Southwest Florida Symphony

What it reported doing in 2024

The mission of the southwest Florida symphony is to present outstanding music for the entertainment, enrichment and education of the broadest possible public. We accomplish this mission by providing the highest caliber of professional symphonic performances, made accessible to the entire community and beyond. The symphony employs an internationally acclaimed music director/conductor, 70 world-class musicians and brings exemplary guest artists to lee county, Florida. A professional symphony orchestra is the cornerstone of arts and culture in any community. Through its ever-expanding footprint and rich history in southwest Florida, the southwest Florida symphony significantly enhances the quality of the community. The southwest Florida symphony also provides educational opportunities for children of all ages, up to and including college students and adults, through its broad educational programs. Majors for minors is a program that marries donor engagement with "reverse field trips," bringing professional orchestral ensembles to elementary schools throughout lee county, Florida. This program is primarily funded through individual donors who are invited to attend these schools in order to see their investment in the symphony work. In addition to establishing and deepening those relationships, majors and minors fills the arts education void left by reduced or eliminated governmental funding for those programs and enhances standard curriculum.the symphony's youth orchestra programs provide public performance opportunities, team building skills and instrumental instruction delivered by the orchestra's professional musicians to 100 students ranging from 6th to 12th grade each school year. Other lifelong learning opportunities include the symphony's annual young people's concert, which is a field trip that brings lee county 5th graders to barbara b. Mann performing arts hall each spring for a full symphonic performance experience. Other education initiatives include conductor and guest artist led pre-concert lectures, free tickets for disadvantaged community members, $5 student rush tickets, the discovery club program, which provides member students and two guests with $5 concert tickets and master classes offered by visiting guest artists at local high schools, colleges and universities.the symphony brings performances, eduction and outreach initiatives to every corner of lee county, Florida, within its power to ensure that professional symphonic music is available to everyone who desires access, regardless of ability to pay admission or travel to performances, bringing the history of music to life for everyone within its reach.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 74.2%; rating input score 74
• Program expense ratio: 79.6%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $25.41 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 65; 65th 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: 94.5%; rating input score 94; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• 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: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • 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: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 6.6%; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.41; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.8%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 0.1% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings