Grant Park Orchestral Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
(SEE SCHEDULE O)
- Income
- $13.1 million
- Spending
- $7.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 19 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 71%
- Employees
- 425
- Volunteers
- 90
- Highest pay
- $306,120, president & 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 39% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2540 of 40 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
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give 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 (2)
- $5.4 million spent. 2024 WAS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SEASONS IN THE HISTORY OF THE GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL, WHICH CELEBRATED ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY, 20TH YEAR IN MILLENNIUM PARK, AND 25TH AND FINAL YEAR UNDER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR CARLOS KALMAR. AUDIENCES TURNED OUT IN FORCE TO TAKE PART IN ONE OF CHICAGO'S MOST ENDURING AND BELOVED SUMMER TRADITIONS, WITH ATTENDANCE RISING NEARLY 28% FROM 2023. OVER 10 WEEKS, AN ESTIMATED 227,500 RESIDENTS AND SUMMER VISITORS EXPERIENCED THE FESTIVAL'S FREE SYMPHONIC AND CHORAL CONCERTS IN MILLENNIUM PARK. FOUNDED TO SERVE AS "THE PEOPLE'S ORCHESTRA OF CHICAGO," THE FESTIVAL SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGED AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. AN AVERAGE 39% OF CONCERTGOERS WERE UNDER AGE 45; 31% IDENTIFIED AS NON-WHITE; AND 12% REPORTED HOUSEHOLD INCOMES OF $50,000 OR BELOW. THE FESTIVAL ALSO CONTINUED TO BROADEN ITS PROGRAMMING FOR THE ENRICHMENT OF AUDIENCES AND MUSICIANS ALIKE. NEARLY HALF OF 2024 REPERTOIRE WAS COMPOSED BY A WOMAN AND/OR PERSON OF COLOR, AND MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF CONCERTS FEATURED A FEMALE GUEST ARTIST AND/OR GUEST ARTIST OF COLOR.THE FESTIVAL'S "TRIPLE ANNIVERSARY" SALUTED THE ARTISTIC GROWTH OF THE OUTSTANDING GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS OVER THE PAST QUARTER-CENTURY, AND AFFIRMED THE FESTIVAL'S COMMITMENT TO EVERMORE AMBITIOUS AND WIDE-RANGING PROGRAMMING. THE SEASON FEATURED SEVERAL WORLD, ILLINOIS, AND FESTIVAL PREMIERES (INCLUDING FESTIVAL COMMISSIONS FROM CLARICE ASSAD, NATHALIE JOACHIM, JAMES M. STEPHENSON, AND AHMED AL ABACA); SYMPHONIC AND CHORAL MASTERPIECES BY BEETHOVEN, HAYDN, TCHAIKOVSKY, MOZART, AND PROKOFIEV; SELDOM-PRODUCED WORKS SUCH AS ELGAR'S VIOLIN CONCERTO AND HOLST'S THE CLOUD MESSENGER; THE FIRST-EVER REUNION CONCERT OF THE FESTIVAL FELLOWS; AND PERFORMANCES BY AN EXTRAORDINARY ROSTER OF GUEST ARTISTS - INCLUDING TERRENCE WILSON, ALBAN GERHARDT, ANNE AKIKO MEYERS, AND KAREN SLACK.ON JULY 20, A SYMPHONIC CONCERT WITH AWARD-WINNING ARTIST AND CHICAGO NATIVE COMMON WAS THE STANDOUT SPECIAL EVENT OF THE SEASON. COPRODUCED WITH THE CITY OF CHICAGO TO HONOR THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF MILLENNIUM PARK, THIS ONE-NIGHT-ONLY PERFORMANCE DREW A RECORD-BREAKING 23,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND WELCOMED A HOST OF SURPRISE GUESTS TO THE STAGE, INCLUDING SINGER/ACTRESS JENNIFER HUDSON AND HIP-HOP LEGENDS DE LA SOUL.KALMAR CONCLUDED THE SEASON - AND HIS TENURE AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - BY LEADING THE FESTIVAL'S FIRST-EVER PERFORMANCES OF MAHLER'S MONUMENTAL SYMPHONY NO. 8, ALSO KNOWN AS SYMPHONY OF A THOUSAND. AN EXPANDED FORCE OF APPROXIMATELY 260 MUSICIANS FILLED THE ENTIRE PRITZKER PAVILION STAGE, BRINGING TOGETHER ALL MEMBERS OF THE GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS; 28 ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENTALISTS; 40 ADDITIONAL CHORISTERS; A 37-MEMBER CHILDREN'S CHORUS (VIENNA'S GUMPOLDSKIRCHNER SPATZEN, IN THEIR FESTIVAL DEBUT); AND EIGHT VOCAL SOLOISTS. IN OCTOBER 2024, GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING CONDUCTOR GIANCARLO GUERRERO WAS OFFICIALLY APPOINTED THE FESTIVAL'S NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR, LAUNCHING WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN EXCITING AND DYNAMIC NEW ERA IN THE FESTIVAL'S HISTORY.
