Disable all preview features
There was a problem enabling Giving Basket donations for this page. If you're looking to donate you can try refreshing the page.
If the problem perisists you can contact us or email: helpandsupport@charitynavigator.org.
You can include the Cart ID: Not assigned

Arts, Culture, Humanities : Performing Arts

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras

Encouraging musical excellence in a professional and supportive environment

81.17

855 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215
tel: (617) 353-3348   Web Site
EIN: 04-2790069

Board Leadership
Margaret Chen
President

CEO
Catherine Weiskel
Executive Director

Charity Navigator

Error attempting donation

You're too fast!

Your donation attempt encountered a problem. Please refresh the page to try again.

You're faster than our page! Give the page a little longer to finish loading and try your donation again.

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 81.17
  Financial 75.76
  Accountability & Transparency 89.00
This rating was published 04/01/2022 and includes data from FY2020, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras' mission is to encourage musical excellence in a professional and supportive environment by providing the highest quality orchestra training and performance opportunities to qualified musicians, grades K-12, and making its programs accessible to underserved communities through financial assistance and outreach. In the 62 years since its founding, BYSO has continuously elevated, enhanced and been driven to change, adapt and perfect to meet the dynamic needs of our students and communities. Today we provide a rich and broad range of programs from chamber music to opera. Our unique and extensive programming is rooted in quality and delivered in a nurturing environment.

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras' mission is to encourage musical excellence in a professional and supportive environment by providing the highest quality orchestra training and performance opportunities to qualified musicians, grades K-12, and making its programs accessible to underserved communities through financial assistance and outreach. In the 62 years since its founding, BYSO has continuously elevated, enhanced and been driven to change, adapt and perfect to meet the dynamic needs of our students and communities. Today we provide a rich and broad range of programs from chamber music to opera. Our unique and extensive programming is rooted in quality and delivered in a nurturing environment.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

75.76

Accountability & Transparency

89.00

This rating was published 04/01/2022 and includes data from FY2020, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 69.0%
  Administrative Expenses 14.9%
  Fundraising Expenses 16.0%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.35
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.18
  Program Expenses Growth 2.3%
  Liabilities to Assets 20.2%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (MA) 81.17
Boston Symphony Orchestra (MA) 89.45
Utah Symphony & Opera (UT) 92.07
Boston Landmarks Orchestra (MA) 86.54
Wichita Symphony Society (KS) 98.54

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $1,072,136
   Federated Campaigns $0
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $257,509
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $80,400
Total Contributions $1,410,045
   Program Service Revenue $1,775,820
Total Primary Revenue $3,185,865
   Other Revenue $49,161
TOTAL REVENUE $3,235,026
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $2,183,362
   Administrative Expenses $445,164
   Fundraising Expenses $767,384
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $3,395,910
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $-160,884
   
Net Assets $4,313,948

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
Orchestra Operations $1,679,608 76.9%
Concert Productions $258,239 11.8%
Marketing $239,365 11.0%

Ratings History

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2020-06 04/01/2022 81.17
2019-06 06/01/2021 85.91
2018-06 03/01/2020 88.64
2017-06 11/01/2019 88.46

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 04-2790069
Name in IRS Master File BOSTON YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC
NTEE Code A69
NTEE Classification Symphony Orchestras
NTEE Type Arts, Culture and Humanities
Classification Charitable Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities (119) Other cultural or historical activities
Foundation Status Organization that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes.  509(a)(2)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
Affiliation Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date June, 1983
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End June
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • June, 2017
  • June, 2016
  • June, 2015
  • June, 2014
  • June, 2013
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$184,452 5.43% Catherine Weiskel Executive Director

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (MA) 81.17
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PA) 86.55
The Florida Orchestra (FL) 88.22
Oregon Symphony (OR) 86.68
Omaha Symphony (NE) 92.27

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

Are you the representative for this organization? If so, click here to access the application form. As an official representative you will have the ability to update some of the information on this page.

Charity Contact Info

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras
855 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
tel: (617) 353-3348
EIN: 04-2790069

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Margaret Chen
President

CEO

Catherine Weiskel
Executive Director

please wait...

    • I want to donate to Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras

      $
      next

    • Frequency

      back
      next

    • Would you like us to email someone and CC you?

      This email identifies you as the donor but does not specify the amount of your gift.
      back
    A donation of to has been added to your Giving Basket!

    Basket Total:
    Check Out Now or Continue Researching

Join Our Mailing List

Join over 400,000 other informed givers and get updates on charity ratings, new features, hot topics, and tips for donating.

As seen on