Portland Center Stage
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
PORTLAND CENTER STAGE'S MISSION IS TO CREATE TRANSCENDENT THEATRICAL EXPERIENCES AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS SEPARATING PEOPLE. WE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATING THE FULL SCOPE OF HUMANITY, APPRECIATING DIFFERENCE, AND FOSTERING BELONGING.
- Income
- $7.1 million
- Spending
- $8.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- -2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 272
- Volunteers
- 28
- Highest pay
- $141,249, artisic director
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
Weak: 20 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 135% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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
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 (4)
- $6.2 million spent. PORTLAND CENTER STAGE PRODUCED NINE PLAYS IN OUR 2024-25 SEASON, INCLUDING STEPHEN SONDHEIM'S MUSICAL THRILLER "SWEENEY TODD," "LIBERACE & LIZA: HOLIDAY AT THE MANSION" BY DAVID SAFFERT AND GILLIAN SNOW, R. ERIC THOMAS' "MRS HARRISON, LOY A. WEBB'S "THE LIGHT", "WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF" BY EDWARD ALBEE, TARELL ALVIN MC CRANEY'S "THE BROTHERS SIZE"," WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S "TWELFTH NIGHT", ACTOR AND COMEDIAN CHRIS GRACE'S "CHRIS GRACE AS SCARLETT JOHANSSON AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST" REIMAGINED BY KAMILAH BUSH." PLAY ATTENDANCE FOR THE SEASON WAS NEARLY 77,000.
- $45,910 spent. PORTLAND CENTER STAGE IS DEEPLY INVESTED IN PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FRESH, DIVERSE, AND POWER THEATRICAL VOICES AND IN DEVELOPING AND PRODUCING NEW WORKS THAT ENRICH THE CONTEMPORARY THEATER REPERTOIRE. THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENT OF OUR NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS OUR ANNUAL JAW ("JUST ADD WATER") NEW PLAY FESTIVAL, HELD EACH JULY, WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER PLAYWRIGHTS AND OTHER THEATER ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO DEVELOP NEW WORKS IN A CURATED, ARTIST-FOCUSED PROCESS THAT ALSO INVITES AUDIENCES ALONG FOR THE CREATIVE JOURNEY. FOUR PROJECTS WERE SELECTED FOR THE 2024 FESTIVAL: "FIRES, OHIO" BY BETH HYLAND; "A RE-ENACTMENT OF THE IMAGINED TRIAL OF DAISY THE COW, WHO (ALLEGEDLY) CAUSED THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE" BY JULIA IZUMI; "GOOD PERSON (A ONE-WOMAN BOUFFON SHOW)" BY BRETT ASHLEY ROBINSON; AND "THE SUNNYVIEW ELEMENTARY ART SHOW" BY ROB SMITH. PUBLIC READINGS OF THE WORKS-IN-PROGRESS WERE PRESENTED AT THE ARMORY DURING JAW'S CLOSING WEEKEND OF FREE EVENTS.
- $263,269 spent. OVER 7,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING MORE THAN 6,000 YOUTH, WERE SERVED BY PCS'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS. EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, WHICH WERE EITHER FREE OR DEEPLY SUBSIDIZED, INCLUDED STAGE DOOR MATINEES, WORKSHOPS, AND TOURS; TEEN PLAYWRIGHTS IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES; THE PCS TEEN COUNCIL; AND PCS TEEN ACADEMY.OVER 500 ADULTS ENROLLED IN CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE RECURRING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE LIVING STAGE AND OTHER STORYTELLING ART FORMS.
- $24,617 spent. PCS OFFERED A WIDE ARRAY OF FREE AND NOMINAL-COST COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AIMED AT EXPANDING ACCESS, INCREASING ENGAGEMENT, ELEVATING LOCAL ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND SPARKING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR REGION'S HISTORY, CURRENT ISSUES, AND ASPIRATIONS. DURING 2024-25, WE PARTNERED WITH 86 ARTISTS, CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, ENGAGING 5,174 PEOPLE; 67% OF OUR ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS WERE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC OR SOCIAL JUSTICE-FOCUSED, WHILE 74% OF ARTISTS AND EXPERTS WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR.A FEW OF THE YEAR'S COMMUNITY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED: 1) MONTHLY "FIRST THURSDAY" EVENTS WITH PERFORMANCES BY MUSICAL ARTISTS, AS WELL AS VISUAL ART EXHIBITS; B) "PRESS PLAY" PERFORMANCES AT THE 2024 JAW FESTIVAL THAT FEATURED A STREET DANCE SHOWCASE, BALLET FOLKLORICO, AND MUSICIAN PABLO RIVAROLA C) PRE-SHOW PANEL DISCUSSION WITH BLACK MENS WELLNESS AND D) SEVERAL LITERARY EVENTS WITH PARTNERS LIKE SLAMLANDIA AND LITERAOKE. WE ALSO PROVIDED FREE OR REDUCED-COST PERFORMANCE, REHEARSAL, MEETING, AND EVENT SPACE TO A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING BOOM ARTS, FERTILE GROUND NEW WORKS FESTIVAL, PORTLAND AREA THEATER ALLIANCE, P:EAR, AND MORE.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1994.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.