NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY SOCIETY INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY SOCIETY INC

EIN 56-0556755 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)

What they do

THE NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY is NORTH CAROLINAS STATE ORCHESTRA, AN ORCHESTRA ACHIEVING THE HIGHEST LEVEL of ARTISTIC QUALITY and PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, and EMBRACING ITS DUAL LEGACIES of STATEWIDE SERVICE and MUSIC EDUCATION.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $81.10 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 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

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

They name their leaders64 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

84.48%of revenue went to mission work81.1% of expenses · Program services

8.59%of revenue went to fundraising8.2% of expenses

$104.22spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

11.15%of revenue went to management and office costs10.7% of expenses

$1.93in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

63.1%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 $784,871 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $435,502 for SANDI MA MACDONALD (PRESIDENT & CEO). 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 2024

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$18,580,670

Mission workProgram services$15,697,03684.48% of revenue81.1% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$2,072,30611.15% of revenue10.7% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,596,1998.59% of revenue8.2% of expenses

Total expenses$19,365,541104.22% 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

2024CurrentExpense mix: 81.1% mission · 10.7% management · 8.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.22% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 82.9% mission · 9.8% management · 7.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.67% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 79.3% mission · 13.5% management · 7.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 111.88% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 77.3% mission · 13.6% management · 9.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 62.95% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 71.5% mission · 18.0% management · 10.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 57.79% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 78.5% mission · 13.7% management · 7.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.27% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 80.9% mission · 12.0% management · 7.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 61.68% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 77.6% mission · 13.2% management · 9.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.76% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$18,580,670

Expenses$19,365,541

Annual shortfall $784,871 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)$15,697,036 · 81.1% of expenses

Management and office costs$2,072,306 · 10.7% of expenses

Fundraising$1,596,199 · 8.2% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$18,580,670

Expenses$19,365,541

Assets$37,405,055

Income$49,724,162

Contributions$11,732,326

Mission work (program services)$15,697,036

Fundraising$1,596,199

Grants given$44,476

Average grant$6,354

Management and general$2,072,306

Stocks and bonds$21,423,678

Accounting fees$42,926

Investing fees$35,531

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

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

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

SANDI MA MACDONALDPRESIDENT & CEO · 55 hrs/week $435,502Base $400,332 · Other $35,170

CARLOS PRIETOMUSIC DIRECTOR · 25 hrs/week $371,253Base $343,385 · Other $27,868

ROBERT SCHILLERSR. VP, FINANCE & CFO · 55 hrs/week $243,810Base $238,928 · Other $4,882

LINDA CHARLTONVP, MARKETING & AUDIENCE DEV. · 55 hrs/week $213,104Base $181,620 · Other $31,484

ELIZABETH RANSOMVP, PHILANTHROPY · 50 hrs/week $193,692Base $178,716 · Other $14,976

DONALD TIPPETTVP, ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS · 50 hrs/week $171,363Base $153,838 · Other $17,525

JOSEPH PETERSMUSICIAN · 40 hrs/week $132,857Base $114,683 · Other $18,174

REBEKAH DALEYMUSICIAN · 40 hrs/week $129,860Base $111,686 · Other $18,174

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 (64)

SANDI MA MACDONALDPRESIDENT & CEO

CARLOS PRIETOMUSIC DIRECTOR

ROBERT SCHILLERSR. VP, FINANCE & CFO

LINDA CHARLTONVP, MARKETING & AUDIENCE DEV.

ELIZABETH RANSOMVP, PHILANTHROPY

DONALD TIPPETTVP, ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS

JOSEPH PETERSMUSICIAN

REBEKAH DALEYMUSICIAN

M GRAY STYERS JRMEMBER

REBECCA QUINN-WOLFMEMBER

LOUISE A MILLERMEMBER

LORI OKEEFEMEMBER

LINDA J STAUNCHMEMBER

L DWAIN JOYCEMEMBER

KURT WOOLNERMEMBER

KRISTEN HESSMEMBER

KEVIN HOWELLMEMBER (UNTIL 3/2025)

KEITH DONAHUEMEMBER (UNTIL 3/2025)

JUD BOWMANMEMBER

JOSEPH C BASTIANCHAIR

MARGARET MILLETTMEMBER

PATTY BRIGUGLIOMEMBER

JEFFREY A CORBETTMEMBER

REV DR CHRISTIE MABRYMEMBER

RICHARD E HINSONMEMBER

RICHARD L DAUGHERTYMEMBER

ROBERT MACNEILL JRMEMBER

ROSEMARY KENYONSECRETARY

SANDY SULLYMEMBER

SECRETARY D REID WILSONMEMBER (UNTIL 1/2025)

SECRETARY PAMELA CASHWELLMEMBER

STEPHANIE BASSMEMBER

SUPERINTENDENT MAURICE GREENMEMBER

TERRY L STEVENSTREASURER

DONNA RHODEMEMBER

ASHLEY MATLOCK PERKINSONVICE CHAIR

BRANFORD MARSALISMEMBER

CATHERINE TRUITTMEMBER (UNTIL 1/2025)

CECELIA ECKERT KENNEDYMEMBER

CHIP ANDERSONMEMBER

COURTNEY CROWDERMEMBER

DARLIENE S WOOLNERMEMBER

DAVID HAINESMEMBER

DAVID SONTAGMEMBER (UNTIL 4/2025)

DAWN MACLARENMEMBER

DEBORAH M AIKENMEMBER

DENISE S BENNETTMEMBER

DERECK WHITTENBURGMEMBER

DON DAVISPAST CHAIR

JIM DATINMEMBER

DR MARK LEITHEMEMBER

DR RAMACHANDRA P REDDYMEMBER

DR ROY CROMARTIEMEMBER

DR TIM ALTMANMEMBER (UNTIL 3/2025)

DR TRUDE R BATEMEMBER

ELAINE BRYANT HAYESMEMBER

GOVERNOR JOSH STEINMEMBER

GOVERNOR ROY COOPERMEMBER (UNTIL 1/2025)

JAMES MORGANMEMBER

JAMES C GULICKMEMBER

JAMES L IRBYMEMBER

JANE MARRMEMBER

JASON SMITHMEMBER

ALLISON TRAPPMEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1945
Location: 3700 GLENWOOD AVE STE 130, RALEIGH, NC 27612-5530
County: Wake
In care of: SANDI MA MACDONALD
Primary officer: SANDI MA MACDONALD, PRESIDENT & CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(919) 733-2750

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: RSM US LLP
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)
Grant-giving organization: Yes