- $210,756 spent. THE FESTIVAL PROUDLY NURTURES THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLASSICAL TALENT, SUPPORTS COMMUNITY EFFORTS THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION FOR CHICAGO'S YOUNG PEOPLE, AND PROVIDES FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO FOR AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES. THE FESTIVAL FELLOWSHIPS ARE PAID SUMMER RESIDENCIES FOR PRE-PROFESSIONAL STRING MUSICIANS AND VOCAL ARTISTS FROM HISTORICALLY UNDER-REPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, MORE THAN 60 YOUNG ARTISTS HAVE COMPLETED THE RIGOROUS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM AND HAVE GONE ON TO PERFORM WITH SUCH PRESTIGIOUS ENSEMBLES AS THE MILWAUKEE, MINNESOTA, CHICAGO, AND DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS; LYRIC OPERA ORCHESTRA; AND MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE. IN ADDITION, NINE FORMER VOCAL FELLOWS ARE MEMBERS OF THE GRANT PARK CHORUS, AND TEN STRING FELLOWSHIP ALUMNI HAVE EARNED POSITIONS WITHIN THE GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA, EITHER AS SUBSTITUTES OR IN TENURED POSITIONS. AS PART OF ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, MORE THAN 30 ALUMNI - REPRESENTING EVERY YEAR OF THE PROGRAM'S EXISTENCE - RETURNED TO CHICAGO TO JOIN GUEST CONDUCTOR AND FORMER STRING FELLOW KYLE DICKSON (NOW ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR OF MEMPHIS SYMPHONY) FOR A FIRST-EVER FELLOWS REUNION CONCERT, HELD AT SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL CENTER AND REPRISED AT THE PRITZKER PAVILION.NOW IN ITS SIXTH YEAR, THE FESTIVAL'S POPULAR VISITING MASTERS SERIES HOSTS FREE AND OPEN MASTER CLASSES FOR GRANT PARK FELLOWS AND LOCAL MUSIC STUDENTS, OFFERING ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL SOLOISTS. INTERESTED AUDIENCES ALSO ENJOY A RARE BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT A MUSICIAN'S DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. IN 2024, THE FESTIVAL PRESENTED FIVE MASTER CLASSES, LED BY ANNE AKIKO MEYERS, JOHANNES MOSER, SUSAN PLATTS, TERRENCE WILSON, AND NATHALIE JOACHIM. THE FESTIVAL'S SIGNATURE CHILDREN'S PROGRAM, CLASSICAL CAMPERS, SAW A 20% INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION IN 2024, ENGAGING MORE THAN 1,600 CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS FROM 28 CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT (CPD) SUMMER PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED GROUPS WITH A HALF DAY OF HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES LED BY TEACHING ARTISTS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AN ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL AND MEET FESTIVAL MUSICIANS.THE FESTIVAL'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT - NIGHT OUT IN THE PARKS - CONTINUED IN 2024, BRINGING SYMPHONIC, CHORAL, AND CHAMBER PERFORMANCES DIRECTLY INTO CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS, REDUCING GEOGRAPHIC BARRIERS TO THE CONCERTGOING EXPERIENCE. NEARLY 1,400 RESIDENTS ATTENDED THESE EVENTS IN 2024, WHICH COMPRISED A CAPPELLA CHORUS PROGRAMS AT SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL CENTER AND COLUMBUS PARK REFECTORY; A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY VISITING CHILDREN'S CHOIR GUMPOLDSKIRCHNER SPATZEN AT SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL CENTER; THE FELLOWS REUNION CONCERT AT SOUTH SHORE CULTURAL CENTER; AND CONCERTS BY THE FELLOWS STRING QUARTET IN JEFFERSON, OLYMPIA, MARQUETTE, AND LAKE SHORE PARKS. MORE THAN 3,100 FESTIVAL-GOERS OF ALL AGES ENJOYED FREE PRE-CONCERT EVENTS INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS WITH FEATURED GUEST ARTISTS, MODERATED BY COMPOSER/EDUCATOR SETH BOUSTEAD AND OTHER GUEST HOSTS; MUSICAL PETTING ZOOS; "LEARN TO CONDUCT" SESSIONS WITH THE FELLOWS STRING QUARTET; FESTIVE FACE PAINTING; A STAR WARS DIY COSTUME SHOP; AND A BROADWAY MUSICAL COMEDY REVUE.OPEN REHEARSALS FEATURE TRAINED VOLUNTEER DOCENTS CONDUCTING INFORMAL TALKS PRIOR TO THE REHEARSAL AND DURING INTERMISSION, PROVIDING INSIGHTS INTO THE PROGRAM'S WORKS AND COMPOSERS. AN ESTIMATED 30,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED 50 REHEARSALS, WITH AN AVERAGE 600 AUDIENCE MEMBERS AT EACH EVENT.
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 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 December 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 May 2002.
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.
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