Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH EXTRAORDINARY AND DIVERSE PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCES. THESE EXPERIENCES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH PROGRAMS, CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND EDUCATION.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)PROGRAMS: SHOWCASE A VARIETY OF HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS THROUGH RESIDENT COMPANIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AS WELL AS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AND PRODUCTIONS.CUSTOMER SERVICE: CREATE DEVOTED PATRONS AND ENHANCE THE SATISFACTION FOR ALL WHO COME INTO THE VENUE.EDUCATION: NURTURE LOVE OF THE ARTS FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS AND SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACCESS TO THE PERFORMING ARTS.
- Income
- $18.7 million
- Spending
- $26.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 52.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 41%
- Employees
- 80
- Volunteers
- 527
- Highest pay
- $461,010, president & ceo
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
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 52.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 42% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 53% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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 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 (1)
- $22.3 million spent. SINCE THE GRAND OPENING IN 2011, THE KAUFFMAN CENTER, IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS RESIDENT ORGANIZATIONS: KANSAS CITY BALLET, KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY AND LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHER COMMUNITY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, HAVE CONTINUED TO BRING EXCELLENT PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCES TO THE KANSAS CITY AREA. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) THE 2024-2025 PERFORMANCE SEASON WAS A ROBUST AND FILLED WITH PROGRAMMING WHICH LED TO A DIVERSE AND IMPACTFUL SEASON. IN ADDITION TO THE RAO AND CAO PERFORMANCES, NEW AND FORMER AUDIENCES WERE BROUGHT TO THE VENUE THROUGH KAUFFMAN CENTER PRESENTS WITH PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCES RANGING FROM FAMILY PROGRAMMING LIKE BLUEY'S BIG PLAY, BELOVED SINGERS SUCH AS AMY GRANT AND NATALIA LAFOURCADE, AND INSPIRED MUSICIANS SUCH AS VITAMIN STRING QUARTET AND DRUMLINE LIVE. - 709 ON-STAGE PERFORMANCES & SPECIAL EVENTS IN FISCAL 2025 - 408,143 PATRONS ATTENDED PERFORMANCES & SPECIAL EVENTS IN FISCAL 2025 THE KAUFFMAN CENTER IS DEDICATED TO CREATING UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO ARTS EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND UNDERSERVED AUDIENCES IN THE KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN AREA. THE KAUFFMAN CENTER'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS CONTAIN MANY AVENUES THAT CONNECT LOCAL YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO HIGH QUALITY ARTS EXPERIENCES. THE KAUFFMAN CENTER PRESENTED THREE SCHOOL MATINEES IN SPRING OF 2025 WITH 2,158 STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS ATTENDING. EACH YEAR, STUDENT MATINEES ARE ALSO HOSTED THROUGH OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS (KANSAS CITY BALLET, KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY, LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY, AND STORLING DANCE THEATER - THE CULTURE HOUSE). SINCE GRAND OPENING, MORE THAN 440,000 STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED SCHOOL MATINEES ON OUR STAGE AND NEARLY HALF OF WHICH WERE BROUGHT TO THE KAUFFMAN CENTER WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION FUND WHICH PROVIDES BUS ASSISTANCE. THE KAUFFMAN CENTER HELD ITS 12TH ANNUAL FUTURE STAGES FESTIVAL ON THE AFTERNOON OF SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2025. MORE THAN 682 YOUTH FROM 31 YOUTH PERFORMANCE GROUPS, OF WHICH 42% WERE MADE UP PRIMARILY OF YOUNG MINORITY PERFORMING ARTISTS, PERFORMED ON STAGE FOR MORE THAN 2,900 FAMILY, FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS IN ATTENDANCE. TWENTY COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED. 20% OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS INDICATED IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME VISITING THE KAUFFMAN CENTER AND 97% OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS INDICATED THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THIS EVENT TO A FRIEND. IN FY25, 1,118 COMMUNITY TICKETS WERE EXTENDED TO SCHOOLS, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES THAT MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE WORLD-CLASS PERFORMING ARTS. KAUFFMAN CENTER OFFERED ADDITIONAL STUDENT PROGRAMS INCLUDING BUILDING TOURS AND FIELD TRIPS, INTERNSHIPS AND SHADOWING. THEY ALSO USE UNIQUE LOCAL COLLABORATIONS, SUCH AS YOGA AT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER PRESENTED BY SAINT LUKE'S, TO BROADEN THE OFFERINGS AND ATTRACT DIVERSE PATRONS TO VISIT THE BUILDING. KAUFFMAN CENTER'S COMMITMENT TO SERVING EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS EVIDENT IN THE WIDE RANGE OF FREE OR LOW-COST PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING OFFERING LOW-COST SCHOOL MATINEES AND THE POPULAR TRAILBLAZING TALKS SPEAKER SERIES - PART OF KAUFFMAN CENTER PRESENTS.
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 January 2000.
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.
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