is at the 74th 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
Paul Meecham$169,623$165,700$166,444$81,676——
Steven Haines————$135,869$17,596
Eric Lind$110,485$107,152————
Paula Egan$101,532$99,083$96,154$31,011——
Karen Sivert———$84,015$22,748—
Natasha Zahn————$62,688$62,731
Nadgegzda Miller-Zahn—————$62,731
Nadgegzda Zahn———$36,693——

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

Enriches community by presenting high-quality live orchestral music.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $5.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Orchestral Programming

Formed in 1928-29 as the first professional symphony orchestra in the Southwest, the TSO is the longest continuously performing professional arts organization in Arizona. Over 37,000 patrons enjoyed orchestral works ranging from classicalBeethovens 5th and Carmina Burana to popularwith An Evening at the Movies with Itzhak Perlman and…

$4.5Mprogram expense
02

Education and Community Engagement Programming

TSO provided a wide range of Music Education Programs to 83 schools in Southern Arizona. Throughout the year, TSO Ensembles performed for over 18,000 students within schools with interactive presentations, preparing them for full orchestra KinderKonzerts and Young Peoples concerts performed for another 10,500 attendees.

$484Kprogram 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 14 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$8.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.7M
Money outPt IX
$6.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.0M
Managementcol C$765K
Fundraisingcol D$545K
Owns and owesPt X
$19.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.7M
Total assetsLn 16$21.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
27
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b17
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$56K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$94K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$272K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.7M
Gains on assetsLn 7$1.4M
Total revenueLn 12$8.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$82K
SavingsLn 2$1.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$15.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$773K
Other assetsLn 15$238K
Total assetsLn 16$21.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M
Net assetsLn 32$19.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5246
VolunteersI 6157
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M$1.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$7.3M$15.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$816K$773K
Total assetsLn 16$20.0M$21.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M$1.7M
Net assetsLn 32$18.3M$19.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$366K$89K$219K$58K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.0M$2.4M$239K$323K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$21K$11K$6K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$239K$200K$28K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$243K$181K$34K$28K
Legal feesLn 11b$175$175
Accounting feesLn 11c$17K$17K
Investment management feesLn 11f$53K$53K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.1M$1.0M$27K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$248K$227K$20K
Office expensesLn 13$60K$34K$14K$12K
Information technologyLn 14$105K$69K$15K$21K
OccupancyLn 16$303K$266K$29K$8K
TravelLn 17$19K$17K$1K$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$1K$446$386
InterestLn 20$19K$19K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$116K$73K$34K$9K
InsuranceLn 23$50K$48K$985$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$359K$318K$25K$16K
All other expensesLn 24e$71K$37K$3K$32K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.3M$5.0M$765K$545K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $8.0M$6.3M$1.7M$19.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $6.4M$6.0M$440K$18.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.3M$5.7M−$450K$14.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $6.5M$4.5M$2.1M$14.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.0M$2.6M$2.4M$14.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $11.1M$5.1M$6.0M$10.0M 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 $7,987,479 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,643,305$4,126,874
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,406,782$2,147,987
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $238,094$1,732,668
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $111,692−$20,050
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $6,399,873$7,987,479
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,657,118$3,852,076
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,302,432$2,470,864
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,959,550$6,322,940
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $440,323$1,664,539
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members17
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 $7,987,479 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $18,494 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$272,043
VIII-1e Government grants$55,500
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,799,331
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$94,282
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,126,874
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,147,987$2,147,987
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $323,272$323,272
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $1,409,396$1,409,396
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$38,544−$38,544
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,147,987 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,712,618$7,987,479
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,322,940 across 20 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $89,385 · Management $219,271 · Fundraising $57,506$366,162
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,419,685 · Management $239,478 · Fundraising $323,301$2,982,464
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $11,409 · Management $6,469 · Fundraising $3,481$21,359
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $200,169 · Management $28,282 · Fundraising $10,572$239,023
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $181,195 · Management $33,546 · Fundraising $28,327$243,068
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $175$175
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $17,331$17,331
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $53,276$53,276
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,021,383 · Management $26,525 · Fundraising $2,126$1,050,034
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $227,482 · Fundraising $20,169$247,651
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $34,206 · Management $13,914 · Fundraising $11,595$59,715
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $68,644 · Management $15,015 · Fundraising $21,297$104,956
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $266,044 · Management $28,936 · Fundraising $7,526$302,506
IX-17 TravelPrograms $16,545 · Management $1,162 · Fundraising $1,020$18,727
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,152 · Management $446 · Fundraising $386$1,984
IX-20 InterestManagement $18,724$18,724
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $73,421 · Management $33,947 · Fundraising $8,830$116,198
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $47,626 · Management $985 · Fundraising $1,314$49,925
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $317,916 · Management $25,055 · Fundraising $15,535$358,506
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $36,565 · Management $2,661 · Fundraising $31,930$71,156
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,012,827 · Management $765,198 · Fundraising $544,915$6,322,940
Part X · Balance sheet $21,432,387 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $146,523$82,097
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,011,332$1,616,828
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $10,216,669$2,659,167
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $15,654$18,842
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $215,111$150,996
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $816,412$773,433
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $7,320,365$15,892,760
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $269,702$238,264
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $20,011,768$21,432,387
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $198,071$250,219
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,023,133$982,382
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $49,985$27,925
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,671,743$1,655,217
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $4,013,815$3,615,243
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $14,326,210$16,161,927
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $18,340,025$19,777,170
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $20,011,768$21,432,387
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $19,777,170 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,987,479
XI-2 Total expenses$6,322,940
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,664,539
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$18,340,025
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$227,394
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$19,777,170

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

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