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Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago

EIN 36-4021553 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak35 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Porchlight, Chicagos home for music theatre, illuminates the past, present and future of this American art form through live performance, youth education and outreach programs that positively impact and connect us to the community.

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$2.0 million
Spent on programs
61%
Reserves
0.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 60%
Employees
83
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$90,920, artistic director coo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 53% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    61% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 36 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 25

    15 of 15 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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 August 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 (2)
  1. $985,698 spent. Productions: Porchlight Music Theatre is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the citys Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicagos most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate, diverse and powerful theatrical lens of the Chicago Style. The companys many accolades include a total of 190 Joseph Jefferson Award nominations resulting in 53 Jeff Awards (including five consecutive Best Production awards for the years 2013-2017), 43 Black Theatre Alliance nominations and 15 awards, and 28 After Dark Awards. Porchlights 30-year production history includes more than 76 mainstage works with 16 Chicago premieres and five world premieres.
  2. $220,143 spent. Education and Outreach: Porchlights education and outreach program provides focused training and experiences for Chicago youth to create, practice, perform and appreciate the unique American art form of music theatre. Through its fee-based classes and summer camps, Porchlight welcomes children from 4-17 years of age, many of whom received full or partial scholarships. Porchlight also provides customized in-school, after-school and community organization programs that include focused skills training, supporting the production of full-length musicals across the city, as well as our signature Sing Out! literacy and theater residency that leads students to create their own musical adaptation of a book. In the 2024-2025 season, Porchlight partnered with 7 schools, reaching hundreds of local kids. Porchlight is a strategic source vendor and a qualified and preferred arts partner with Chicago Public Schools.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 August 1995.

    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.