Hawaii Youth Symphony Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
990119771
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Honolulu, HI, USA
Phone
8089419706
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Symphony Orchestras

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,886,415
Expenses
$1,905,950
Assets
$3,207,800
Liabilities
$452,953

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

15 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • RANDY WONG (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • RANDY WONG (PRESIDENT): $143,282 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Our mission is to foster fun and creative experiences for youth that inspire a deep appreciation for music and lifelong relationships within the culture of our islands.

What it reported doing in 2024

The Hawaii youth symphony (hys), Hawaii's only statewide youth orchestra organization, educates young people ages 7-18 through instrumental music programs. Hys operates activities of youth of all geographic and financial backgrounds with a goal of providing any interested young person with the chance to learn a musical instrument, play in an ensemble, and cultivate their personal excellence. Multiple entry points for students of any level exist: from general music classes in ukulele, bucket drumming, violin, and strings, to intermediate and advanced string orchestras, jazz ensembles, three full symphony orchestras, chamber music, and more. A summer music intensive called the pacific music institute provides further opportunities and aims to close the opportunity gaps present in summer learning. Hys offers an overnight dorming option, which allows students from all over o'ahu and Hawaii the opportunity to attend pmi. A robust financial assistance program helps to ensure that any interested student can take part, including those living on neighbor islands. This season hys served over 800 students from over 100 public, private, and home schools across kauai, oahu, maui, and Hawaii counties. Students attended over 400 in-person activities, including classes, rehearsals, audition workshops, lectures, masterclasses, and recording sessions. Hys held "listen & learn" school concerts that were endorsed by the department of education. Hys produced over 50 in-person concerts featuring its students from clubhouse, academy, super strings, bucket drumming, symphony, jazz, and other programs.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 67
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 43
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 72.9%; rating input score 73
  • Program expense ratio: 67.1%; rating input score 67
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.27 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -1%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.68; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.5%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.9% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 72.9% of revenue deployed · 67.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 14 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $143K · 15 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $110K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2017 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 35/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 33/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 59/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 37/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 45/100.