Northern Plains Ballet
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO INSPIRE THE APPRECIATION OF DANCE THROUGH ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND TO ENRICH THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $704,853
- Spending
- $660,876
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- -5.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 83%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $83,949, executive di
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
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 42% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 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 (1)
- $449,800 spent. NORTHERN PLAINS BALLET FOCUSES IN 3 MAJOR AREAS OF DANCE EDUCATION. DANCE TRAINING FOR STUDENTS AGES 3 TO ADULT IN BALLET, JAZZ, HIP HOP, TAP, MUSICAL THEATER AND MODERN DANCE STYLES. IN ADDITION TO REGULARLY SCHEDULED CLASSES, NPB ALSO HOLDS ADULT SOCIAL DANCE WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS CLASSES FOR PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AGES 10 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CLASSES TAKEN PER WEEK INCREASES AS A STUDENT PROGRESS THROUGH THE DANCE CURRICULUM. STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED IN AND ATTENDED NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR PROMISING YOUNG DANCERS AND INTO NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS. ANNUALLY, NPB PRESENTS A FULL PERFORMANCE SEASON WITH FOUR MAIN PRODUCTIONS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BISMARCK AREA AUDIENCES TO EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF DANCE PERFORMANCE IN COMMUNICATING ASPECTS OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE ACADEMY WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE IN PROFESSIONALLY PRODUCED PRODUCTIONS. THE TWO ANNUAL FULL LENGTH BALLET PRODUCTIONS FEATURE AN AVERAGE OF 125 PERFORMERS AND PRESENTED TO SOLD OUT AUDITORIUMS, WHILE THE TWO MIXED REPERTOIRE PERFORMANCE AVERAGE 35 PERFORMERS AND ARE PRESENTED TO SMALLER AUDIENCES IN BOUTIQUE SETTINGS. NPD'S CURRENT STRATEGY FOR ADVANCING THE ART OF DANCE IS TO GROW ITS EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH EFFORTS, SEEK PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND CREATE PERFORMANCES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR AUDIENCES NEW TO THE DANCE ART FORM. NPD IS IN ACTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AS VARIED AS ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, LOCAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP NEW PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. TWELVE OUTREACH PROGRAMS ARE BUILT TO ENSURE THAT DANCE IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. NORTHERN PLAINS BALLET FOCUSES IN 3 MAJOR AREAS OF DANCE EDUCATION. DANCE TRAINING FOR STUDENTS AGES 3 TO ADULT IN BALLET, JAZZ, HIP HOP, TAP, MUSICAL THEATER AND MODERN DANCE STYLES. IN ADDITION TO REGULARLY SCHEDULED CLASSES, NPB ALSO HOLDS ADULT SOCIAL DANCE WORKSHOPS AS WELL AS CLASSES FOR PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AGES 10 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CLASSES TAKEN PER WEEK INCREASES AS A STUDENT PROGRESS THROUGH THE DANCE CURRICULUM. STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED IN AND ATTENDED NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR PROMISING YOUNG DANCERS AND INTO NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS. ANNUALLY, NPB PRESENTS A FULL PERFORMANCE SEASON WITH FOUR MAIN PRODUCTIONS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BISMARCK AREA AUDIENCES TO EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF DANCE PERFORMANCE IN COMMUNICATING ASPECTS OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE ACADEMY WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE IN PROFESSIONALLY PRODUCED PRODUCTIONS. THE TWO ANNUAL FULL LENGTH BALLET PRODUCTIONS FEATURE AN AVERAGE OF 125 PERFORMERS AND PRESENTED TO SOLD OUT AUDITORIUMS, WHILE THE TWO MIXED REPERTOIRE PERFORMANCE AVERAGE 35 PERFORMERS AND ARE PRESENTED TO SMALLER AUDIENCES IN BOUTIQUE SETTINGS. NPD'S CURRENT STRATEGY FOR ADVANCING THE ART OF DANCE IS TO GROW ITS EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH EFFORTS, SEEK PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND CREATE PERFORMANCES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR AUDIENCES NEW TO THE DANCE ART FORM. NPD IS IN ACTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AS VARIED AS ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, LOCAL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP NEW PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. TWELVE OUTREACH PROGRAMS ARE BUILT TO ENSURE THAT DANCE IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
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
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 October 13, 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 August 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 August 1998.
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 October 21, 2026.
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