Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Scottsdale Philharmonic Inc

EIN 45-4921610 · Scottsdale, AZ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak45 out of 100GovernanceFair59 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It owes more than it owns.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC'S MISSION IS TO MAKE LIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC ACCESSIBLE TO ALL WHILE BUILDING A THRIVING SYMPHONY THAT ENRICHES OUR COMMUNITY, KEEPS THE ARTS ALIVE, AND ENSURES THE POWER OF ORCHESTRAL MUSIC CONTINUES TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Income
$370,060
Spending
$333,596
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
-3.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
0
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$37,000, executive director, presid

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    0 of 20

    It owes 564% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 76% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 13 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 2026, 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 (3)
  1. $154,941 spent. DURING THE YEAR, SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC PRESENTED EIGHT LIVE ORCHESTRAL CONCERTS TO A COMBINED IN-PERSON AUDIENCE OF 9,608 ATTENDEES. THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVES, APPROXIMATELY 3,000 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING STUDENTS, VETERANS, ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL, AND UNDERSERVED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, RECEIVED COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION, EXPANDING ACCESS TO LIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND. ALL PERFORMANCES WERE LIVESTREAMED AT NO COST, ATTRACTING AN ADDITIONAL 5,100 LIVE ONLINE VIEWERS. FOLLOWING EACH CONCERT, RECORDINGS REMAINED FREELY AVAILABLE ONLINE, RECEIVING MORE THAN 25,300 ADDITIONAL VIEWS DURING THE YEAR AND FURTHER EXTENDING THE ORGANIZATION'S EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL IMPACT BEYOND THE CONCERT HALL.
  2. $47,674 spent. SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC IS COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MUSICIANS BY PROVIDING MEANINGFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES THAT INSPIRE LIFELONG PARTICIPATION IN THE ARTS. DURING THE YEAR, THE ORCHESTRA FEATURED AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD PIANIST PERFORMING A COMPLETE PIANO CONCERTO AS THE SOLOIST, DEMONSTRATING ITS COMMITMENT TO RECOGNIZING AND NURTURING EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG TALENT. TWO HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIANS WERE SELECTED TO PERFORM AS FULL MEMBERS OF THE ORCHESTRA THROUGHOUT THE CONCERT SEASON, REHEARSING AND APPEARING IN ALL EIGHT CONCERTS ALONGSIDE EXPERIENCED ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS, PROVIDING THEM WITH INVALUABLE REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE.IN ADDITION TO THESE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES, SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC WELCOMED APPROXIMATELY 480 STUDENTS TO ITS CONCERTS THROUGH COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION, HELPING REMOVE FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND INTRODUCING YOUNG AUDIENCES TO THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC. BY INVESTING IN BOTH ASPIRING PERFORMERS AND FUTURE AUDIENCES, SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC CONTINUES TO FOSTER AN APPRECIATION FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC WHILE HELPING ENSURE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC REMAINS VIBRANT AND ACCESSIBLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
  3. $35,755 spent. DURING THE YEAR, SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC EXPANDED PUBLIC ACCESS TO LIVE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC BY INTRODUCING ITS FIRST THURSDAY EVENING CONCERT IN RESPONSE TO INCREASING AUDIENCE DEMAND. THE ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE CREATED NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ATTEND LIVE CONCERTS WHILE HELPING ACCOMMODATE RECORD ATTENDANCE AND NEAR-CAPACITY AUDIENCES AT MULTIPLE PERFORMANCES. THE SUCCESSFUL EXPANSION ESTABLISHED THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE GROWTH, ALLOWING THE ORGANIZATION TO REACH MORE INDIVIDUALS WHILE ADVANCING ITS MISSION OF MAKING LIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2026, 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 October 13, 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 June 2026.

    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 January 2013.

    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 October 21, 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.