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Ballet Metropolitan Inc

EIN 31-0858562 · Columbus, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BALLETMET WILL CELEBRATE DANCE BY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH QUALITY PERFORMANCES, INSTRUCTION, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND CREATION OF NEW WORK.

Income
$10.1 million
Spending
$8.7 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
7.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 59%
Employees
200
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$177,333, 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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    42 of 44 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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 (4)
  1. $4.9 million spent. PROFESSIONAL COMPANY PERFORMANCES - BALLETMET IS ONE OF COLUMBUS'S LARGEST PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND AMONG THE NATION'S TOP BALLET COMPANIES. A RESIDENT COMPANY OF 26 PROFESSIONAL DANCERS PERFORMS AN ANNUAL SEASON OF 60-90 PERFORMANCES, WITH A REPERTOIRE RANGING FROM CLASSICAL BALLETS TO CONTEMPORARY MASTERWORKS. THE COMMISSION AND PERFORMANCE OF NEW WORKS IS A CORE PRIORITY AND AN ESSENTIAL ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS, AND BALLETMET HAS COMMISSIONED THE WORLD'S MOST HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER CHOREOGRAPHERS.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OBALLETMET ALSO SUPPORTS EMERGING CHOREOGRAPHERS, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF ITS COMPANY DANCERS WHO HAVE EARNED SIGNIFICANT NATIONAL AWARDS FOR THEIR WORK. BALLETMET IS A CULTURAL AMBASSADOR FOR COLUMBUS, TOURING NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, INCLUDING TWICE BY INVITATION AT NEW YORK CITY'S PRESTIGIOUS JOYCE THEATER. COLUMBUS PERFORMANCE VENUES INCLUDE THE OHIO AND JOANN DAVIDSON THEATRES AND THE 225-SEAT PERFORMANCE SPACE ON BALLETMET'S DOWNTOWN CAMPUS.
  2. $2.4 million spent. DANCE ACADEMY CLASSES - THE BALLETMET DANCE ACADEMY OFFERS A FULL CURRICULUM FOR THE SERIOUS AND THE RECREATIONAL STUDENT, WITH A VARIETY OF CLASSES FOR AGES THREE TO SENIOR ADULT. CLASSES INCLUDE BALLET, POINTE, MODERN, TAP, JAZZ, FLAMENCO, YOGA AND PILATES. YOUTH STUDENTS PERFORM IN AN ANNUAL ACADEMY PERFORMANCE, WITH MORE ADVANCED OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH PERFORMANCE ENSEMBLES AND, BY AUDITION, IN LARGE-CAST COMPANY PRODUCTIONS. INTENSIVE STUDY OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED STUDENTS, AND A TRAINEE PROGRAM FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLERS AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES PROVIDES ADVANCED TRAINING FOR A PROFESSIONAL CAREER. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OTHE ANNUAL SUMMER INTENSIVE OFFERS A FIVE-WEEK PROGRAM FOR LOCAL AND NATIONALLY AUDITIONED STUDENTS TO BUILD AND REFINE DANCE SKILLS, TRAINING WITH BALLETMET ARTISTS AND FACULTY. THE TRAINEE AND INTENSIVE PROGRAMS OFTEN IDENTIFY FUTURE BALLETMET DANCERS, AND A NUMBER OF TRAINEES HAVE GRADUATED TO DANCE WITH COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD.
  3. $388,333 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING:DANCE INSTRUCTION - ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES - DANCE-IN-SCHOOLS PROGRAMS CONNECT STUDENTS, PROFESSIONAL AND TEACHING ARTISTS, AND CLASSROOM EDUCATORS THROUGH RESIDENCIES, LECTURE DEMONSTRATIONS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND PERFORMANCE-RELATED ACTIVITIES. IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES INTEGRATE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (ODE) DANCE CONTENT STANDARDS. MOVING INTO LITERACY, DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 1 - 3, FUSES DANCE AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS EDUCATION TO POSITIVELY IMPACT LITERACY AND CRITICAL THINKING. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OA SECOND RESIDENCY PROGRAM IS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE THAT PREPARES PRESCHOOLERS FOR KINDERGARTEN BY INTEGRATING MOVEMENT WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND LITERACY SKILLS. STUDENTS MAY ALSO VIEW A PERFORMANCE IN THEIR SCHOOL WITH NARRATION THAT EXPLAINS DANCE. WORKSHOPS PROVIDE TEACHER TRAINING THAT INTEGRATES ODE DANCE CONTENT STANDARDS WITH CURRICULUM STUDIES. MORNING AT THE BALLET IS A FULLY STAGED THEATRE PERFORMANCE BY BALLETMET THAT INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO DANCE AS A PERFORMING ART AND ENHANCES INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING WITH RELATED CLASSROOM RESOURCE MATERIALS.CULTURAL & ETHNIC AWARENESS - ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES: COMMUNITY PROGRAMS - BALLETMET IS COMMITTED TO INVOLVING A BROAD SEGMENT OF THE CENTRAL OHIO COMMUNITY IN DANCE. UP TO 3,500 COMPLIMENTARY KIDTIX TICKETS AND PREPARATION MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED FOR UNDERSERVED GROUPS IDENTIFIED THROUGH YOUTH, SOCIAL SERVICE, AND FAITH-BASED AGENCIES.STUDENT FINANCIAL AID: EDUCATION - BALLETMET'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN 1987 WITH NET PROCEEDS FROM A COLUMBUS PRESENTATION OF DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM. NOW NAMED THE DANCE ACADEMY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, THIS OFFERING HAS BEEN EXPANDED AND REFINED TO SERVE A GREATER NUMBER OF STUDENTS. SCHOLARSHIPS PROVIDE DANCE ACADEMY TRAINING AND DANCE-RELATED ACTIVITIES TO DESERVING URBAN AND SUBURBAN YOUTH. UP TO 70 SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AWARDED ANNUALLY AND RANGE FROM FULL ANNUAL TUITION TO PARTIAL TUITION. SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE IS AWARDED BY AUDITION, AND IS BASED ON TALENT AND FINANCIAL NEED. THE MAJORITY OF RECIPIENTS REPRESENT MINORITY OR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. FINANCIAL AID IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR QUALIFIED STUDENTS.
  4. $35,633 spent. TOURING AND RENTALS.

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 October 13, 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 1975.

    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 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.