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Timeline Theatre Company

EIN 36-4197407 · 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

Points to look into

  • Only 36% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS STORIES INSPIRED BY HISTORY THAT CONNECT WITH TODAY'S SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES. OUR COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATION PRODUCES PROVOCATIVE THEATRE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ENGAGE, ENTERTAIN, AND ENLIGHTEN.

Income
$5.3 million
Spending
$3.0 million
Spent on programs
36%
Reserves
-66.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 85%
Employees
76
Volunteers
120
Highest pay
$134,355, artistic 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

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

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 44% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 66% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    36% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 20 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 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)
  1. $887,875 spent. TIMELINE THEATRE WAS FOUNDED IN 1997 WITH A GOAL OF EXPLORING TODAY'S SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PAST. OVER ITS FIRST 25 YEARS, TIMELINE PRODUCED 84 PLAYS, INCLUDING 11 WORLD PREMIERES AND 39 CHICAGO PREMIERES, THAT EXPLORED COUNTLESS FACETS OF THAT MISSION. FROM LGBTQIA+ (THE NORMAL HEART, BOY) AND JEWISH EXPERIENCES (A SHAYNA MAIDEL, MY NAME IS ASHER LEV) TO ISSUES OF CULTURES INTERSECTING AND INTERTWINING (THE CHINESE LADY, A DISAPPEARING NUMBER, A WALK IN THE WOODS), TO EXPLORATIONS OF PEACE, HUMANITY, POLITICS, AND FAMILY (OSLO, RUTHERFORD AND SON, THE APPLE FAMILY PLAYS), AND THE HISTORICAL ROOTS OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT (RELENTLESS, KILL MOVE PARADISE, A RAISIN IN THE SUN), TIMELINE'S RICH PRODUCTION HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS A MIX OF PERSPECTIVES. TIMELINE HAS BEEN AWARDED 60 JEFF AWARDS, HONORING EXCELLENCE IN CHICAGO THEATRE, INCLUDING 11 FOR OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION, AND RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS 2016 MACARTHUR AWARD FOR CREATIVE AND EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONS, WHICH "RECOGNIZES EXCEPTIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED CREASTIVITY AND IMPACT, AND INVESTS IN THEIR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY." TIMELINE WAS ALSO NAMED "ONE OF THE NATION'S TOP 10 MOST PROMISING EMERGING PROFESSIONAL THEATRES" IN 2011 BY THE AMERICAN THEATRE WIND, FOUNDER OF THE TONY AWARDS. LOCALLY, TIMELINE CONTINUES TO EMERGE AS A PROMINENT VOICE IN CHICAGO'S VIBRANT ARTS COMMUNITY, LAUDED BY THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE AS A "SAVVY AND GROWING COMPANY, WHERE MORE AND MORE CHICAGOANS HAVE COME, WITH REASON, TO TRUST THE POWER, TRUTH AND INTEGRITY OF THE WORK." THE COMPANY CURRENTLY SERVES APPROXIMATELY 20,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS ANNUALLY.
  2. $185,955 spent. TIMELINE'S LIVING HISTORY EDUCATION PROGRAM SHARES OUR MISSION AND ART WITH CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ACTIVELY ENGAGING STUDENTS THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY ARTS INTEGRATION RESIDENCIES THAT EXPLORE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HISTORY, ART AND THEIR OWN LIVES. LIVING HISTORY LESSON PLANS CENTER STUDENT IDENTITY AND DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. WORKING CLOSELY WITH CPS TEACHERS, THE LIVING HISTORY PROGRAM SERVED OVER 600 STUDENTS IN CLASSROOMS IN THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR. TIMELINE SOUTH IS A UNIQUE ARTS PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES TEENS A SAFE SPACE FOR SELF-EXPRESSION, CREATIVITY, AND ENSEMBLE BUILDING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO. TEENS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN CURIOSITY ABOUT AND CONNECTION TO TIMELINE SOUTH IS OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE MONDAY-FRIDAY FOR SIX WEEKS AND FOCUSES ON VOICE, SELF-EXPRESSION, BALANCE AND WELLNESS, AND DEVISING. TIMELINE SOUTH CELEBRATE ITS SIXTH YEAR WITH AN ARTS PARTNERSHIP AT THE LOGAN CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, AND PRESENTED TWO FREE PERFORMANCES OF THE WORLD PREMIERE PIECE, THE BEREAVED.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1998.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.