Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOR OVER 57 YEARS, THE SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, IN HEART OF THE GLORIOUS SPA STATE PARK IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, HAS BEEN THE SUMMER HOME OF NEW YORK CITY BALLET AND THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA, AND THE LOCATION OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND PERFORMANCES OF BEST-IN-CLASS ARTISTS ACROSS ALL GENRES. AS IT MOVES INTO THE FUTURE, SPAC EMBRACES ITS ROLE AS A STEWARD OF ITS PLACE IN THE NATURAL WORLD AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF BEAUTY IN HUMAN LIVES. SPAC WORKS TO HARNESS THAT POWER FROM BOTH HUMAN-MADE AND NATURAL SOURCES TO FORGE DEEP CONNECTIONS FROM PERSON TO PERSON AND PERSON TO PLANET THROUGH A FUTURE THAT EMBRACES AN EVER-EXPANDING DEFINITION OF THE ARTS INCLUDING PERFORMING ARTS, VISUAL ARTS, LITERARY ARTS, CULINARY ARTS, HEALING ARTS AND BEYOND. IN ITS WORK ON BEHALF OF ART, ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY, SPAC WORKS TO EDUCATE, REVEAL, INSPIRE, AND SERVE THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD WHICH CONNECTS, RESPECTS, AND ELEVATES ALL HUMAN BEINGS.
- Income
- $16.4 million
- Spending
- $15.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 41%
- Employees
- 521
- Volunteers
- 276
- Highest pay
- $656,374, president and ceo
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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 21% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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 2532 of 32 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 (1)
- $11.8 million spent. THE PRESENTATION OF THE PERFORMING ARTS IN ORDER TO SPONSOR, CULTIVATE AND DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF SUCH ART BY THE CENTER'S MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY. WE PRESENT 70-80 EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, REACHING OVER 350,000 PEOPLE EACH YEAR IN THE AREAS OF DANCE, ORCHESTRA, CHAMBER MUSIC, JAZZ, AND ROCK AND ROLL. OUR FACILITY IS THE SUMMER HOME TO THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA, THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET, AND THE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. OUR EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES, BOTH IN OUR ON-CAMPUS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AND THROUGH OUR OUTREACH IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE REGION BRING THE ARTS TO MORE THAN 50,000 CHILDREN EACH YEAR.
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 December 1963.
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.