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Kansas City Symphony

EIN 43-1297475 · Kansas City, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood73 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ITS MISSION IS TO PERFORM GREAT PERFORMANCES FOR GREATER AUDIENCES. THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY WILL ACHIEVE THIS MISSION BY: - DEVELOPING AN UNCOMPROMISING PERFORMANCE STANDARD. - ADVANCING THE PROFILE AND VALUE OF THE ORCHESTRA LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. - DEVELOPING THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO ALLOW THE ORCHESTRA TO THRIVE TODAY AND TOMORROW. - CREATING AN INTERNAL CULTURE THAT STIMULATES EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN AND BETWEEN BOARD, STAFF AND MUSICIANS. - DEVELOPING AUDIENCES AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ALLOW THE ORCHESTRA TO THRIVE TODAY AND TOMORROW.

Income
$21.1 million
Spending
$27.2 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
9.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 41%
Employees
396
Volunteers
500
Highest pay
$414,289, chief executive officer

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

Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 29% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 23 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 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)
  1. $22.4 million spent. During the 2025 fiscal year, the Kansas City Symphony offered 201 performances of 83 different programs across the full range of classical, pops, film, and other repertoire. In addition, the Symphony served as the pit orchestra in 64 performances of eight different programs for the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Symphony audiences hailed from 1,512 communities in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and 10 foreign countries. In total, the Kansas City Symphony reached more than 209,000 people in person during the 2024/25 season. Classical audiences numbered 45,745, Pops totaled 18,855 and Family drew 2,109. Holiday programs attracted 17,307 to nine performances of Christmas Festival and Handel's Messiah. Film + Live Orchestra and special programs were especially popular with 40,653 attending 34 performances of 17 programs, including a concert featuring Ben Folds and films from the "Harry Potter" series. The Happy Hour series of informal chamber music programs had enthusiastic crowds totaling 7,335 at the four free concerts. Free outdoor Mobile Music Box neighborhood concerts introduced new audiences to the artistry of Symphony musicians, with 50 concerts reaching 10,747 people in 43 ZIP codes across Greater Kansas City. A Memorial Day weekend civic tradition, Bank of America Celebration at the Station delighted the crowd of 15,000 as they gathered between Kansas City's Union Station and Liberty Memorial. The program was broadcast live on Kansas City PBS and later rebroadcast on public television stations throughout the region. In addition, the Symphony served as the featured orchestra for Symphony in the Flint Hills, an annual outdoor concert on the Kansas plains. With an ongoing commitment to education, the Symphony's youth concerts served 27,063 students and teachers from 171 schools in 33 districts across 73 communities, in addition to 271 homeschool groups, as they participated in Young People's Concerts, Link Up, and KinderKonzerts. Numerous other Symphony education programs also helped meet the community need for high quality music education experiences, reaching nearly 32,000 young people overall.

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1983.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.