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The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Society Inc

EIN 23-7010825 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORCHESTRA PURSUES ITS MISSION, "TO ENRICH AND CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH INTIMATE AND TRANSFORMATIVE MUSICAL EXPERIENCES WHICH EXEMPLIFY AND FOSTER ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE, EDUCATION AND INNOVATION," THROUGH THE BLEND OF TRADITIONAL MASTERWORKS WITH THE MUSIC OF OUR OWN TIME, AS WELL AS INTERACTIVE SIGNATURE SERIES THAT INVITE LISTENERS TO EXPLORE THE GENESIS OF ORCHESTRAL MUSIC AND MUSIC'S RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER HUMAN ENDEAVORS. FROM ITS INAUGURAL PERFORMANCES IN 1969 LED BY SIR NEVILLE MARRINER, LACO HAS BECOME KNOWN AS A FIRST-RATE INTERPRETER OF BAROQUE AND CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE AND A CHAMPION OF CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS. PROCLAIMED "AMERICA'S FINEST CHAMBER ORCHESTRA" BY PUBLIC RADIO INTERNATIONAL, LACO REMAINS AMONG THE WORLD'S TOP MUSICAL ENSEMBLES. THE ORCHESTRA HAS MADE 32 RECORDINGS AND GARNERED EIGHT ASCAP AWARDS FOR ADVENTUROUS PROGRAMMING.

Income
$6.1 million
Spending
$5.6 million
Spent on programs
64%
Reserves
-0.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 78%
Employees
133
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$231,914, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 22% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    64% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 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

    10 of 10

    Gave 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

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (3)
  1. $3.0 million spent. PERFORMANCES: IN THE COURSE OF 35-40 APPEARANCES EACH YEAR ACROSS GREATER LOS ANGELES, LACO REACHES A TOTAL LIVE AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 25,000, WITH UPWARDS OF ONE MILLION MORE HEARING PERFORMANCES ON NATIONAL RADIO BROADCASTS AND GLOBAL STREAMS. THE ORCHESTRA FOCUSES ON REPERTOIRE COMPOSED SPECIFICALLY FOR CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, HIGHLIGHTING THE AGILITY AND INTIMACY THAT DISTINGUISH LACO WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES MUSICAL LANDSCAPE. IN RECENT SEASONS, LACO HAS ALSO EXPANDED ITS COMMITMENT TO REDISCOVERING AND PERFORMING WORKS BY HISTORICALLY UNDERRECOGNIZED COMPOSERS PARTICULARLY WOMEN AND COMPOSERS OF COLOR WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN UNJUSTLY OVERLOOKED. BUILDING ON THIS FOUNDATION, LACO'S VISION IS TO CONTINUE ADVANCING ITS REPUTATION AS A MAJOR CULTURAL FORCE IN LOS ANGELES AND A PREMIER CHAMBER ORCHESTRA RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE.
  2. $437,342 spent. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES: FOR MORE THAN 27 YEARS, MEET THE MUSIC (MTM) HAS INTRODUCED THOUSANDS OF L.A. SCHOOLCHILDREN TO THE JOY OF LIVE CLASSICAL PERFORMANCE, AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE DESIGNED TO INSPIRE LIFELONG ENGAGEMENT WITH MUSIC. THE NEWEST ITERATION OF MTM INCLUDES COMPOSER TEACHING ARTIST FELLOWS AND ON-SITE SCHOOL PERFORMANCES EMBEDDED DIRECTLY IN NEIGHBORHOOD CAMPUSES. ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS INCLUDE FAMILY DAYS, WHICH BRING MUSICAL DISCOVERY TO CHILDREN AND PARENTS ALIKE; MASTERCLASSES FEATURING DISTINGUISHED LACO AND GUEST ARTISTS; MOCK AUDITIONS, PREPARING YOUNG MUSICIANS FOR THE REALITIES OF PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE; AND THE LACO FELLOWSHIP, WHICH PROVIDES MENTORSHIP AND TRAINING FOR PRE-PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
  3. $151,607 spent. COLLABORATIONS/SERVICE TO THE ARTS: IN RECENT YEARS, LACO HAS DEEPENED ITS ROLE AS A CHAMPION OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AMONG AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS. BEYOND EDUCATION INITIATIVES SUCH AS MTM, THE ORCHESTRA ACTIVELY COLLABORATES WITH A RANGE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING SMALL-BUDGET ARTS ORGANIZATIONS (SBOS) THAT REPRESENT THE CITY'S CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND EXTEND LACO'S REACH INTO NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY.LACO'S ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIONS NOW INCLUDE: -A MULTI-TIERED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COLBURN SCHOOL, ENCOMPASSING SHARED VENUES, CO-PRESENTED MASTERCLASSES, MOCK AUDITIONS, AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMERGING ARTISTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 October 13, 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 June 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 April 1969.

    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 October 21, 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.