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Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center Inc

EIN 87-4303823 · Philadelphia, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak29 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

POKC WAS FORMED FOR CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION OF THE ARTS.

Income
$6.3 million
Spending
$12.2 million
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 47%
Employees
1,711
Volunteers
60
Highest pay
$1.3 million, music director/board member

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

Weak: 29 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 41% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 93% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 60% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 30 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    60 of 67 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

    0 of 5

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

  • 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 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. $8.5 million spent. THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA AND KIMMEL CENTER, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION) IS A PENNSYLVANIA CHARITABLE NONPROFIT CORPORATION THAT WAS FORMED FOR CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION OF THE ARTS. IN FURTHERANCE OF SUCH PURPOSES, THE ORGANIZATION WILL RETAIN ONE OF THE PREMIER ORCHESTRAS IN THE WORLD, CONSISTING OF THE TOP MUSICIANS AND AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED CONDUCTOR, AND OPERATE A WORLD CLASS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THAT ENGAGES AND SERVES BROAD AND DIVERSE AUDIENCES FROM THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION WITH AN EQUALLY DIVERSE PROGRAMMING BLEND WHILE PROMOTING CULTURE AND THE PERFORMING ARTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND THE SURROUNDING REGION. (CONTINUED IN SCH O) THE ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED TO SERVE AS THE CONTROLLING MEMBER OF A GROUP OF AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS THAT INCLUDES THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION (THE ORCHESTRA) AND KIMMEL CENTER, INC. (THE KIMMEL) IN ORDER TO BROADEN THE CULTURAL, ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL REACH OF THE AFFILIATED GROUP. EACH OF THE KIMMEL AND THE ORCHESTRA IS A PENNSYLVANIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION AND A PUBLIC CHARITY DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE (THE CODE). THE ORCHESTRA WAS FORMED IN 1903 TO SHARE THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF MUSIC WITH THE WIDEST POSSIBLE AUDIENCE AND TO CREATE JOY, CONNECTION, AND EXCITEMENT THROUGH MUSIC IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND AROUND THE WORLD. THE ORCHESTRA IS ALSO THE SOLE MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC OF PHILADELPHIA, INC. THE KIMMEL WAS FORMED IN 1996 TO OPERATE A WORLD-CLASS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THAT ENGAGES AND SERVES A BROAD AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE FROM THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA REGION. THE ORCHESTRA AND THE KIMMEL HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF CLOSE COLLABORATION, WHICH HAS DEEPENED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. AS A RESULT, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS DETERMINED IT WOULD BE IN THEIR MUTUAL BEST INTEREST TO REIMAGINE THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND MORE CLOSELY ALIGN THEIR ACTIVITIES AND OPERATIONS. THE ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED FOR THIS PURPOSE. UNDER THIS NEW STRUCTURE, THE ORCHESTRA AND THE KIMMEL WILL OPERATE IN CONCERT UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE ORGANIZATION, AND THE ORGANIZATION WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT, GUIDANCE, STRATEGIC VISION AND PROGRAMMATIC COORDINATION AND PLANNING TO THE KIMMEL AND THE ORCHESTRA. SIMILARLY, IT WILL SEEK TO BRING THE GREATEST PERFORMANCES AND MOST IMPACTFUL EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, IN PERSON AND DIGITALLY, TO THE DIVERSE AUDIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA, AND BEYOND. IN THIS WAY, THE ORGANIZATION WILL REIMAGINE THE POWER OF THE ARTS TO BRING JOY, CREATE COMMUNITY, AND EFFECT CHANGE-TO UPLIFT ALL PHILADELPHIANS AND CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.

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

  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 November 6, 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 August 2025.

    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 November 2022.

    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 November 4, 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.