Spokane Symphony Associates

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
320108340
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Spokane, WA, USA
Phone
5094588733
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Reported finances

Revenue
$701,952
Expenses
$665,478
Assets
$167,505
Liabilities
$9,415

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

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Elizabeth Raol (President)
  • Janet Lambarth (Immediate Past President)

People named in this filing

  • Elizabeth Raol (President)
  • Doug Belanger President (Elect, Kozinski Chapter Chair)
  • Sandy Colquhoun (VP Promotion and PR)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

The Spokane Symphony Associates organization (SSA) believes that having a symphony orchestra in Spokane enhances the quality of life in the community. We also believe that a volunteer organization is necessary to ensure the growth and vitality of a symphony orchestra. To this end, SSA exists to provide, through its own activities, financial and volunteer support for the Spokane Symphony. In addition, the organization provides educational and involvement opportunities for the community. SSA is unique in these services.

What it reported doing in 2024

The vision of Spokane Symphony Associates is "A thriving symphony for Spokane to enjoy for generations." Thus, over the past 43 years, our goal, as an all-volunteer organization, is to raise funds through our various events to help support our symphony.Christmas Tree Elegance is our largest fund raiser. It has grown in 43 years, from an initial six raffled trees with prize packages, to currently featuring 15-16 trees. The value of each, with its accompanying prize package, should not exceed $4,999 in overall value. (Continued on Schedule O)As the "kick-off" of the holiday season, with the continuing support from our community, it has been producing over-the-top, generally appealing, and diverse selection of raffle trees. However, our success has also been keeping the raffle tickets at $1.00-within anyone's reach. Meeting the winners each year makes all the volunteer hours expended worthwhile.While each of the Chapters of the organization, does have a fund raiser, the second largest would-be Upscale Sale. Item donations from people downsizing, moving, estates etc. are received, stored for the once-a-year sale. This sale is widely supported and sought out by many in the community, and after expenses, as with Christmas Tree Elegance, a donation is made to help support the Spokane Symphony.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 64% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 76
  • Sustainability: 43
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.6%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 82.7%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.45 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 11; 11th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: 5.2%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.25; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.2% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.4% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.6% of revenue deployed · 82.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 3 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $550K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 11/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 12/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 51/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 51/100.