Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PRESENT AND CREATE EXCELLENT AND INNOVATIVE PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS FOR THE ENRICHMENT, EDUCATION, AND ENJOYMENT OF DIVERSE AUDIENCES AND PARTICIPANTS.
- Income
- $62.5 million
- Spending
- $73.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 5.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 55%
- Employees
- 837
- Volunteers
- 191
- Highest pay
- $802,235, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 28 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2548 of 49 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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)
- $54.3 million spent. THE FILENE CENTER VENUE IS LOCATED ON FEDERAL PROPERTY AND WOLF TRAP FOUNDATION FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PARTNER IN PROVIDING CONCERT AND PERFORMANCE PROGRAMMING WITHIN THE PARK. THE FILENE CENTER AT WOLF TRAP IS THE ONLY NATIONAL PARK DEDICATED TO PRESENTING THE PERFORMING ARTS. FROM LATE MAY TO EARLY SEPTEMBER ALMOST 355,000 PATRONS AT 65 PERFORMANCES WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT SHOWS THAT INCLUDED POP, ROCK, MUSICAL THEATER, SYMPHONY & FILM, DANCE, OPERA, AND MORE WITH AN AVERAGE TICKET PRICE OF $75. THE FILENE CENTER HAS THE SECOND LARGEST THEATRICAL STAGE IN THE COUNTRY; SEATS 7,028, NEARLY 4,000 OF WHICH ARE COVERED WITH OPEN SIDES AND VIEWS OF THE TALL TREES AND ROLLING HILLS IN THE PARK. THE REMAINDER OF THE SEATING IS UNCOVERED ON A SLOPING LAWN WHERE PATRONS CAN BRING PICNICS TO ENJOY BEFORE & DURING PERFORMANCES. THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP PRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 79 PERFORMANCES FROM OCTOBER TO EARLY MAY AT OUR 382 SEAT INDOOR VENUE. ALMOST 28,000 PATRONS ENJOY LEGENDARY ARTISTS AND EXCITING UP-AND-COMING TALENTS IN A DIVERSE ARRAY OF MUSICAL GENRES WITH AN AVERAGE TICKET PRICE OF $53. THE THEATER WAS BUILT FROM TWO RESTORED 18TH CENTURY BARNS AND WAS A GIFT FROM OUR FOUNDER, CATHERINE FILENE SHOUSE.
- $4.3 million spent. WOLF TRAP OPERA (WTO), CREATED IN 1971, IS A HIGHLY REGARDED RESIDENCY PROGRAM FOR OPERA SINGERS. IT OFFERS EMERGING ARTISTS ONE OF THE BEST TRAINING AND PERFORMING EXPERIENCES IN THE NATION. OUR PRIMARY TIER OF FILENE ARTISTS HAS COMPLETED ADVANCED DEGREES AND ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED SINGERS ON THE VERGE OF PROFESSIONAL CAREERS; STUDIO ARTISTS ARE TALENTED STUDENT SINGERS CONSIDERING A CAREER IN THE FIELD. ALUMNI HAVE GONE ON TO CAREERS PERFORMING WITH SOME OF THE LEADING OPERA COMPANIES IN THE WORLD. WTO PROVIDES BOTH CAREER GUIDANCE AND A CHANCE TO POLISH SKILLS NEEDED TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR NATION'S MOST TALENTED YOUNG PERFORMERS TO EXPERIENCE THE DEMANDS OF A PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN THE PERFORMING ARTS. HIGHLY ACCLAIMED PERFORMANCES ARE HELD AT BOTH THE FILENE CENTER AND THE BARNS. IN 2024, WOLF TRAP OPERA MOUNTED HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTIONS OF MOZART'S COS FAN TUTTE, KEVIN PUTS AND MARK CAMPBELL'S SILENT NIGHT, AND PUCCINI'S LA BOHME. PERFORMANCES OF COS FAN TUTTE AND SILENT NIGHT WERE CAPTURED FOR DELAYED STREAMING.
- $4.3 million spent. EACH YEAR, WOLF TRAP EDUCATION DELIVERS HIGH QUALITY ARTS-LEARNING EXPERIENCES TO 95,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS, LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND INTERNATIONALLY. AT THE HEART OF WOLF TRAP'S EDUCATION OUTREACH FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, THE WOLF TRAP INSTITUTE FOR EARLY LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS (INSTITUTE) IS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AS A MODEL FOR INCORPORATING THE PERFORMING ARTS INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULA. CONDUCTING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THROUGH ARTS INTEGRATION IN 26 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, INCLUDING 28 WOLF TRAP INSTITUTE AFFILIATE SITES ACROSS THE US AND IN SINGAPORE, THE INSTITUTE PROVIDES DIRECT SERVICES TO CHILDREN BIRTH THROUGH 6 YEARS OF AGE AND MULTIPLIES ITS IMPACT THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, PARENTS, AND CAREGIVERS. THE INSTITUTE SEEKS TO ADDRESS TWO PRIMARY CONCERNS: (1) THE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CIRCUMSTANCES; AND (2) ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH THESE CHILDREN. BY INTEGRATING PERFORMING ARTS STRATEGIES INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD STANDARDS-BASED INSTRUCTION, THE INSTITUTE ENHANCES CHILDREN'S COGNITIVE, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS LANGUAGE AND LITERACY, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) SKILLS DEVELOPMENT. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2024, WOLF TRAP EDUCATION SERVED 20,906 CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND OTHER CAREGIVERS THROUGH WOLF TRAP CHILDREN'S THEATRE-IN-THE-WOODS (CTITW). BUILDING ON FOUR DECADES AS A BELOVED COMMUNITY INSTITUTION, THIS PROGRAM COMPRISES SEVEN WEEKS OF PERFORMANCES WITH NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, ACTORS, AND DANCERS AT AN OUTDOOR VENUE SITUATED IN THE WOODS NEAR THE FILENE CENTER AT WOLF TRAP NATIONAL PARK FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS. THIS UNIQUE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY VENUE OFFERS THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR LIVELY ADVENTURES IN MUSIC, DANCE, THEATER, AND PUPPETRY. WOLF TRAP'S FIELD TRIP PROGRAM OFFERED FREE PERFORMANCES FOR NEARLY 1,400 STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS/CAREGIVERS PARTICIPATING IN THE INSTITUTE RESIDENCY PROGRAM. WOLF TRAP EDUCATION ALSO MANAGES THE ORGANIZATION'S INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PROGRAM CONSISTENTLY RANKED AMONG THE NATION'S BEST. VALUING A COMMITMENT TO THE POWER OF THE ARTS TO CHANGE SOCIETY, WOLF TRAP OFFERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND BROADENS ACCESS AND ENTRY INTO THE ARTS MANAGEMENT PROFESSION BY OFFERING STIPENDS AS A PART OF THE INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. IN 2024, THE FOUNDATION HIRED 53 INTERNS AND APPRENTICES TO WORK IN DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. WOLF TRAP EDUCATION ANNUALLY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AWARDS THE WORK AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THIRTEEN OUTSTANDING PERFORMING ARTS TEACHERS FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE DC/MD/VA METRO AREA THROUGH GRANTS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS TEACHERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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 September 7, 2026.
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 September 30, 2026.
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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
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 7, 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.