Arts, Culture & Humanities (A69Z) IRS Verified DX Registered 990 on File

LANCASTER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

EIN: 23-6299058 · LANCASTER, PA 17602-3587 · United States · FY 2023 Data

4 out of 5 74 / 100 Based on 2+ years of filings

Financial strength (30%) 50/100

Reliability (20%) 84/100

Effectiveness (25%) 90/100

Impact (25%) 80/100

Financial data: FY 2025 · Scored 9/13/2026

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CharityAI™ Score

out of 100

Mission Statement

The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra connects and inspires our diverse community through dynamic live performances, transformative music education, and meaningful collaborations. We make the power of symphonic music accessible to all, fostering a deeper appreciation for the arts and enriching the cultural fabric of Lancaster.

Financial Overview — FY 2023

$734K

Total Revenue

$955K

Total Expenses

$-477,128

Net Assets

155

Employees

Revenue Sources

Expense Breakdown

Program Expense Ratio 70.8%

Fundraising Efficiency 5575.3%

Operating Reserve -5.99x

Liability-to-Asset 818.7%

Revenue Diversification 60.9%

Executive Compensation $82K

Compared with Peers

FY 2025

Compared with 7,068 similar organizations (United States, Arts, Culture & Humanities, $100K–$1M in expenses), FY 2025. This organization's figures are from FY 2023.

This organization Middle half of peers (P25–P75) Peer median

Ratio	This org	Peer median	Position (P10 → P90)
Program expense ratio Program expenses / total expenses · higher is better	70.8%	81.9%	P10P90	Below median
Admin expense ratio Management and general / total expenses · lower is better	17.1%	13.7%	P10P90	Below median
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expenses / total expenses · lower is better	12.1%	0.0%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Fundraising efficiency Fundraising expenses / gross fundraising income · lower is better	5575.3%	27.4%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Operating reserve Months of expenses covered by net assets · higher is better	-6.0 mo	9.4 mo	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Liabilities to assets Total liabilities / total assets · lower is better	818.7%	1.5%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Revenue concentration Share of revenue from the largest source · lower is better	60.9%	77.2%	P10P90	Above median
Revenue growth Year over year revenue growth	-15.6%	6.7%	P10P90
Expense growth Year over year expense growth	3.4%	5.9%	P10P90
Surplus margin Surplus as a share of revenue	-30.1%	2.4%	P10P90

CharityAI™ Evaluation — 2025

60 / 100

Financial

Reliability

Effectiveness

Impact

Financial Strength (30%) 50

Reliability & Transparency (20%) 84

Program Effectiveness (25%) 90

Impact & Outcomes (25%) 25

10,013 served annually $29 per beneficiary 1 programs 200 staff

IRS Verified Form 990 on File 95% Data Complete

Impact

2 programs

Outcome / Program	People Served	Cost / Service	# Completed	Duration
10,013 community members benefited from free music education and outreach programs.	10,013	$29.18	—	Per Year
—	10,013	$29.18	—	Per Year

Financial History

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Net Assets	Program %	Staff
2023	$734K	$955K	$-477,128	70.8%	155
2022	$870K	$924K	$-255,998	72.2%	125
2021	$435K	$441K	N/A	—	91

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Organization Details

EIN: 23-6299058
State: PA
City: LANCASTER
ZIP: 17602-3587
Classification: A69Z
Category: Arts, Culture & Humanities
Rating: 4★
Coverage: A
Last Updated: Aug 2026
IRS Ruling Year: 1947
Foundation Code: 16
Form 990: On File

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CharityAI™ rates charities from 0 to 100 using public filings (IRS Form 990 and the equivalent registries outside the US) together with the information the charity itself provides on DonationX. Ratings are recalculated every quarter, without human bias, and shown as stars.

Four pillars

Financial strength30%

Program expense ratio, fundraising efficiency, operating reserves, liabilities and revenue diversification, compared with similar organizations.

Reliability20%

Standing with the registry, filing history, verification and how complete the profile is.

Effectiveness25%

How much goes to programs and how consistently the organization delivers them.

Impact25%

The outcomes the charity reports on DonationX: people served, cost per service and results.

Stars

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The coverage grade (A to D) says how much filing data the score rests on; NONE means there is not enough to rate.
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