South Bend Symphony Orchestra Association Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
356042189
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
South Bend, IN, USA
Phone
5742326343
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Symphony Orchestras

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,555,198
Expenses
$2,612,398
Assets
$13,020,438
Liabilities
$299,407

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

Leadership & pay

25 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MARVIN V CURTIS EDD (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JUSTUS ZIMMERMAN (EXECUTIVE DI): $142,142 total reported compensation
  • ALASTAIR WILLIS (MUSIC DIRECT): $137,765 total reported compensation
  • RACHEL GOFF (DIRECTOR): $10,401 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

We inspire, entertain, and connect people with the transformative power of orchestral music. As michiana's premiere professional orchestra, the south bend symphony engages the community in the exploration of orchestral music in all its forms.

What it reported doing in 2024

In fiscal year 2025, the south bend symphony orchestra reached new heights, with one of the most well-attended seasons in its history, issuing almost 26,000 tickets. The symphony performed in a production of the nutcracker, highlighting the community's growing cultural engagement. Key events included nathan gunn sings broadway and a performance of copeland's appalachian spring + silk road. The symphony's educational efforts connected with over 5,600 students attending youth discovery concerts, and the third dia de los muertos celebration drew 1,500 attendees. Partnerships with local arts organizations further enhanced the symphony's mission to inspire, entertain, and connect people with the transformative power of orchestral music.

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

SUPPORTED - 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: 63
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 49
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 72.9%; rating input score 73
  • Program expense ratio: 62.5%; rating input score 63
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.01 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 17; 17th 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: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -2.2%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.98; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.3%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.3% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 72.9% of revenue deployed · 62.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 20 of 22 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $142K · 25 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 17/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 26/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 26/100.