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Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Inc

EIN 38-1385132 · Detroit, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (DSO) IS A CATALYST FOR TRANSFORMATION, STRENGTHENING THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE POWER OF MUSIC. EACH SEASON, WE SERVE OVER 500,000 PEOPLE THROUGH OUR CLASSICAL, POPS, JAZZ, FAMILY, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SPECIAL PERFORMANCES, AS WELL AS OUR DEEPLY ROOTED COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND STUDENT-FOCUSED MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS. ACCESSIBILITY IS A CORE DSO VALUE, AND AS A CULTURAL LEADER IN DETROIT, WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY AND FOSTERING ECONOMIC VITALITY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

Income
$38.6 million
Spending
$42.5 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 53%
Employees
724
Volunteers
300
Highest pay
$475,948, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 25

    23 of 26 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 August 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 (5)
  1. $28.1 million spent. ORCHESTRA CONCERTS: THE ORCHESTRA'S PERFORMANCE CALENDAR INCLUDES CLASSICAL AND POPS CONCERTS IN ORCHESTRA HALL, AS WELL AS THE LIVE FROM ORCHESTRA HALL WEBCAST SERIES NOW IN ITS ELEVENTH SEASON, SHARING THE MUSIC OF THE DSO WITH LISTENERS IN ALL 50 STATES AND 100 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE. (Expenses $ 580,851 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 1,043,450) COMMUNITY USE OF THE MAX M. AND MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER: COMPLETED IN 2003, THE DSO'S MAX M. AND MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR GROWTH AND A BEACON FOR POSITIVE IMPACT IN MIDTOWN AND THE CITY OF DETROIT. "THE MAX" IS HOME TO HISTORIC ORCHESTRA HALL, THE 15,000-SQUARE-FOOT PINCUS MUSIC EDUCATION CENTER, A STUNNING ATRIUM, STATE-OF-THE-ART REHEARSAL ROOMS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES. AS DETROIT'S MUSICAL EPICENTER, IT IS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE WHERE IDEAS, EXPERTISE, RESOURCES, AND ART COLLIDE DAILY.
  2. $1.5 million spent. EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING MEANINGFUL MUSICAL EXPERIENCES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. OUR PROGRAMS PROVIDE STUDENTS OF ALL AGES AND MUSICAL SKILL LEVELS ACROSS THE GREATER DETROIT AREA WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND CREATIVITY AND DEVELOP MUSICAL TALENT. EXPERIENCES RANGE FROM CONCERTS FOR TODDLERS, YOUNG CHILDREN, AND THEIR FAMILIES, TO INSTRUMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS SERVING ELEMENTARY UP TO GRADUATE STUDENTS. IN THIS TIME OF EXTRAORDINARY NEED, THE DSO ALSO CONTINUES TO WORK ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SECURE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR STUDENTS AND CLASSROOMS, HAVING PROVIDED MORE THAN 2,000 TO DATE.
  3. $804,307 spent. JAZZ AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS: THE DSO PRESENTS THE WORLD'S BEST JAZZ ARTISTS THROUGH OUR PARADISE JAZZ SERIES A NAME IN HOMAGE TO ORCHESTRA HALL'S HERITAGE AS THE FORMER PARADISE JAZZ THEATER. THE SERIES IS CURRENTLY LED BY GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING JAZZ TRUMPETER AND COMPOSER TERENCE BLANCHARD. THE DSO IS ONE OF FEW ORCHESTRAS IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE DEDICATED JAZZ PROGRAMMING, AND THE ONLY TO HAVE A JAZZ CREATIVE DIRECTOR CHAIR POSITION IN ITS ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP. THE DSO'S CUBE SERIES FEATURES HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS IN A VARIETY OF GENRES INCLUDING JAZZ, R&B, ELECTRONIC, SALSA AND FUNK. THE DSO PRESENTS A SIMILARLY DIZZYING VARIETY OF ARTISTS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE DSO, IN OUTDOOR CONCERTS IN ITS SOSNICK COURTYARD (Expenses $ 580,851 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 1,043,450) COMMUNITY USE OF THE MAX M. AND MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER: COMPLETED IN 2003, THE DSO'S MAX M. AND MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR GROWTH AND A BEACON FOR POSITIVE IMPACT IN MIDTOWN AND THE CITY OF DETROIT. "THE MAX" IS HOME TO HISTORIC ORCHESTRA HALL, THE 15,000-SQUARE-FOOT PINCUS MUSIC EDUCATION CENTER, A STUNNING ATRIUM, STATE-OF-THE-ART REHEARSAL ROOMS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES. AS DETROIT'S MUSICAL EPICENTER, IT IS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE WHERE IDEAS, EXPERTISE, RESOURCES, AND ART COLLIDE DAILY.
  4. $580,851 spent. COMMUNITY USE OF THE MAX M. AND MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER: COMPLETED IN 2003, THE DSO'S MAX M. AND MARJORIE S. FISHER MUSIC CENTER HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR GROWTH AND A BEACON FOR POSITIVE IMPACT IN MIDTOWN AND THE CITY OF DETROIT. "THE MAX" IS HOME TO HISTORIC ORCHESTRA HALL, THE 15,000-SQUARE-FOOT PINCUS MUSIC EDUCATION CENTER, A STUNNING ATRIUM, STATE-OF-THE-ART REHEARSAL ROOMS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES. AS DETROIT'S MUSICAL EPICENTER, IT IS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE WHERE IDEAS, EXPERTISE, RESOURCES, AND ART COLLIDE DAILY.
  5. JAZZ AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS: THE DSO PRESENTS THE WORLD'S BEST JAZZ ARTISTS THROUGH OUR PARADISE JAZZ SERIES, A NAME IN HOMAGE TO ORCHESTRA HALL'S HERITAGE AS THE FORMER PARADISE JAZZ THEATER. THE SERIES IS CURRENTLY LED BY GRAMMY AWARDWINNING JAZZ TRUMPETER AND COMPOSER TERENCE BLANCHARD. THE DSO IS ONE OF FEW ORCHESTRAS IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE DEDICATED JAZZ PROGRAMMING, AND THE ONLY TO HAVE A JAZZ CREATIVE DIRECTOR CHAIR POSITION IN ITS ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP. THE DSO'S CUBE SERIES FEATURES HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS IN A VARIETY OF GENRES INCLUDING JAZZ, R&B, ELECTRONIC, SALSA, AND FUNK. THE DSO PRESENTS A SIMILARLY DIZZYING VARIETY OF ARTISTS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE DSO, IN OUTDOOR CONCERTS IN ITS SOSNICK COURTYARD. EXPENSES $777,279. INCLUDING GRANTS OF $0. REVENUE $614,229.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 August 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 July 1952.

    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.