Jacksonville Symphony Association Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
596002520
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Jacksonville, FL, USA
Phone
9043540792
Rating
71
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Symphony Orchestras

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$25,999,543
Expenses
$14,403,832
Assets
$46,107,857
Liabilities
$1,956,424

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

Leadership & pay

38 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MR STEVEN LIBMAN (PRESIDENT & CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • MR STEVEN LIBMAN (PRESIDENT & CEO): $329,784 total reported compensation
  • MS COURTNEY LEWIS (MUSIC DIRECTOR): $316,274 total reported compensation
  • MR THOMAS FLAHERTY (VP & CFO): $198,123 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To present artistically excellent classical and other orchestral performances for the enjoyment, education and enrichment of an ever-increasing diverse audience, while maintaining fiscal integrity.

What it reported doing in 2024

The jacksonville symphony brings its mission to life by offering exceptional programming that is relevant, inclusive, and vital to the well-being of our community. Since its founding in 1949, the symphony has become the cultural heart of northeast Florida, with 60 full-time musicians and a 40-week season of performances in the acoustically acclaimed jacoby symphony hall in downtown jacksonville. Over the past 75 years, the jsa has featured collaborations with such renowned artists as duke ellington, marilyn horne, itzhak perlman, joshua bell, lang lang, and rene fleming. Today, with the support of committed corporate and individual donors, and strong administrative and artistic leadership, the jacksonville symphony is reaching new heights, enhancing the quality of life of northeast Florida residents through innovative performances, music education programs, community engagement activities, and local partnerships. From jacoby symphony hall to community venues, classrooms and virtual platforms, our music has extended far beyond the stage, reaching more than 155,000 residents in 2024/25. To provide access to symphonic music for all, we offer many reduced-price ticket programs for students, seniors and veterans, free ensemble performances at local venues and free tickets to almost 100 community partners and non-profit organizations.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 74% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

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 fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 54
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 80
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 41.9%; rating input score 42
  • Program expense ratio: 72.7%; rating input score 73
  • Fundraising efficiency: $18.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 91.4%; rating input score 91; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 44.6%; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.2; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 8.3%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 1.4% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.6% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 41.9% of revenue deployed · 72.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 32 of 35 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $10.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $330K · 38 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1M reported
  • Consistency: 40 of 40 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 42/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 54/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 28/100.