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Ruston Community Theatre

EIN 72-0835780 · Ruston, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceWeak25 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

USING LOCAL AMATEUR TALENT TO PROVIDE LIVE THEATER ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.

Income
$222,977
Spending
$202,565
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
4.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 83%
Employees
0

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

Good: 75 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% 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

Weak: 25 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • 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 (4)
  1. $140,385 spent. FOR ITS PRODUCTION SEASON AND FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1, 2024 AND ENDING AUGUST 31, 2025, RUSTON COMMUNITY THEATRE PRODUCED AND STAGED SIX PRODUCTIONS. THE PRODUCTIONS HAD DIVERSITY OF THEMES AND CONTENT, INCLUDING COMEDY, DRAMA, AND MUSICALS, WITH TWO OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS STAGED ESPECIALLY FOR A YOUTH CAST RANGING IN AGE FROM 8 YEARS TO 18 YEARS. EACH OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS HAD FOUR PERFORMANCES FOR AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES WITH TWO OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS HAVING TWO ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES EACH FOR SCHOOL AGE AUDIENCES. THE TWENTY-SIX TOTAL PERFORMANCES OF THE PRODUCTION SEASON DREW A COMMUNITY AUDIENCE TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 8,600. THE CAST AND CREW OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS TOTALED APPROXIMATELY 175 AMATEUR PERFORMERS AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS DRAWN FROM THE COMMUNITY. FOR ITS PRODUCTION SEASON AND FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1, 2024 AND ENDING AUGUST 31, 2025, RUSTON COMMUNITY THEATRE PRODUCED AND STAGED SIX PRODUCTIONS. THE PRODUCTIONS HAD DIVERSITY OF THEMES AND CONTENT, INCLUDING COMEDY, DRAMA, AND MUSICALS, WITH TWO OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS STAGED ESPECIALLY FOR A YOUTH CAST RANGING IN AGE FROM 8 YEARS TO 18 YEARS. EACH OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS HAD FOUR PERFORMANCES FOR AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES WITH TWO OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS HAVING TWO ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES EACH FOR SCHOOL AGE AUDIENCES. THE TWENTY-SIX TOTAL PERFORMANCES OF THE PRODUCTION SEASON DREW A COMMUNITY AUDIENCE TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 8,600. THE CAST AND CREW OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS TOTALED APPROXIMATELY 175 AMATEUR PERFORMERS AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS DRAWN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
  2. $14,780 spent. PLEASE REFER TO FIST EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
  3. FOR ITS PRODUCTION SEASON AND FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1, 2024 AND ENDING AUGUST 31, 2025, RUSTON COMMUNITY THEATRE PRODUCED AND STAGED SIX PRODUCTIONS. THE PRODUCTIONS HAD DIVERSITY OF THEMES AND CONTENT, INCLUDING COMEDY, DRAMA, AND MUSICALS, WITH TWO PRODUCTIONS STAGED ESPECIALLY FOR A YOUTH CAST RANGING FROM 8 YEARS TO 18 YEARS. EACH OF THE SIX PRODUCTIONS HAD FOUR PERFORMANCES FOR AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES WITH TWO OF SIX PRODUCTIONS HAVING TWO ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES EACH FOR SCHOOL AGE AUDIENCES. THE TWENTY-SIX TOTAL PERFORMANCES OF THE PRODUCTION SEASON DREW A COMMUNITY AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,600. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAST AND CREW OF THE SEVEN PRODUCTIONS TOTALED APPROXIMATELY 175 AMATEUR PERFORMERS AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS DRAWN FROM THE COMMUNITY. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4D- ALL OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS PLEASE REFER TO FIRST EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT
  4. PLEASE REFER TO FIST EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

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 October 13, 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 June 1978.

    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 October 21, 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.