GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY SOCIETY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

GRAND RAPIDS SYMPHONY SOCIETY

EIN 38-6005447 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)

What they do

to SHARE GREAT MUSIC THAT MOVES THE HUMAN SOUL and to EXCEL AT PROVIDING DISTINCTIVE MUSICAL EXPERIENCES, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON LIVE ORCHESTRA MUSIC, for DIVERSE AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT WEST MICHIGAN.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $81.00 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2023The report may be old. Ask for a newer one.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders49 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

88.82%of revenue went to mission work81.0% of expenses · Program services

8.52%of revenue went to fundraising7.8% of expenses

$109.59spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

12.25%of revenue went to management and office costs11.2% of expenses

$0.41in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

76.7%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $947,892 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $113,749 for KEITH ELDER (PRESIDENT). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2023

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$9,886,659

Mission workProgram services$8,781,07988.82% of revenue81.0% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,211,55512.25% of revenue11.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$841,9178.52% of revenue7.8% of expenses

Total expenses$10,834,551109.59% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2023CurrentExpense mix: 81.0% mission · 11.2% management · 7.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 109.59% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 83.0% mission · 9.4% management · 7.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 112.84% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 83.0% mission · 9.0% management · 8.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.10% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.9% mission · 9.9% management · 7.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 94.77% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 79.6% mission · 7.5% management · 12.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.95% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 82.9% mission · 9.9% management · 7.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 105.55% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 77.9% mission · 13.2% management · 8.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.57% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 79.3% mission · 13.2% management · 7.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.70% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$9,886,659

Expenses$10,834,551

Annual shortfall $947,892 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$8,781,079 · 81.0% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,211,555 · 11.2% of expenses

Fundraising$841,917 · 7.8% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$9,886,659

Expenses$10,834,551

Assets$4,392,665

Income$10,078,247

Contributions$7,581,386

Mission work (program services)$8,781,079

Fundraising$841,917

Management and general$1,211,555

Accounting fees$89,469

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2023

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

KEITH ELDERPRESIDENT · 38 hrs/week $113,749Base $102,749 · Other $11,000

DAVID HALLDIRECTOR · 2 hrs/week $92,037Base $44,312 · Other $47,725

HAIJIN CHOIDIRECTOR · 2 hrs/week $75,501Base $34,936 · Other $40,565

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (49)

KEITH ELDERPRESIDENT

DAVID HALLDIRECTOR

HAIJIN CHOIDIRECTOR

RICHARD ROANECHAIRPERSON

LEAH VOIGTDIRECTOR

LORI LEE CURLEYDIRECTOR

LUIS AVILAIMMEDIATE PA

MICHAEL ELLISVICE CHAIRPE

MILTON ROHWERDIRECTOR

NATALIA KOVICAKDIRECTOR

PAUL DOYLEDIRECTOR

PEG PADNOSDIRECTOR

PETER PEREZDIRECTOR

RENEE TABBENCHAIRPERSON

XUESI LI GURNEYDIRECTOR

STEVE STARNESDIRECTOR

STUART WHITEDIRECTOR

TERRENCE LEDBETTERDIRECTOR

THOMAS WATSONDIRECTOR

TIM LIANGVICE CHAIRPE

TIM TIERNEYDIRECTOR

TOM WELCHDIRECTOR

TRACEY HORNBECKTREASURER

TRAVIS WARDDIRECTOR

TRIPP VANDERWALDIRECTOR

ALICIA CORDOBADIRECTOR

DON HUNTDIRECTOR

ANDY KELLERDIRECTOR

ANNE BLAKE-DREHERDIRECTOR

BARBARA HOHMANDIRECTOR

BENNETT MORGANDIRECTOR

BISHOP MARVIN SAPPDIRECTOR

BRAD LAACKMANDIRECTOR

CHARSIE SAWYERDIRECTOR

CHUCK FRAYERDIRECTOR

CORINNE SPRAGUEDIRECTOR

DAVID DAMSDIRECTOR

DAVID THOMPSONDIRECTOR

LARRY ROBSONVICE CHAIRPE

DOUG THOMPSONDIRECTOR

DOUG WILTERDINKDIRECTOR

GINA PAULDIRECTOR

GREGORY SANIALDIRECTOR

HYUNG KIMDIRECTOR

JOE MANICADIRECTOR

JOHN SCHNEIDERSECRETARY

JOHN VAN BARENDIRECTOR

JOSEPH LEVANDIRECTOR

KRISTA PAULINDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1942
Location: 300 OTTAWA NW SUITE 100, GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49503
County: Kent
In care of: KEITH ELDER
Primary officer: KEITH ELDER, PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(616) 454-9451

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2023
Tax period began: September 1, 2023
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: ANDREWS HOOPER PAVLIK PLC
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)