Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ENRICHING LIVES BY PROVIDING TRANSFORMATIONAL MUSICAL EXPERIENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
- Income
- $4.7 million
- Spending
- $3.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- -9.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 30
- Volunteers
- 110
- Highest pay
- $170,721, executive director (thru jan)
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: 51 out of 100. Higher than 23% 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
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 2520 of 20 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 (1)
- $2.8 million spent. THE WISCONSIN YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS (WYSO) AND MUSIC MAKERS PROGRAMMING ANNUALLY SERVES APPROXIMATELY 540 STUDENTS, AGES 5 TO 18 YEARS, FROM UP TO 15 COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN, WITH NEARLY 80% RESIDING IN DANE COUNTY COMMUNITIES. WYSO OFFERS FIVE ORCHESTRAS (THREE FULL ORCHESTRAS WITH WINDS, BRASS AND PERCUSSION, AND TWO STRING ORCHESTRAS), A VARIETY OF ENSEMBLES, CHAMBER GROUPS, AND CLASSES. DURING EACH SEASON, STUDENTS REHEARSE ON 33 SATURDAYS AND PARTICIPATE IN THREE OR MORE CONCERTS, AS WELL AS AN ANNUAL IN-STATE TOUR OF PUBLIC/PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS. MUSIC MAKERS PROVIDES ACCESS TO PRIVATE LESSONS, GROUP CLASSES, INSTRUMENTS AND SUPPLIES ALL AT SUBSIDIZED, SLIDING SCALE TUITION OPTIONS. NO AUDITION IS REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION. CONCERTS ARE INTEGRAL FOR DEVELOPING YOUNG MUSICIANS, OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP CONFIDENCE, DISCIPLINE, AND RESILIENCE, AND ALSO FUNCTIONING AS BENCHMARKS IN THE PROGRESS OF EACH ORCHESTRA. WHILE THE BULK OF LEARNING TAKES PLACE IN REHEARSALS AND IN THE PRACTICE ROOM, CONCERTS ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOWCASE THEIR MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENTS. WYSO'S REHEARSALS AND THREE CONCERT SERIES OF THE YEAR ARE ITS LARGEST PROGRAMS AS WELL AS THE MAIN TOOL IN ACHIEVING THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE ORGANIZATION. FOR EACH CONCERT WEEKEND, FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING, EACH OF THE ORCHESTRAS AND THE WYSO MUSIC MAKERS PRESENT A CONCERT ON EITHER SATURDAY OR SUNDAY OF THE SCHEDULED WEEKEND. THESE CONCERTS SERVE OUR TOTAL MEMBER POPULATION AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE, CONSISTING OF ALMOST 6,000 FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND LOCAL ARTS SUPPORTERS ANNUALLY. THE ORGANIZATION'S OBJECTIVE, BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM, IS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL MUSIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCES THROUGH ORCHESTRAL TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, WE PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY AN INSPIRING AND LOW-COST OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR YOUNG PEOPLE PERFORMING CLASSICAL MUSIC AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
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 June 1967.
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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