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Metropolitan Opera Association Inc

EIN 13-1624087 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak39 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

PERFORMANCE OF OPERA TO THE PUBLIC.

Income
$304.1 million
Spending
$325.3 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
-8.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
5,455
Volunteers
831
Highest pay
$2.2 million, general manager

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 62% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    46 of 47 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $236.5 million spent. PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION OF OPERA PERFORMANCES AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE AS WELL AS SYMPHONIC REPERTORY AT CARNEGIE HALL. ALSO INCLUDES OUTDOOR PRESENTATION OF CONCERTS THROUGHOUT PARKS IN NEW YORK CITY. PARKS CONCERTS ARE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC AT NO CHARGE. THE ATTENDANCE OF THESE PERFORMANCES IS APPROXIMATELY FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE PER SEASON. INCLUDED IN PERFORMANCE REVENUE IS $1.5 MILLION IN CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE RUSH DISCOUNT TICKETS PROGRAM AND $0.4 MILLION RELATED TO IN-KIND TICKET DONATIONS. (Expenses $ 7,294,879 including grants of $ 705,350)(Revenue $ 2,180,218) OTHER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDING MERCHANDISING, DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG ARTISTS THROUGH THE LINDEMANN YOUNG ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND THE LAFFONT COMPETITION AND CONCERT.
  2. $23.0 million spent. MEDIA PRESENTATION OF OPERA PERFORMANCES, LIVE PERFORMANCES BROADCAST IN HIGH DEFINITION TO MOVIE THEATERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LIVE AUDIO TRANSMISSIONS OF PERFORMANCES ON RADIO AND THE MET'S WEBSITE. PAST PERFORMANCES BROADCAST ON TELEVISION, RADIO STATIONS AND THE INTERNET GLOBALLY. MEDIA PRESENTATIONS REACHED AN AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MILLION.
  3. $10.1 million spent. PRESENTATION OF EVENTS OTHER THAN OPERA WHERE THE MET EITHER PRESENTS OR CO-PRESENTS THE EVENT OR LICENSES THE OPERA HOUSE TO THIRD PARTIES. THE ATTENDANCE AT THESE EVENTS, PRINCIPALLY BALLET, WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000 PEOPLE PER YEAR. (Expenses $ 7,294,879 including grants of $ 705,350)(Revenue $ 2,180,218) OTHER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDING MERCHANDISING, DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG ARTISTS THROUGH THE LINDEMANN YOUNG ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND THE LAFFONT COMPETITION AND CONCERT.
  4. $7.3 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDING MERCHANDISING, DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG ARTISTS THROUGH THE LINDEMANN YOUNG ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND THE LAFFONT COMPETITION AND CONCERT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1940.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.