National Alliance for Musical Theatre Inc
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
NAMT is a member service organization with a mission to be a catalyst for nurturing musical theatre development, production, innovation, and collaboration. Our approximately 200 members, located throughout the U.S. and abroad, are some of the leading producers of musical theatre in the world. Our members represent a diverse cross-section of the theatre community and include regional theatres, presenters, higher education groups, developmental organizations, and individual producers, with budgets totaling over $680,000,000. Last season, the NAMT members collectively: - Employed nearly 30,000 administrators and artists - Staged more than 13,000 performances attended by over 5 million people - Entertained over 410,000 loyal subscribers - Provided education programs for half a million students and teachers - Had operating budgets totaling more than $650 million - Performed in 270 venues with a total of 140,000 seats - Performed in 270 venues with a total of 140,000 seats
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 42%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $156,379, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 48% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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 April 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)
- $686,008 spent. NEW WORKS PROGRAMS Festival of New Musicals: The 36th Annual Festival of New Musicals had a record-breaking attendance of NAMT members and other industry professionals and artists across registrations for Premiere, Select, Access and General passes as well as limited Festival writer Show-Only comp registrations and walk-up registrations. Over 875 attendees from all over the world joined us at New World Stages on October 24th & 25th, a 15% increase in attendance with over 115 more visiting the event than in 2023. New to the Festival programming slate, Fest 2024 featured a new afternoon supplemental event with the Festival Roadtrips, which highlighted member programs at Village Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Red Mountain Theatre & Theater Latt Da. This was well-received, notwithstanding the inherent obstacle of midday programming. Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students: The 2024-25 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, a partnership between NAMT and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), successfully provided high school students with the opportunity to develop and showcase their original musical compositions. Throughout the program, students participated in online workshops, received constructive critiques from experienced musical theater professionals, and engaged in group coaching sessions to refine their songs. The Challenge culminated in the selection of winning writers and writing teams in Spring 2025, who were invited to New York City for mentorship and a concert performance of their songs in June. This initiative helped foster the next generation of musical theater songwriters and highlighted NAMT's commitment to nurturing young talent. Frank Young Fund for New Musicals (FYFNM): Over the past year, the Frank Young Fund awarded 20 grants totaling $80,000 to NAMT member not-for-profit theatres. Since its inception in 2008, the Fund has awarded 257 grants totaling $1,000,500 to support new work at every stage of development, from writer residencies to full productions, with selections made by a panel of experienced musical theatre professionals. Impact & Exploration Fund (I&EF): NAMT's Impact & Exploration Fund is designed to help NAMT member theatres pilot new capacity-building programs to advance their missions. Areas of exploration may include (but are not limited to) technology, accessibility, audience development, education, and artistic innovation. Grant recipients must report the results of their funded programs to the rest of the membership, helping others who may be considering similar innovations. This past year, seven I&EF grants were awarded, totaling $25,000 to member not-for-profit theatres.
- $385,540 spent. MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS Conferences: Both educational and inspiring, our national conferences are opportunities for member organizations to interact, collaborate, and share ideas on the latest trends in musical theatre. The 2024 Fall Conference was held in New York, NY on October 22 & 23, 2024, and was entitled "Reboot & Regroup." Maybe the most important musical theatre networking event of the year, the 2024 Fall Conference explored the most pressing issues around new work production and development, as well as the state of the industry more broadly. Just as importantly, it provided a community for leaders of theatres from all over the country and the world to share best practices, brainstorm and support one another. The conference also included networking opportunities, such as a cocktail party and the NAMT Annual Membership Meeting. The 2025 Spring Conference, entitled "Backstage to Box Office: Building Better Branding," was held at Red Mountain Theatre in Birmingham, AL on April 9-11, 2025, where we hosted in-depth sessions on marketing best practices, innovations and the state of the field. In addition to panels, breakouts and speakers, the Spring Conference featured plenty of networking time to network, great food, and visits to some of Birmingham's top attractions. Conference topics included managing your organization-wide messaging and collaborating across departments, subscriptions and data analysis, social media case studies, new technological tools, case studies through an entire ticketing cycle, alternative revenue streams, and marketing's role in accessibility and community engagement. Webinars: NAMT continued to expand its virtual programming, offering a robust slate of webinars to inform, connect, and support its membership. A key addition was the launch of Conference Continued, a new monthly series of online roundtables designed to dive deeper into topics raised during NAMT's in-person conferences. This inaugural year featured conversations on co-productions, commercial enhancement, care for artists, and innovative approaches to the enhancement model. NAMT also hosted informational webinars to support applicants for the Writers Residency Grant and the new Impact & Exploration Fund, providing transparency and guidance throughout the application processes. Additional online offerings included two Town Halls-one announcing the 36th Annual Festival of New Musicals writing teams and another preparing first-time attendees for NAMT's Fall events. Together, these webinars helped extend NAMT's reach and deepen member engagement year-round. NAMT News & Notes: NAMT News & Notes provides topical industry information to all members and Festival alumni writers. It is sent monthly via email. The Table Read: Launched in April 2023, NAMT's New Works Department newsletter, The Table Read, features articles on and interviews with NAMT Festival/Grantee writers and NAMT members, as well as new interactive media inclusions like New Works Department Spotify playlists and more video and audio content. The Table Read has a readership of ~7,500, with an average open rate of 54% and an average click rate of 10%. Website: NAMT's website, www.namt.org, remains our primary communication tool with members, donors, writers, prospects, and the industry at large. It includes Festival information, updates on other NAMT programs, member information, and more. Some sections require a login and are limited to members or Festival alumni writers, including a detailed member directory, member production histories, a complete directory of Festival and Frank Young Fund for New Musicals shows and their writers, and discount offers and corporate partnerships. The website also includes our Set & Costume Registry, through which members can earn revenue by renting sets, costumes, props, and orchestrations. Since 2019, we have expanded our web-based resources to include the New Musicals Map, an interactive tool that allows members and the public to keep abreast of new musical development happening worldwide; the Impact & Exploration Guide, a compilation of case studies, videos, and grant reports outlining valuable lessons and best practices from NAMT members and other experts; and EDI and Anti-Racism Resources shared among our members and other partners. The site also houses recordings of webinars and online town halls and serves as a central hub for information, upcoming events, member benefits, and all things NAMT. In FY24, NAMT implemented a redesign of our homepage and main navigation menus to drive engagement and improve clarity. Research Services: NAMT conducts industry surveys on subjects such as salaries, benefits, and royalties, sharing the findings with our members.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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 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 October 13, 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 April 2025.
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 January 1988.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Caution.
California's Attorney General lists its registration as revoked as of May 7, 2008. Organizations on this list may not solicit donations in California.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 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.