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Apollos Fire Baroque

EIN 34-1696842 · Cleveland Hts, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PERFORMING ON HISTORICAL INSTRUMENTS, APOLLO'S FIRE BRINGS TO LIFE THE MUSIC OF THE PAST FOR AUDIENCES OF TODAY, WITH PASSION. PERIOD. NAMED FOR THE ANCIENT GOD OF MUSIC, HEALING, AND THE SUN, APOLLO'S FIRE IS A GRAMMY-WINNING ENSEMBLE FOUNDED BY HARPSICHORDIST AND CONDUCTOR JEANNETTE SORRELL. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES OF BAROQUE AND CLASSICAL ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE ON PERIOD INSTRUMENTS FOR AUDIENCES IN NORTHEAST OHIO, CHICAGO (THROUGH ITS CHICAGO SERIES), AND AT THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS.APOLLO'S FIRE IS DEDICATED TO THE PERFORMANCE OF 17TH- AND 18TH-CENTURY MUSIC ON THE PERIOD INSTRUMENTS FOR WHICH IT WAS WRITTEN. THE ENSEMBLE UNITES A SELECT POOL OF EARLY-MUSIC SPECIALISTS FROM THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND HAS RECEIVED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR ITS PERFORMANCES, RECORDINGS, TOURS, AND BROADCASTS.THROUGH ITS EDUCATION PROGRAMS, APOLLO'S FIRE PROVIDES INSTRUCTION AND EXPOSURE TO EARLY MUSIC FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM DIVERSE ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS.

Income
$2.8 million
Spending
$3.3 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
7.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 56%
Employees
23
Volunteers
175
Highest pay
$104,474, ex officio

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

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 17% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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

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

    25 of 25 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 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 (1)
  1. $2.6 million spent. GRAMMY-WINNING BAROQUE ORCHESTRA APOLLO'S FIRE'S 20242025 SEASON MARKED ITS 33RD SEASON UNDER FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JEANNETTE SORRELL. THE SEASON COMPRISED SUBSCRIPTION CONCERTS AND SPECIAL PERFORMANCES, WITH 49 CONCERTS AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS PRESENTED ACROSS MULTIPLE VENUES IN NORTHEAST OHIO, SERVING MORE THAN 18,000 ATTENDEES.20242025 SEASON PROGRAMS INCLUDED: BACH'S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS - OCTOBER 2024 HOPE AND SOLITUDE NOVEMBER 2024 WASSAIL! DECEMBER 2024 HANDEL'S MESSIAH DECEMBER 2024 VIRTUOSO BRILLIANCE FROM VIVALDI & TELEMANN - FEBRUARY 2025 CLASSICAL SPARKS - FEBRUARY & MARCH 2025 BACH'S B MINOR MASS APRIL & MAY 2025 HISPANIA! MAY 2025THE PERFORMANCE OF BACH'S B MINOR MASS WAS PART OF BACHANALIA!, A 30-DAY CELEBRATION IN WHICH APOLLO'S FIRE PRESENTED BACH'S MUSIC ACROSS NORTHEAST OHIO IN RESTAURANTS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND CONCERT HALLS.DURING FY25, APOLLO'S FIRE RELEASED THREE COMMERCIAL RECORDINGS: BACH'S COFFEEHOUSE, BACH'S HARPSICHORD CONCERTOS, AND LE TRE SOPRANO. IN SPRING 2025, APOLLO'S FIRE RECEIVED ITS SECOND GRAMMY NOMINATION FOR ITS RECORDING OF HANDEL'S ISRAEL IN EGYPT.NORTH AMERICA TOURING AND THE CHICAGO SERIESOVER THE YEARS, APOLLO'S FIRE HAS PERFORMED ON MAJOR STAGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE. THE ENSEMBLE CONTINUES TO TOUR NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. DURING FY25, APOLLO'S FIRE CONTINUED ITS NORTH AMERICAN TOURING AND CHICAGO SERIES, PRESENTING PERFORMANCES IN EVANSTON AND CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS WELL AS INVITED APPEARANCES AT PARTNER VENUES, INCLUDING A RETURN ENGAGEMENT OF HISPANIA! AT THE CASALS FESTIVAL.APOLLO'S FIRE CONTINUED ITS CHICAGO SERIES IN FY25, PERFORMING FOUR PROGRAMS ACROSS EIGHT CONCERTS TO SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER AUDIENCES IN EVANSTON AND CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. BACH'S BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS - OCTOBER 2024 HANDEL'S MESSIAH DECEMBER 2024 VIVALDI IN LOVE - FEBRUARY 2025 BACH'S B MINOR MASS APRIL 2025EDUCATION & OUTREACHAPOLLO'S FIRE REMAINS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO EDUCATION AND OUTREACH THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY ACCESS INITIATIVE (CAI), WHICH COMPLEMENTS ITS OTHER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. THE CAI FOCUSES ON STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS ACROSS ALL SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS, BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER FOR SHARED TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES. APOLLO'S FIRE BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF MUSIC TO INSPIRE, TRANSFORM, AND UPLIFT, AND STRIVES TO MAKE THESE EXPERIENCES ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO ALL. IN FY25, THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERED 22 IN-SCHOOL WORKSHOPS AT 14 SCHOOLS ACROSS 7 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NORTHEAST OHIO, REACHING 3,073 K8 STUDENTS, AND PRESENTED SIX FREE FAMILY CONCERTS SERVING 1,231 ATTENDEES. PROGRAMS INCLUDED INTERACTIVE AND HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS SUCH AS BALLADS & MUSICAL TALL TALES, BACH & HIS AMAZING MUSICAL FAMILY, AND MOZART & BOLOGNE: THE BOY WONDERS, FEATURING YOUNG SOLOISTS TO ENHANCE RELATABILITY FOR STUDENTS. TO MAINTAIN ACCESSIBILITY, APOLLO'S FIRE CONTINUED TO OFFER DEEPLY DISCOUNTED $12 TICKETS, $10 STUDENT TICKETS, SENIOR AND YOUNG ADULT DISCOUNTS, STUDENT RUSH TICKETS, FREE FAMILY NIGHTS, AND BAROQUE BISTROS IN LOCAL RESTAURANTS. SUPPORT FROM GRANT-FUNDED STAFF STRENGTHENED OPERATIONAL WORKFLOWS, COORDINATED SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND ENABLED THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE-STANDARDS-ALIGNED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, FURTHERING ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE YOUNG ARTIST APPRENTICE PROGRAM, AF'S MUSETTE PROGRAM (CHILDREN'S CHOIR, AGES 1117), AND OTHER CAI INITIATIVES, WHILE THE MOSAIC PROJECT CONTINUES TO PRIORITIZE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS AUDIENCE.

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 September 1992.

    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.