Harlem Stage Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HARLEM STAGE IS A PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THAT CELEBRATES AND PERPETUATES THE UNIQUE AND DIVERSE ARTISTIC LEGACY OF HARLEM AND THE INDELIBLE IMPRESSION IT HAS MADE ON AMERICAN CULTURE. WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY, COMMISSIONING, AND SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS OF COLOR, MAKE PERFORMANCES EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AUDIENCES, AND INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO THE RICH DIVERSITY, EXCITEMENT, AND INSPIRATION OF THE PERFORMING ARTS.
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $4.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 72%
- Employees
- 29
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $283,169, ceo and artistic director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 48 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 22% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 18 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 June 30, 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 (2)
- $2.4 million spent. PRESENTING/COMMISSIONINGFOUNDED IN 1983, HARLEM STAGE IS A DYNAMIC HUB OF ARTISTIC EXPERIMENTATION, DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING PERFORMING ARTISTS OF THE GLOBAL MAJORITY AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR JOURNEY. WE SERVE AS A BEACON OF ARTISTIC FREEDOM FOR NEW YORK CITY, THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. GUIDED BY ITS NORTH STAR-HARLEM IS OUR HOME; THE WORLD IS OUR STAGE-HARLEM STAGE IS A PLATFORM WHERE BOLD, FEARLESS, AND DARING CREATION KNOWS NO BOUNDS WITH 40 - 50 EVENTS ANNUALLY. WE ARE A STAGE TO CREATE FEARLESSLY WITH NEW WORKS; TO PRESENT BOLDLY THROUGH THEATER, DANCE, MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD, FILM, AND LITERATURE; TO EDUCATE ENDLESSLY, ENGAGING LEARNERS OF ALL AGES; TO QUESTION RELENTLESSLY THE IDEAS THAT SHAPE THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE; AND TO ENGINEER EQUITY IN AN ARTISTIC LANDSCAPE THAT HAS LONG UNDERINVESTED IN PERFORMING ARTISTS AND COMMUNITIES OF THE GLOBAL MAJORITY.
- $346,424 spent. EDUCATIONAT HARLEM STAGE, WE BELIEVE THE ARTS HAVE THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER TO SHAPE YOUNG LIVES, BUT ALSO LIFELONG LEARNERS OF ALL AGES TO IGNITE CRITICAL THINKING AND GIVE VOICE TO UNDERREPRESENTED AND DISADVANTAGED YOUTH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM NYC AND BEYOND. THROUGH FREE STUDENT-ONLY MATINEES, IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES, IMMERSIVE WRITING AND PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS, WE BRING MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OF ALL AGES INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS. OUR PROGRAM SPARKS THE COURAGE TO CONFRONT TOUGH, REAL-WORLD TOPICS-RACIAL EQUITY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, IMMIGRATION, GENDER EQUALITY, CONFLICT ZONES, AND THE RIGHTS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITIES, AND MORE - ENGAGING STUDENTS IN STORIES THAT AMPLIFY THE POWER OF ART TO ENACT REAL SOCIAL CHANGE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1983.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 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.