CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC

EIN 56-6011568 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)

What they do

THE CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY UPLIFTS, ENTERTAINS, and EDUCATES THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES of CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG and BEYOND THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL MUSICAL EXPERIENCES. REACHING OUT THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER of LIVE MUSIC, THE CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY WILL BE A CIVIC LEADER, REFLECTING and UNITING OUR REGION.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $80.70 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 leaders40 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

44.14%of revenue went to mission work80.7% of expenses · Program services

3.69%of revenue went to fundraising6.8% of expenses

$54.70spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

6.86%of revenue went to management and office costs12.5% of expenses

$3.38in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

84.5%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.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $290,891 for DAVID JL FISK (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$27,113,910

Mission workProgram services$11,967,26544.14% of revenue80.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,861,1066.86% of revenue12.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,001,6813.69% of revenue6.8% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$12,283,85845.30% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$14,830,05254.70% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

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: 80.7% mission · 12.5% management · 6.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 54.70% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 82.6% mission · 11.0% management · 6.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 78.21% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 79.6% mission · 13.1% management · 7.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 52.58% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 79.6% mission · 13.0% management · 7.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 79.07% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.9% mission · 15.4% management · 7.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.95% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 80.2% mission · 14.1% management · 5.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.46% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 81.2% mission · 13.2% management · 5.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 86.89% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 66.8% mission · 25.7% management · 7.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.74% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$27,113,910

Expenses$14,830,052

Annual surplus $12,283,858 Revenue was higher than expenses 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)$11,967,265 · 80.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,861,106 · 12.5% of expenses

Fundraising$1,001,681 · 6.8% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$27,113,910

Expenses$14,830,052

Assets$50,059,541

Income$27,367,201

Contributions$22,905,447

Mission work (program services)$11,967,265

Fundraising$1,001,681

Management and general$1,861,106

Executive compensation (total)$757,582

Accounting fees$265,213

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

DAVID JL FISKPRESIDENT & CEO · 40 hrs/week $290,891Base $279,790 · Other $11,101

SHAYNE DOTYVP OF DEVELOPMENT · 40 hrs/week $197,125Base $185,556 · Other $11,569

SCOTT FRECKVP OF ARTISTIC OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $168,877Base $157,308 · Other $11,569

CHRISTIAN DRAKEVP OF FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $158,438Base $146,869 · Other $11,569

CALIN LUPANUCONCERTMASTER · 40 hrs/week $155,650Base $132,713 · Other $22,937

ARAM KIM BRYANVP LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT · 40 hrs/week $149,778Base $138,967 · Other $10,811

KWAME RYANMUSIC DIRECTOR · 1 hrs/week $116,539

BYRON JOHNSDIRECTOR · 1 hrs/week $92,576Base $75,435 · Other $17,141

ANDREA MUMM TRAMMELLDIRECTOR · 1 hrs/week $76,695Base $60,360 · Other $16,335

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 (40)

DAVID JL FISKPRESIDENT & CEO

SHAYNE DOTYVP OF DEVELOPMENT

SCOTT FRECKVP OF ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

CHRISTIAN DRAKEVP OF FINANCE

CALIN LUPANUCONCERTMASTER

ARAM KIM BRYANVP LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

KWAME RYANMUSIC DIRECTOR

BYRON JOHNSDIRECTOR

ANDREA MUMM TRAMMELLDIRECTOR

MANLEY ROBERTSDIRECTOR

YLIDA SCOTTDIRECTOR

VALERIE KINLOCHDIRECTOR

ULRIKE MILESVICE CHAIR

STEPHEN MAKRISDIRECTOR

SIDNEY FLETCHERDIRECTOR

ALEX MCKINNONDIRECTOR (THRU 6/2025)

BRIENNE TINDERDIRECTOR

SARA GARCES ROSELLIDIRECTOR

RICHARD KRUMDIECKCHAIR

NICK CLEMENTSDIRECTOR

MIKE BUTTERWORTHDIRECTOR

MICHAEL ANKROMFORMER TREASURER (THRU 6/2025)

MELINDA SNYDERVICE CHAIR

MARY DELKDIRECTOR (THRU 6/2025)

MANNY CLARKFORMER SECRETARY (THRU 12/2024)

CRAIG FROEHLICHDIRECTOR

LUCIA ZAPATA GRIFFITHDIRECTOR

LINDSAY SCHALLDIRECTOR

LINDA MCFARLAND FARTHINGFORMER CHAIR (THRU 6/2025)

CAMERON SHERRILLDIRECTOR

KRISHA BLANCHARDDIRECTOR

KEVIN WALKERDIRECTOR (THRU 6/2025)

KEN WALKERDIRECTOR

JULIETTE PRYORDIRECTOR

JOYE D BLOUNTDIRECTOR

JENNY TOPILOWDIRECTOR (THRU 10/2024)

JENNIFER SULLIVANDIRECTOR

FRAN HYDEDIRECTOR

DENISE DEMAIOTREASURER

CARRIE GALLOWAYDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1959
Location: 129 W TRADE ST STE 600, CHARLOTTE, NC 28202-5301
County: Mecklenburg
In care of: DAVID JL FISK
Primary officer: DAVID JL FISK, PRESIDENT & CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailticketoffice@charlottesymphony.org Phone(704) 972-2003

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CHERRY BEKAERT ADVISORY LLC
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)
IRS tax category: Musical Groups and Artists