Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PORTLAND EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE ENSEMBLE IS DEDICATED TO PROPOSING NEW WAYS OF BEING THROUGH CREATIVE INQUIRY AND PERFORMANCE.
- Income
- $338,866
- Spending
- $382,593
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 4.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 51%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $40,800, 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: 59 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $175,077 spent. PRODUCTION:PETE PRODUCES ONE TO TWO FULL THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS A SEASON ASWELL AS AT LEAST ONE WORKSHOP IN PORTLAND, OR. WE CREATE EACHWORK THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS UTILIZING PERFORMANCECOMPOSITION TECHNIQUES. WHILE EVERY PRODUCTION DEFINES ITS OWNAESTHETIC NEEDS, OUR WORK IS MARKED BY AN INTEREST IN RIGOR,PHYSICAL STORYTELLING AND NOTIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SURREALISM.ALL PERFORMANCES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND OUR AUDIENCES RANGEFROM 100 FOR A WEEKEND WORKSHOP TO OVER 1,000 FOR A THREE-WEEKRUN. OUR WORK IS SUPPORTED BY GRANTS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS,COMMISSIONS AND TICKET SALES. SINCE 2011, PETE HAS PRODUCED 20 FULLPRODUCTIONS (R3: AFTER SHAKESPEARE, SONG OF THE DODO, THE THREESISTERS, ENTER THE NIGHT, DROWNED HORSE TAVERN, ALL WELL, OR THEWHALE, PROCEDURES FOR SAYING NO, DECEPTION UNIT, UNCLE VANYA, HOWTO LEARN, OUR RUINED HOUSE, BECKETT WOMEN, WEATHER ROOM,FRONTERIZA, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THE AMERICANS, CARDIAC ORGAN, ASEAGULL, AW, HELL).
- $155,757 spent. TRAINING:PETE RUNS A TRAINING CENTER IN CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE(INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE/ICP). WE TEACH MULTIPLECOMMUNITY CLASSES IN PERFORMANCE TRAINING AND THREE INTENSIVES PERYEAR COVERING THE VIEWPOINTS, SUZUKI, AS WELL AS LINKLATER VOICE,COMPOSITION TECHNIQUES AND ENSEMBLE BUILDING. IN THE FALL OF 2015,WE STARTED A YEAR-LONG TRAINING PROGRAM IN CONTEMPORARYPERFORMANCE GEARED TOWARDS TRAINING YOUNG ARTISTS IN MAKING NEWWORK FOR THE THEATER. 2024-25 MARKS OUR NINTH YEAR OF ENROLLMENTWITH 14 STUDENTS. PETE ALSO RUNS A HIGH-SCHOOL DEVISED THEATREPROGRAM, BRINGING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM DEMOGRAPHICALLYDIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER TO CREATE PERFORMANCE THATGENERATES DIALOGUE ACROSS DIFFERENCE, IMPACTING 125-200 STUDENTSPER YEAR.
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 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 June 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 November 2004.
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.