Ballet Theatre Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE, TO PRESENT, TO PRESERVE, AND TO EXTEND THE GREAT REPERTOIRE OF CLASSICAL DANCING THROUGH EXCITING PERFORMANCES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, PRESENTED TO THE WIDEST POSSIBLE AUDIENCE. AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE IS COMMITTED TO ITS TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE AND ITS LEADERSHIP ROLE AS AMERICA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY.
- Income
- $41.0 million
- Spending
- $55.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 769
- Volunteers
- 37
- Highest pay
- $518,554, artistic director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 50% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2537 of 39 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
- $38.1 million spent. SEASONS:IN 2024, ABT PRESENTED 8 WEEKS OF PERFORMANCES IN NEW YORK CITY AND 2 WEEKS OF PERFORMANCES IN COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA. THE FIVE-WEEK SPRING METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE SEASON REPERTORY INCLUDED THE FULL-LENGTH BALLETS OF ONEGIN, WOOLF WORKS, SWAN LAKE, ROMEO AND JULIET, AND LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE. ABT PRESENTED THREE WEEKS OF REPERTORY PROGRAMS IN OCTOBER AT THE DAVID H. KOCH THEATER AT LINCOLN CENTER. IN DECEMBER, ABT PRESENTED THE NUTCRACKER FOR TWO WEEKS AT THE SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA.
- $2.7 million spent. TOURING: ABT'S TOURING BRINGS CLASSICAL BALLET TO AUDIENCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. TOURING IN 2024 INCLUDED A REGULAR RESIDENCY AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS IN WASHINGTON, DC. ADDITIONAL TOURING IN 2024 INCLUDED PERFORMANCES AT THE SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA.
- $7.7 million spent. EDUCATIONAL TRAINING AND OUTREACH: IN 2024, AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE'S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING REACHED OVER 40,000 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS. ABT'S PRIMARY OUTREACH PROGRAM IS ABT AT SCHOOL: SERVING 20 NYC SCHOOLS ENGAGING OVER 2,500 STUDENTS. ABT'S STUDENT TRAINING PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS SCHOOL (366 STUDENTS); SUMMER INTENSIVES HELD IN-PERSON (725 STUDENTS) AND ABT STUDIO COMPANY (12 STUDENTS), A PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM. ABT'S TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM (ABT NATIONAL TRAINING CURRICULUM) HAD 138 NEWLY CERTIFIED TEACHERS ENROLLED IN ITS 2024 COURSES. TO DATE, THE PROGRAM HAS CERTIFIED ALMOST 4,000 (3,982) TEACHERS IN 49 STATES AND 63 COUNTRIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 November 6, 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 December 2024.
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 June 1947.
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 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.