Wichita Grand Opera Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PRODUCE OPERA AND OPERA EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE HIGHEST ARTISTIC LEVEL TO ENRICH THE CULTURAL LIVES OF KANSANS; TO CULTIVATE AN APPRECIATION FOR OPERA IN THE WICHITA, KS, COMMUNITY AND BEYOND; TO PROVIDE PERFORMANCE AND INSTRUCTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASPIRING YOUNG ARTISTS.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $818,149
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 6.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 3
- Highest pay
- $82,684, general dire
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes -1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 110% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2528 of 28 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (5)
- $212,898 spent. SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 SAW THE FIRST PRODUCTION IN THE STATE OF KANSAS OF DVORAK'S GREAT FAIRY TALE OPERA, RUSALKA, PERFORMED IN ITS ORIGINAL CZECH LANGUAGE. FOR THIS PRODUCTION, WGO HIRED ONE OF TWO OPERA COACHES IN AMERICA THAT SPEAK CZECH AS A NATIVE LANGUAGE TO COME AND GUIDE THE CAST AND CHORUS IN PRONUNCIATION AND DICTION RULES. IN ADDITION TO HIRING NATIONAL SINGERS AND DIRECTORS TO COME TO WICHITA TO PERFORM, WGO ALSO HIRED LOCAL LIGHTING DESIGNERS, SET DESIGNERS AND COSTUME DESIGNERS TO CREATE ONE OF THE GREATEST ARTISTIC HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WICHITA GRAND OPERA TO DATE.
- ON NOVEMBER 15, 2024, WICHITA GRAND OPERA PRODUCED TWO CANTATAS OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH FOR A FUNDRAISER FOR CONCORDIA ACADEMY. WGO ENGAGED LOCAL MUSICIANS FOR THE ORCHESTRA AND SINGERS FOR THE PRODUCTION. GENERAL/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DONATED HIS SERVICES FOR THE PRODUCTION, IN SOLIDARITY WITH CONCORDIA HEADMASTER DANIEL SNYDER. THE CONCERT TOOK PLACE AT HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH, FEATURING BOTH A SACRED CANTATA AS WELL AS A SECULAR CANTATA (THE SO-CALLED "COFFEE CANTATA"). WGO HIRED A LOCAL STAGE DIRECTOR, WHO PRODUCED A DRAMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE WORK, REPLETE WITH COSTUMES AND PROPS, AND THE SUCCESS OF THE PERFORMANCE DREW IN A LARGE AMOUNT OF DONATIONS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCORDIA ACADEMY, IN EXCESS OF 7,000, AFTER THE MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS WERE PAID.
- $196,520 spent. MAY 17, 2025 SAW WGO'S PRODUCTION OF ROSSINI'S ICONIC CENERENTOLA - THE ITALIAN RE-TELLING OF THE CINDERELLA FAIRY TALE - COME TO LIFE. FOR THIS, AS HAS BECOME CUSTOMARY, WGO HIRED BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL ARTISTS, PUTTING TOGETHER A WONDERFUL TEAM THAT HIGHLIGHTS BOTH LOCAL TALENT AS WELL AS DRAWING NATIONAL ATTENTION TO OUR STAGE IN BRING RETURNING NATIONAL ARTISTS TO OUR ARTS SCENE AND COMMUNITY. FOR THIS, WGO ALSO INVITED ALL SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 TO THE PERFORMANCE, FREE OF CHARGE. SETS WERE RENTED FROM VIRGINIA OPERA, AND COSTUMES FROM SARASOTA, FLORIDA. THIS PERFORMANCE CONCLUDED WGO'S 24/25 SEASON WITH HILARITY AND GOOD WILL. IN DOING SO, WGO BROUGHT A GREAT NUMBER OF CHILDREN INTO THE THEATER, EXPOSING THEM TO CLASSIC OPERA PERFORMED IN ITALIAN, AND BUILDING UPON FUTURE GENERATIONS OF OPERA LOVERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. MAY 17, 2025 SAW WGO'S PRODUCTION OF ROSSINI'S ICONIC CENERENTOLA - THE ITALIAN RE-TELLING OF THE CINDERELLA FAIRY TALE - COME TO LIFE. FOR THIS, AS HAS BECOME CUSTOMARY, WGO HIRED BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL ARTISTS, PUTTING TOGETHER A WONDERFUL TEAM THAT HIGHLIGHTS BOTH LOCAL TALENT AS WELL AS DRAWING NATIONAL ATTENTION TO OUR STAGE IN BRING RETURNING NATIONAL ARTISTS TO OUR ARTS SCENE AND COMMUNITY. FOR THIS, WGO ALSO INVITED ALL SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 TO THE PERFORMANCE, FREE OF CHARGE. SETS WERE RENTED FROM VIRGINIA OPERA, AND COSTUMES FROM SARASOTA, FLORIDA. THIS PERFORMANCE CONCLUDED WGO'S 24/25 SEASON WITH HILARITY AND GOOD WILL. IN DOING SO, WGO BROUGHT A GREAT NUMBER OF CHILDREN INTO THE THEATER, EXPOSING THEM TO CLASSIC OPERA PERFORMED IN ITALIAN, AND BUILDING UPON FUTURE GENERATIONS OF OPERA LOVERS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
- $251,953 spent. ADDITIONAL EXPENSES ARE FOR OTHER PROGAMS PROVIDED DURING THE YEAR.
- ADDITIONAL EXPENSES ARE FOR OTHER PROGAMS PROVIDED DURING THE YEAR.
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 April 2001.
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.
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.