Indianapolis Youth Orchestra

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
351555374
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2013
Location
Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone
3179120547
Rating
73
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$308,338
Expenses
$232,717
Assets
$381,059
Liabilities
$2,545

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

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Cara Pittenger (ExOfficio Executive Director)
  • Katelyn Leveque (President)
  • Ronald Gilbert (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Adam Bodony (ExOfficio Artistic Director): $52,000 total reported compensation
  • Cara Pittenger (ExOfficio Executive Director): $50,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The Indianapolis Youth Orchestras mission is to develop and nurture the musical talent of young people in Indianapolis and Central Indiana through quality music education and the rehearsal and performance of orchestral masterworks both traditional and contemporary.

What it reported doing in 2024

The exempt purpose mission is accomplished through 9 months of weekly rehearsals consisting of approximately 200+ young musicians. Presented six public performances featuring four youth orchestras including a newly formed entry-level ensemble. A juried Young Artist Competition selected students for featured performances. The seasons highlight was a featured appearance at Carnegie Hall in New York City offering students an exceptional artistic and educational experience.

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 94% 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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 56
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 81
  • Sustainability: 59
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 50.6%; rating input score 51
  • Program expense ratio: 62.2%; rating input score 62
  • Fundraising efficiency: $21.86 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 83.3%; rating input score 83; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 24.5%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.64; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 43.8%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -2% per year; rating input score 0; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.5% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 50.6% of revenue deployed · 62.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 12 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $145K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $52K · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 42 of 42 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 51/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 54/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 5/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 48/100.