Clubbed Thumb Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Founded in 1996, Clubbed Thumb commissions, develops and produces funny strange and provocative new plays by living American writers.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 3.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 99
- Volunteers
- 40
- Highest pay
- $105,109, artistic dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 2515 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 December 31, 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 (1)
- $1.6 million spent. The cornerstone of our programming is Summerworks, seven weeks showcasing three fully produced premieres chosen to form an aesthetically diverse constellation of plays, as well as readings from our Early-Career Writers' Group. Summerworks is designed to be a high-ambition, low-stakes container for new work. It always features at least one writer with whom we have not previously worked; at least one writer who has had few, if any, productions; at least one woman playwright (often three); at least one writer of color. It often provides a writers first professional opportunity Will Arbery, Jaclyn Backhaus, Clare Barron and Gina Gionfriddo had their first shows in Summerworks; Sarah Ruhl, Jordan Harrison, Tanya Saracho and Lisa DAmour made their NYC debuts; and plays by Anne Washburn, Samuel D. Hunter, Adam Bock, Jen Silverman, Madeleine George and more were premiered there.In the last 10 years we have remounted 6 of our most successful Summerworks shows for longer runs. Most recently, we produced sold-out runs of Liza Birkenmeiers Grief Hotel and Abe Kooglers Deep Blue Sound, both at The Public Theater (24 and 25). These longer runs at larger theaters afford a higher profile to these plays Deep Blue Sound has already been produced five times in community and regional theaters across the country. In 2026, we are remounting Cold War Choir Practice by Ro Reddick in a 6- to 10-week run, co-producing with MCC (in their 245-seat space) and Page 73. EARLY-CAREER INCUBATIONOur Early-Career Incubator programs consist of the Early-Career Writers Group, the New Play Directing Fellowship and the Producing Fellowship.In the Early-Career Writers Group, eight playwrights are paired with playwright mentors and share their work in biweekly sessions over the course of eight months, with guest professionals providing feedback and sharing career advice. At the end of the program, each writer presents a reading during Summerworks. Notable alumni include Will Arbery, Sarah DeLappe, Mara Nelson-Greenberg, Jaclyn Backhaus, Nazareth Hassan and the 23 and 24 Pulitzer Prize winners for drama (Sanaz Toossi and Eboni Booth).The New Play Directing Fellowship is a five-month program in which three early-career directors work on new plays under the mentorship of director Anne Kauffman. We commission a pool of projects specifically for the program, three of which are selected for a 10-week process in the fall with a cohort of early-career actors, followed by a three-week process with professional collaborators called Winterworks, primarily intended for industry guests. Keenan Tyler Oliphant, Taylor Reynolds, Tara Ahmadinejad and Josiah Davis are notable alumni.In the Producing Fellowship, early-career producers assist on programming, management and marketing under the guidance of staff, either on a project or yearly basis. All alumni of this fellowship are currently successfully pursuing careers in art or arts management.Our goals for these programs are that participants emerge better equipped to successfully conduct their careers, armed with information, contacts, resources, and a support system, as well as honed skills and experience. We connect participants with opportunities, write recommendations, make introductions and generally leverage our imprimatur to help them attain further career development. The programs have had a profound effect on the organization, bringing youth and diversity to all aspects of staff and programming. 75% of the primary artists in the last two Summerworks are alumni of our incubator programs, and Amina Khelif, our most recent administrative hire, was our last producing fellow.In 2025 we created a program which allows us to continue our support of early-career artists from these programs even when we dont hire them directly. The initiative provides modest (re-)grants as well as producing support and mentorship to self-producing playwrights in our network. We give artists grants of 1-5K, and also provide other forms of support: often rehearsal space, printing, casting, hiring, marketing, producing and fundraising advice. We have supported 16 projects in the programs pilot year.In addition to these core activities, we commission at least ten plays a year, including through the Clubbed Thumb Biennial Commission, and maintain an open submission policy. We produce design/staging workshops.workshop several new plays annually, and host an annual playwriting retreat as well as a mid-career writers group. We recently launched a program which offers small grants, mentorship and other support to self-producing, early-career playwrights. Clubbed Thumb is the fiscal sponsor for Stillwright, a group that organizes silent playwriting retreats.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 June 1997.
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 October 21, 2026.
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