Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IN THE CONVICTION THAT MUSIC NOURISHES THE MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND ENRICHES THE COMMUNITY, THE GREATER TWIN CITIES YOUTH SYMPHONIES PROVIDES A RIGOROUS AND INSPIRING ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $2.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 14.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 52%
- Employees
- 45
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $115,443, executive director
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
Strong: 96 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 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.
Independent board
25 of 2522 of 22 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 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 (1)
- $1.6 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.THE GREATER TWIN CITIES YOUTH SYMPHONIES (GTCYS, PRONOUNCED GIT-SEEZ) OPENS DOORS TO MUSIC AND PROVIDES A MUSICAL PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES, AND BACKGROUNDS. OUR MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AND HELP STUDENTS EXCEL MUSICALLY, BUILD A LASTING LOVE OF MUSIC, AND DEVELOP LIFELONG SKILLS LIKE TEAMWORK, PERSEVERANCE, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. GTCYS IS UNIQUE WITH ITS EQUAL EMPHASIS ON EXCELLENCE AND ACCESS, AND OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUALLY EXPAND PROGRAMMING TO MEET GROWING INTEREST AND COMMUNITY NEEDS WHILE MAINTAINING HIGH ARTISTIC QUALITY AT EVERY STUDENT'S LEVEL. THIS STRATEGY HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR ONGOING PROGRAMMATIC GROWTH AND GTCYS HAS BECOME THE LARGEST YOUTH ORCHESTRA PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY. GTCYS IS ALSO UNIQUE IN THE AMOUNT AND SCOPE OF PROGRAMMING WE PROVIDE IN CONTRAST TO THE MODEST SIZE OF OUR STAFF AND BUDGET. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2024-25 SEASON INCLUDE: GTCYS' SCHOOL-YEAR ORCHESTRAS EXPANDED TO 11 WITH THE ADDITION OF CAMERATA VIVACE BASED IN THE EAST METRO. 914 STUDENTS AGES 7 18 FROM ACROSS THE REGION DEVELOPED MUSICAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS THROUGH WEEKLY REHEARSALS, SECTIONALS WITH PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, PERFORMANCES, CHAMBER MUSIC, LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES. FOUR ORCHESTRA LEVELS WITH EAST AND WEST METRO LOCATIONS CREATE CONVENIENT GEOGRAPHIC ACCESS FOR FAMILIES. IN FALL 2024, HARMONY LAUNCHED A SECOND PROGRAM SITE AT L'ETOILE DU NORD FRENCH IMMERSION (LNFI) SCHOOL IN ST PAUL. IN TOTAL, HARMONY OFFERED LOW-COST, YEAR-ROUND VIOLIN/CELLO INSTRUCTION FOR NEARLY 100 2ND-5TH GRADERS AT LNFI AND AT OUR ORIGINAL PARTNER SITE RIVERVIEW DUAL SPANISH/ENGLISH IMMERSION SCHOOL (ST. PAUL). SUMMER CAMPS: IN ADDITION TO 3 WEEK-LONG SUMMER ORCHESTRA CAMPS, STUDENTS BENEFITED FROM A BRASS ENSEMBLE CAMP. IN TOTAL, 231 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN GTCYS' CAMPS WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MN SCHOOL OF MUSIC, AND INCLUDED SECTIONALS WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, AND A FREE PUBLIC CONCERT AT TED MANN CONCERT HALL. CONCERTS: 31 PERFORMANCES (22 OF WHICH WERE FREE) ENGAGED 16,427 IN-PERSON AUDIENCE MEMBERS AT VENUES ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES INCLUDING SENIOR CARE CENTERS, LOCAL SCHOOLS, MN VETERANS HOME, UNION GOSPEL MISSION, AND PROFESSIONAL CONCERT HALLS LIKE ORCHESTRA HALL. PERFORMANCES INCLUDED 5 FREE IN-SCHOOL CONCERTS TO INSPIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. NINE GTCYS CONCERTS INCLUDING FESTIVAL CONCERTS AT ORCHESTRA HALL AND SYMPHONY SERIES AT TED MANN CONCERT HALL WERE LIVESTREAMED FOR FREE, REACHING AN ADDITIONAL 6,004 AUDIENCE MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN TOTAL, GTCYS ENGAGED 22,431 AUDIENCE MEMBERS DURING THE 2024-25 CONCERT SEASON. NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS: STUDENTS BENEFITED FROM $250,048 IN NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCHOOL-YEAR ORCHESTRAS, SUMMER CAMP, WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSONS, AND PATHWAY MUSICIANS. 23% OF GTCYS' STUDENTS RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS OR SUBSIDIZED SUPPORT. PATHWAY MUSICIANS PROGRAM: IN FALL 2023, GTCYS LAUNCHED THIS NEW PROGRAM TO NURTURE TALENTED HISPANIC/LATINX AND BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSICIANS WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR LESSONS, INSTRUMENTS, CAMPS, CONCERTS AND MENTORING WITH PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS. FOUR ST. PAUL AREA STUDENTS CONTINUED IN THE PROGRAM FOR THE SECOND YEAR. LAUNCH LESSONS: AS PART OF OUR ONGOING EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES, 8 NON-GTCYS BIPOC STUDENTS BENEFITED FROM FREE WEEKLY PRIVATE LESSONS (PAID BY GTCYS), MOST OF WHOM SUBSEQUENTLY JOINED OUR ORCHESTRAS. PRO BONO SCHOOL CLINICS: GTCYS CONDUCTORS LED FREE CLINICS WITH 810 BAND AND ORCHESTRA STUDENTS AT 11 LOCAL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES.
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
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1962.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.