Pacific Symphony

Tax-deductible

Irvine, CA501(c)(3)Since 1980Arts & CultureEIN 95-3635496Revenue $35.7M in FY2025

On file with the IRSpacificsymphony.org17620 Fitch Ste 100, 92614-6081 · Irvine, CATax-exempt since Jan 1982Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Pacific Symphony, a cornerstone cultural organization serving orange county, reaches over 225,000 individuals annually with diverse orchestral performances, chamber music, opera, choral music, and premieres of new works. Broadcasting 12 classical series performances on kusc radio expands the symphony's reach. Through education and community engagement programs like heartstrings, Symphony in the cities, the lantern festival, and Symphony on the go, tens of thousands of community members gain free access to the symphony's offerings. Pacific symphony's commitment extends to music education, providing assemblies in elementary schools and training over 300 middle and high school students yearly through Pacific Symphony youth ensembles.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
65¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,400 volunteers and 426 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $4.3M a year · 17% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
65%
of spending
Fine: 65% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.5M
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 72% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $207K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4.8M
6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 6% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
71
of 72 voting members
Looks good: 71 of 72 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$35.7M
+35% vs prior year
Spent
$26.6M
To programs
65%
Net assets
$68.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$35.7M
FY2025▲ +35%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$17.6M
FY2021$17.6M
FY2022$30.9M
FY2023$23.7M
FY2024$26.4M
FY2025$35.7M
Expenses
$26.6M
FY2025▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$19.0M
FY2021$11.0M
FY2022$21.7M
FY2023$23.9M
FY2024$23.8M
FY2025$26.6M
Net assets
$68.8M
FY2025▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$28.0M
FY2021$43.1M
FY2022$48.1M
FY2023$50.5M
FY2024$56.2M
FY2025$68.8M

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 Jan 1982.

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% · $17.4M Management & general 27% · $7.2M Fundraising 8% · $2.1M

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

84 people listed on the 990; $2.5M 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
Music Director
$448,340Pt VII · Sec A
President
$363,158Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Development
$225,553Pt VII · Sec A
Concert Master
$216,912Pt VII · Sec A
EVP & COO
$187,279Pt VII · Sec A
SR Director of Major Gifts
$182,326Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Artistic Planning & Prod
$158,348Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Marketing & Comm.
$134,379Pt VII · Sec A

Carl St Clair’s $448K as Music Director is at the 72nd 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
Mr Carl St Clair—$487,362$475,206$375,978$407,640$448,943
Carl St Clair$448,340—————
Mr John E Forsyte—$384,204$362,990$322,349$271,011$310,464
John Forsyte$363,158—————
Mr Dennis Kim—$211,674$285,070$224,629$127,196$219,078
Mr Gregory Cox—$194,631$240,000$238,370$214,647$227,281
Emily Rankin$225,553—————
Dennis Kim$216,912—————

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

Brings communities together through inspiring, healing music and youth programs.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $17.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Classical, pops, family, summer, and contract concerts (including american ballet theater, pacific chorale, soka university, and other organizations). Approximately 125,000 experiences provided.

$12.8Mprogram expense
02

Educational events and community outreach programs including appreciation of music in schools programs, symphony in the cities, symphony on the go, youth orchestra and others. Approximately 100,000 experiences provided.

