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Ballet Arts Foundation

EIN 86-0557264 · Tucson, AZ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceFair55 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BALLET TUCSON IS DEDICATED TO BRINGING ICONIC, WORLD-CLASS DANCE PERFORMANCES AND RISING STAR ARTISTS TO TUCSON AND TO SHARING EXPLORATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT INSPIRE HOPE AND EXCITEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

Income
$1.6 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 61%
Employees
28
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$60,000, artistic director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 27% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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

    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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 July 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)
  1. $1.1 million spent. BALLET TUCSON WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1986 BY MARY BETH CABANA WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING A WORLD-CLASS PROFESSIONAL BALLET COMPANY AND SCHOOL IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA. IN THE SPRING OF 2022, MARGARET MULLIN, A TUCSON NATIVE, WAS NAMED ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ALONGSIDE CHIEKO IMADA, BALLET TUCSON'S ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER. MS. MULLIN TRAINED AT THE SCHOOL OF BALLET TUCSON ON A FULL SCHOLARSHIP BEFORE HER FOURTEEN-YEAR CAREER AS A LEADING DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER WITH PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET IN SEATTLE. DANIELLE AND LIANG FU, ACCOMPLISHED DANCERS AND TEACHERS WITH A COMBINED THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE INTERNATIONALLY, WERE NAMED DIRECTORS OF THE SCHOOL OF BALLET TUCSON IN THE SUMMER OF 2022. THE BALLET TUCSON COMPANY BRINGS FIVE UNIQUE CONCERTS TO THE STAGE ANNUALLY THAT FEATURE BELOVED CLASSICS AND INNOVATIVE NEW WORKS BY ACCLAIMED CHOREOGRAPHERS, PERFORMED BY PROFESSIONAL DANCERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. PERFORMANCES INCLUDE THREE REPERTORY SEASONS, CONSISTING OF FOUR PERFORMANCES IN EACH PROGRAM (12 MIXED REPERTORY PERFORMANCES). THE COMPANY ALSO PRODUCES FOOTPRINTS AT THE FOX, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR APPRENTICES IN THE COMPANY TO SET BALLETS ON APPRENTICES FOR PUBLIC PERFORMANCE. ONE CHOREOGRAPHER'S WORK IS SELECTED BY THE AUDIENCE TO BE PRESENTED IN THE SPRING SEASON DANCED BY PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS OF BALLET TUCSON. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE SEASON IS BALLET TUCSON'S PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER BALLET. THE COMPANY PERFORMS FIVE PERFORMANCES REACHING OVER 8,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS, MANY OF THEM CHILDREN. THROUGH OUR KIDZTKTS PROGRAM, WE DISTRIBUTE HUNDREDS OF FREE TICKETS TO AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN TOTAL, BALLET TUCSON OFFERS PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES TO OVER 10,000 - 12,000 TUCSON AND SOUTHERN ARIZONA RESIDENTS. THE TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PLAYS TCHAIKOVSKY'S MAGICAL SCORE WITH THE FULL ORCHESTRA IN THE PIT. THE SCHOOL OF BALLET TUCSON PROVIDES EXCEPTIONAL DANCE TRAINING TO STUDENTS OF ALL AGES FROM ACCOMPLISHED INSTRUCTORS. OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE ADVANCED TRAINING IN A VARIETY OF STYLES, HELPING THEM TO BECOME VERSATILE AND WELL-ROUNDED DANCERS. WE ARE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING AN ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENT FOR EACH STUDENT THAT FOCUSES ON CREATIVITY, ARTISTRY, AND PERSONAL GROWTH. WE STRIVE TO DELIVER EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT FOSTER A DEEP LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR DANCE, AND SKILLS THAT WILL SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES. STUDENTS OF OUR SCHOOL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM ALONGSIDE OUR PROFESSIONAL BALLET TUCSON COMPANY DANCERS IN SELECT PRODUCTIONS, INCLUDING OUR AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER. WE ALSO PROVIDE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTING OUR STUDENTS. BALLET TUCSON IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING COMMUNITY AROUND THE ART OF DANCE THROUGH OUTREACH INITIATIVES, INCLUDING FREE POP-UP PERFORMANCES, ARTS EDUCATION CLASSES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE BALLET BANTER LECTURE SERIES AND A TICKET SUBSIDY PROGRAM. BALLET TUCSON IS ALSO PROUD TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER TREASURED LOCAL CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE ENRICHING ARTS EXPERIENCES. THIS INCLUDES A VIBRANT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART, MEXICAN CONSULATE FOR MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY FESTIVITIES, TUCSON DESERT SONG FESTIVAL AND MANY OTHER TUCSON LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 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 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 July 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 1987.

    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.

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