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Carolina Theatre of Durham Inc

EIN 56-1759337 · Durham, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Carolina Theatre welcomes everyone. We enrich the experience of audiences through programming that drives the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of the region.

Income
$7.0 million
Spending
$4.5 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
6.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 47%
Employees
131
Volunteers
250
Highest pay
$180,725, 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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 35% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 48% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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: 92 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 20 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

    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 (4)
  1. $1.3 million spent. Live Performances: Carolina Theatre of Durham (CTD) is dedicated to presenting vibrant, thought-provoking live performances that contribute to the cultural and economic vitality of downtown Durham and the Triangle area. To this end, CTD presents local and national artists which it books directly or in partnership with other promoters like National Shows 2. CTD hosted 65 Live Performances, selling 43,000 tickets, featuring a diverse array of artists and genres.
  2. $945,719 spent. Film: CTD presents a wide range of art house current release films and the classic Retro Film Series. In FY 2025, the Retro Film series attracted audiences of about 20,000. Additionally, the film department curates multiple film festivals with screenings seen by more than 8,000 moviegoers, including the Outsouth Queer Film Festival. General Films attracted audiences of about 18,000.
  3. $834,732 spent. Facility Sharing: CTD rents its venues and provides turnkey technical and box office services to local arts organizations like the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, The Savoyards, and the Triangle Youth Ballet. CTD also rents its venues to other promoters enriching and involving our community, like the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, as well as schools like Durham Tech Community College. CTD hosted 96 rental events in FY 2025.
  4. $444,693 spent. Education and Outreach includes the Arts Discovery Educational Series (ADES) and the Family Saturday Series (FSS). ADES presents performing touring artists to students, PreK-12. CTD provides a limited number of free tickets to the Durham Public School System and discounted tickets for Title One schools and the general public. The FSS presents local performing artists specially selected to appeal to parents and children. In FY 2025 ADES and FSS presented 20 performances, which together with programs like the Sensory Friendly Film Series, masterclasses, and the Confronting Change 10th Anniversary Celebration generated total attendance of about 11,000.

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 December 1996.

    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.