Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
See Schedule O
- Income
- $8.8 million
- Spending
- $9.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- -0.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 61%
- Employees
- 306
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $222,525, president & ceo
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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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 2533 of 33 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 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 (4)
- $3.2 million spent. The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO), the region's oldest performing arts organization, gave its first performance in 1933 under Founder Paul Katz. Its 80 contracted musicians are led by Keitaro Harada, only the fifth Music & Artistic Director in the DPO's 90 year history - providing rare artistic continuity and vision. The DPO was instrumental in the effort to build the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center a state of the art venue that has elevated Dayton's ability to attract world class guest artists. Each season, the DPO presents a Masterworks Series that balances orchestral classics with contemporary works and serves as an essential artistic partner in major Ballet and Opera productions. (Expenses $ 969,605 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 493,837) Learning and Community Engagement programs address the urgent need for high-quality arts education where all three artforms share the stage and serve upwards of 60,000 students, educators, and caregivers annually. We meet our community where they are - in their classrooms, schools, and the concert hall. In-School and Community Programs: DPAA artists and EnCorps Volunteers bring the arts right to classrooms in local school districts; there's a program for every age level and subject area. Ballet programs are performed by our School Ensemble and Studio Company, opera programs are performed by our 5 Artists-in-Residence, and 5 ensembles from the orchestra (brass quintet, philharmonic trio, string quartet, string quintet, and woodwind quintet) perform in 15 different Adventures in Sound programs. Field Trip Programs: DPAA hosts concert experiences for our youngest audience members throughout the year. Twice a year we host Young People's Concert's and in February we host three special Magic Carpet Concerts. DPAA also hosts a Sensory Friendly production of The Nutcracker annually. Access and exposure to high caliber, live professional performances are an impactful experience that help students broaden their perspectives, inspire an appreciation for the arts, and motivate them beyond the concert hall. Participatory Programs: DPAA has a long history of offering pre-professional training for our community's youngest residents to learn, train, and play. The Dayton Ballet School (1927) with around 250 students annually and Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (1937), Youth Strings, and Junior Strings with 150+ musicians perform concerts throughout the season, which are listed in our season brochure alongside our mainstage productions. DPAA's Q the Music (2012) program is an afterschool string orchestra program hosted at Ruskin Elementary which serves 40 students each school year.
- $1.7 million spent. The Dayton Ballet is the second oldest regional ballet company in the U.S., founded in 1927 when sisters Josephine and Hermene Schwarz established the second oldest ballet school, followed a decade later by the third oldest professional company. Today, the partnership between the school and company remains strong, allowing young artists to train and perform alongside the 20 professional and 10 studio (apprentice) dancers. This legacy is celebrated in the Ballet's annual production of The Nutcracker - its most significant contribution to the community - and Artistic Director Brandon Ragland's new production premiered in 2024. Each season, the Ballet Series presents classic story ballets and a repertoire show, and dancers participate in major Opera and crosslisted orchestra productions.
- $1.1 million spent. The Dayton Opera performed its first season in 1961-1962 and today presents landmark productions that are building momentum and defying national attendance trends. Nationally recognized vocalists are featured alongside our Artists in Residence and chorus, offering mentorship and shared performance opportunities. Each season, the Opera Series includes a grand opera, an iconic musical, and compilation or recital programs. Fully staged productions that unite opera, ballet, and orchestra are among the most anticipated and best received performances, driving significant audience growth in recent years. This success reflects growing national interest in classical music and opera, as well as increasing enthusiasm from some of DPAA's youngest and most diverse audiences. (Expenses $ 969,605 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 493,837) Learning and Community Engagement programs address the urgent need for high-quality arts education where all three artforms share the stage and serve upwards of 60,000 students, educators, and caregivers annually. We meet our community where they are - in their classrooms, schools, and the concert hall. In-School and Community Programs: DPAA artists and EnCorps Volunteers bring the arts right to classrooms in local school districts; there's a program for every age level and subject area. Ballet programs are performed by our School Ensemble and Studio Company, opera programs are performed by our 5 Artists-in-Residence, and 5 ensembles from the orchestra (brass quintet, philharmonic trio, string quartet, string quintet, and woodwind quintet) perform in 15 different Adventures in Sound programs. Field Trip Programs: DPAA hosts concert experiences for our youngest audience members throughout the year. Twice a year we host Young People's Concert's and in February we host three special Magic Carpet Concerts. DPAA also hosts a Sensory Friendly production of The Nutcracker annually. Access and exposure to high caliber, live professional performances are an impactful experience that help students broaden their perspectives, inspire an appreciation for the arts, and motivate them beyond the concert hall. Participatory Programs: DPAA has a long history of offering pre-professional training for our community's youngest residents to learn, train, and play. The Dayton Ballet School (1927) with around 250 students annually and Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (1937), Youth Strings, and Junior Strings with 150+ musicians perform concerts throughout the season, which are listed in our season brochure alongside our mainstage productions. DPAA's Q the Music (2012) program is an afterschool string orchestra program hosted at Ruskin Elementary which serves 40 students each school year.
- $969,605 spent. Learning and Community Engagement programs address the urgent need for high-quality arts education where all three artforms share the stage and serve upwards of 60,000 students, educators, and caregivers annually. We meet our community where they are - in their classrooms, schools, and the concert hall. In-School and Community Programs: DPAA artists and EnCorps Volunteers bring the arts right to classrooms in local school districts; there's a program for every age level and subject area. Ballet programs are performed by our School Ensemble and Studio Company, opera programs are performed by our 5 Artists-in-Residence, and 5 ensembles from the orchestra (brass quintet, philharmonic trio, string quartet, string quintet, and woodwind quintet) perform in 15 different Adventures in Sound programs. Field Trip Programs: DPAA hosts concert experiences for our youngest audience members throughout the year. Twice a year we host Young People's Concert's and in February we host three special Magic Carpet Concerts. DPAA also hosts a Sensory Friendly production of The Nutcracker annually. Access and exposure to high caliber, live professional performances are an impactful experience that help students broaden their perspectives, inspire an appreciation for the arts, and motivate them beyond the concert hall. Participatory Programs: DPAA has a long history of offering pre-professional training for our community's youngest residents to learn, train, and play. The Dayton Ballet School (1927) with around 250 students annually and Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (1937), Youth Strings, and Junior Strings with 150+ musicians perform concerts throughout the season, which are listed in our season brochure alongside our mainstage productions. DPAA's Q the Music (2012) program is an afterschool string orchestra program hosted at Ruskin Elementary which serves 40 students each school year.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1933.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.