Grand Rapids Symphony Society
To share great music that moves the human soul and to excel at providing distinctive musical experiences, with an emphasis on live orchestral music, for diverse audiences throughout West Michigan. The organization fulfills its mission by presenting high-quality orchestral performances, advancing musical education, engaging and developing audiences, and collaborating with educational and community organizations throughout West Michigan.
Grand Rapids Symphony Society at a glance
In short: Grand Rapids Symphony Society gave $4.0M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $4.0M), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,000,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- Average grant
- $4,000,000
- Median grant
- $4,000,000
- Total assets
- $16,733,305
- +280.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.
Who Grand Rapids Symphony Society funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Grand Rapids Symphony Foundation ($4.0M).
Grant Size Distribution
1 grant across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 1 grant of 1 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $4.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Symphony Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Support Operations | $4,000,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $16,733,305 | $26,841,771 | $17,017,650 | $4,000,000 | 1 | $1,028 |
| 2024 | $4,392,665 | $9,886,659 | $10,834,551 | — | — | $9,599 |
| 2023 | $5,409,586 | $9,638,402 | $10,876,158 | — | — | $19,147 |
| 2022 | $6,657,585 | $10,068,479 | $10,380,522 | — | — | $369 |
| 2021 | $6,431,115 | $8,438,954 | $7,997,494 | — | — | $518 |
| 2020 | $6,537,145 | $9,967,085 | $9,962,137 | — | — | $1,402 |
| 2019 | $7,457,788 | $10,341,420 | $10,914,975 | — | — | $5,407 |
About Grand Rapids Symphony Society
Based on IRS filings
Grand Rapids Symphony Society is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Grand Rapids, MI. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $16.7M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $4.0M. Net investment income was $1K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Grand Rapids Symphony Society is led by Keith Elder, President on every filing since 2023; 3 of 49 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Keith Elder
President
On filings since 2023
38 hrs/week
$103K (2024) → $216K (2025)
Renee Tabben
Chairperson
Director → Chair Elect, 2022
Chair Elect → Chairperson, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Roane
Chairperson
Director → Chairperson, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Perez
Director
President, CEO Pa & Director → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$110K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Haijin Choi
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$33K (2023) → $37K (2025)
Paul Austin
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
$33K (2025)
Bishop Marvin Sapp
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Frayer
Director
Incoming President → Interim President, 2023
Interim President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Dams
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Thompson
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Don Hunt
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Wilterdink
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gina Paul
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Levan
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Milton Rohwer
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peg Padnos
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Welch
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Sanial
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terrence Ledbetter
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andy Keller
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brad Laackman
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charsie Sawyer
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hyung Kim
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Manica
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leah Voigt
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natalia Kovicak
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Doyle
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Krista Paulin
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tim Tierney
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alicia Cordoba
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne Blake-Dreher
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Hohman
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bennett Morgan
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Corinne Sprague
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Van Baren
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Starnes
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stuart White
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Watson
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tripp Vanderwal
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Strand
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim O'Connor
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Cebelak
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Schneider
Secretary
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Robson
Vice Chairperson
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Luis Avila
Immediate Pa
Chairperson → Outgoing Cha, 2022
Outgoing Cha → Immediate Pa, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Ellis
Vice Chairperson
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tim Liang
Vice Chairperson
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracey Hornbeck
Treasurer
Treasurer El → Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug Thompson
Officer
Director → Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (54)
- Former: Lori Lee Curley (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Travis Ward (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: David Hall (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Xuesi Li Gurney (2024) — Director
- Former: John Irwin (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Robert Fairman (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Mary Tuuk Kuras (2020–2023) — Outgoing President
- Former: Peter Hahn (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Xuesi Li (2023) — Director
- Former: Christopher Hufnagel (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: David Eisler (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: John Hendrickson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Karl Betz (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Peter Kok (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Rebecca Steketee (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Rhonda Huismann (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: John Vanbaren (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Deidra Mitchell (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kristen Shoup (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Misha Sukenik (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Christine Golden (2022) — Director
- Former: Jeffrey Cook (2022) — Director
- Former: Gene Ford (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Karl Sanford (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Jack Latta (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jeffery Cook (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Rick Pappas (2021) — Director
- Former: Anette Estrada (2019–2020) — Retired Treasurer
- Former: Arthur Johnson (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Barbara Gordon (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Glen Goodfellow (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Harold Voorhees (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Jason Decker (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Kate Pew Wolters (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Linda Nelson (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Lori Raya (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Mary Ellan Logan (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Patrick Kuras (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Tim O'Donovan (2019–2020) — Vice Chairperson
- Former: Katy York (2020) — Director
- Former: Paige Afendoulis (2020) — Director
- Former: Amy Keane (2019) — Director
- Former: Andola Mathis (2019) — Director
- Former: Beth Wooster Colpean (2019) — Director
- Former: George Bayard (2019) — Director
- Former: Greg Saniel (2019) — Director
- Former: Joann Derby (2019) — Director
- Former: Marcia Haas (2019) — Director
- Former: Mary Tuuk (2019) — President & CEO Pa
- Former: Nancy Patterson (2019) — Director
- Former: Paige Cornetet (2019) — Director
- Former: Peg Breon (2019) — Director
- Former: Robert Connors (2019) — Director
- Former: Terry Ledbetter (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $216K, to Keith Elder (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Grand Rapids Symphony Society
How much does Grand Rapids Symphony Society give each year?
Grand Rapids Symphony Society gave $4.0M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
How large is Grand Rapids Symphony Society?
Grand Rapids Symphony Society reported $16.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $26.8M.
What is Grand Rapids Symphony Society?
Grand Rapids Symphony Society is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Grand Rapids, MI. It holds $16.7M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Grand Rapids Symphony Society operate?
Grand Rapids Symphony Society has awarded grants in Michigan.
What is Grand Rapids Symphony Society's EIN?
Grand Rapids Symphony Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6005447. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 31, 2026)
Live grants for the work Grand Rapids Symphony Society funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Grand Rapids Symphony Society's focus areas in our free grants database
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