$4.6Mprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$207K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$35.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8.8M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.9M
Money outPt IX
$26.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$17.4M
Managementcol C$7.2M
Fundraisingcol D$2.1M
Owns and owesPt X
$68.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.4M
Total assetsLn 16$73.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
84
listed · VII A
PaidVII A13
Voting boardVI 1a72
IndependentVI 1b71
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$924K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$12.7M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$1.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.9M
Gains on assetsLn 7$241K
Total revenueLn 12$35.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1K
SavingsLn 2$7.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$46.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6.8M
Other assetsLn 15$46K
Total assetsLn 16$73.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$68.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5426
VolunteersI 61,400
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$9.7M$7.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$32.2M$46.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.0M$6.8M
Total assetsLn 16$60.5M$73.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.3M$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$56.2M$68.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.3M$1.6M$429K$199K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$9.9M$7.1M$1.9M$905K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$846K$755K$66K$25K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$547K$263K$218K$65K
Payroll taxesLn 10$896K$661K$158K$76K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$89K$74K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$70K$70K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$127K$127K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.1M$101K$837K$197K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2.6M$2.2M$441K
Office expensesLn 13$611K$48K$430K$133K
Information technologyLn 14$270K$270K
RoyaltiesLn 15$98K$98K
OccupancyLn 16$258K$170K$88K
TravelLn 17$68K$24K$34K$10K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$13K$1K$7K$5K
InterestLn 20$2$2
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$525K$346K$178K
InsuranceLn 23$156K$58K$99K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$6.1M$6.0M$80K$12K
Total functional expensesLn 25$26.6M$17.4M$7.2M$2.1M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $35.7M$26.6M$9.1M$68.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $26.4M$23.8M$2.6M$56.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $23.7M$23.9M−$222K$50.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $30.9M$21.7M$9.1M$48.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $17.6M$11.0M$6.6M$43.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 $17.6M$19.0M−$1.4M$28.0M 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 $35,706,504 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $14,497,832$23,471,541
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $9,027,152$8,820,631
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,256,860$1,540,301
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,617,344$1,874,031
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $26,399,188$35,706,504
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 $12,806,699$14,437,829
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $31,339$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $10,929,051$12,187,595
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $23,767,089$26,625,424
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,632,099$9,081,080
Part VI · Governance 71 of 72 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body72
VI-1b Independent voting members71
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 $35,706,504 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $27,695 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$1,594,148
VIII-1e Government grants$924,500
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$20,952,893
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$12,706,593
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$23,471,541
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $8,820,631$8,820,631
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,299,714$1,299,714
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $240,587$240,587
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $1,489,506$1,489,506
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $356,830$356,830
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $9,205,156 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $3,029,807$35,706,504
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $26,625,424 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,632,212 · Management $429,436 · Fundraising $199,047$2,260,695
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $7,112,243 · Management $1,871,100 · Fundraising $905,486$9,888,829
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $755,174 · Management $65,534 · Fundraising $25,231$845,939
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $263,264 · Management $218,119 · Fundraising $65,311$546,694
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $661,158 · Management $158,385 · Fundraising $76,129$895,672
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $73,791 · Management $14,786$88,577
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $70,200$70,200
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $126,697$126,697
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $101,315 · Management $837,310 · Fundraising $196,709$1,135,334
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $2,198,736 · Fundraising $440,834$2,639,570
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $47,887 · Management $430,196 · Fundraising $133,367$611,450
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $269,947$269,947
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $97,649$97,649
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $170,341 · Management $87,752$258,093
IX-17 TravelPrograms $24,348 · Management $33,819 · Fundraising $10,184$68,351
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,304 · Management $6,647 · Fundraising $5,002$12,953
IX-20 InterestManagement $2$2
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $346,442 · Management $178,470$524,912
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $57,563 · Management $98,710$156,273
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,035,692 · Management $80,371 · Fundraising $11,524$6,127,587
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $17,380,383 · Management $7,176,217 · Fundraising $2,068,824$26,625,424
Part X · Balance sheet $73,577,446 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,042,201$1,424
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,619,389$7,380,346
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $10,530,670$11,136,551
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $199,904$948,829
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $655,265$845,286
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,029,220$6,845,746
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $32,208,486$46,373,403
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $201,448$45,861
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $60,486,583$73,577,446
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,800,261$2,253,132
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,466,395$2,517,644
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,266,656$4,770,776
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $11,784,373$10,423,865
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $44,435,554$58,382,805
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $56,219,927$68,806,670
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $60,486,583$73,577,446
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $68,806,670 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$35,706,504
XI-2 Total expenses$26,625,424
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$9,081,080
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$56,219,927
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$3,661,250
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$155,587
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$68,806,670

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

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