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Theatre Development Fund Inc

EIN 13-6216919 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$20.4 million
Spending
$19.5 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
4.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 71%
Employees
155
Volunteers
26
Highest pay
$369,600, executive 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

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 46% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 26 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (8)
  1. $4.4 million spent. TKTS BY TDF - THE TKTS TICKET BOOTHS SUPPORT TDF'S MISSION OF ENCOURAGING AND ENABLING DIVERSE AUDIENCES TO ATTEND THEATRE AND DANCE. THE TKTS BOOTHS, STARTING IN 1973 WITH ONE AND AT JUNE 30, 2025, NUMBERING TWO, SELL APPROXIMATELY 630,000 SAME-DAY DISCOUNTED TICKETS ANNUALLY TO BROADWAY AND OFF-BROADWAY THEATRE AND DANCE PERFORMANCES. TKTS ENABLES THEATREGOERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD FULL PRICE TICKETS TO ATTEND THEATRE, WHICH IN TURN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES ATTENDANCE. (Expenses $ 1,877,526 including grants of $ 144,500)(Revenue $ 442,779) TDF ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAMS (Expenses $ 1,835,754 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 955,358) TDF COSTUME COLLECTION (Expenses $ 1,078,159 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 16,471) DIGITAL STRATEGY & JOURNALISM (Expenses $ 903,645 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 0) OUTREACH AND PUBLIC RELATIONS (Expenses $ 117,621 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 0) AUDIENCE RESEARCH
  2. $2.7 million spent. TDF MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM - THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM ALSO SUPPORTS TDF'S MISSION OF ENCOURAGING AND ENABLING DIVERSE AUDIENCES TO ATTEND THEATRE AND DANCE. ANNUALLY TDF MAKES POSSIBLE THE SALE OF APPROXIMATELY 575,000 DEEPLY-DISCOUNTED TICKETS TO BROADWAY, OFF-BROADWAY, AND OFF-OFF BROADWAY THEATRE AND DANCE PERFORMANCES TO OVER 120,000 TDF MEMBERS, WHO QUALIFY FOR MEMBERSHIP BY CERTIFYING THAT THEY BELONG TO ONE OF THIRTEEN CATEGORIES MAKING THEM ELIGIBLE FOR DISCOUNTED TICKETS.
  3. $2.1 million spent. TDF SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - THE EDUCATION PROGRAM BUILDS AUDIENCES FOR THE THEATRE BY INTRODUCING YOUNG PEOPLE TO LIVE THEATRE AND PREPARING THEM TO ENGAGE AS AUDIENCES. APPROXIMATELY 11,000 NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT TO THEATRE AND DANCE PERFORMANCES ANNUALLY AT NO COST TO THE SCHOOLS OR STUDENTS, AND IN ADDITION THESE YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN CLASSROOM WORKSHOPS, POST-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONS AND PLAYWRIGHTING WORKSHOPS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE AND CONTEXTUALIZE THEIR EXPERIENCE. TDF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS WORK TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL AUDIENCES FROM EVERY BOROUGH AND NEIGHBORHOOD IN NEW YORK CITY, CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OVER 55 CENTERS OR AGENCIES. (Expenses $ 1,877,526 including grants of $ 144,500)(Revenue $ 442,779) TDF ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAMS (Expenses $ 1,835,754 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 955,358) TDF COSTUME COLLECTION (Expenses $ 1,078,159 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 16,471) DIGITAL STRATEGY & JOURNALISM (Expenses $ 903,645 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 0) OUTREACH AND PUBLIC RELATIONS (Expenses $ 117,621 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 0) AUDIENCE RESEARCH
  4. $1.9 million spent. TDF ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAMS
  5. $1.8 million spent. TDF COSTUME COLLECTION
  6. $1.1 million spent. DIGITAL STRATEGY & JOURNALISM
  7. $903,645 spent. OUTREACH AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
  8. $117,621 spent. AUDIENCE RESEARCH

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1967.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.