Pipeline Theatre Company Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 33% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Vision: We believe that an unbridled imagination is a force of magic with the power to provoke a more courageous and compassionate world.Mission: Pipeline makes theater of the imagination. Our company thrives on adventure and believes no story is worth telling without a little risk. We love our villains as much as our heroes, especially in those puzzling moments when we cant quite tell them apart. Above all, we aim to lead you with stories that stick somewhere in your heart, your brain, or your guts.
- Income
- $236,519
- Spending
- $167,290
- Spent on programs
- 33%
- Reserves
- 3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 72%
- Employees
- 34
- Highest pay
- $10,122, artist trustee
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
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 49% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1533% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave 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.
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 (1)
- $55,538 spent. Our 2024/25 PLAYLAB cohort was chosen through a multi-step process involving paid first-round readers1020 independent artists and Pipeline community membersfollowed by additional rounds of review by Pipeline staff. From nearly 300 applicants, we interviewed 12 playwrights and selected 3 for the cohort.This past years playwrights developed bold, imaginative plays they hadnt previously had the time or resources to pursue. Minna Lee wrote Queer Factor: Lovers in Parasite, a body-horror comedy about a queer dating show in a haunted entomologists home, exploring how queer people are othered in media. Jess I. Valles developed Name [Redacted], a horror-drama about immigrant communities near the U.S./Mexico border, revealing both the impact of fear and the resilience of community. Daniela Gonzalez y Perez created Alien Strippers, a sci-fi fantasy set on a spaceship, using cyborgs, machines, aliens, and humans as analogs for contemporary class and caste systems, to explore our cultures unhealthy treatment of sex workers. PLAYLAB supports writers through four main pillars:Monthly Meetings for peer feedback and community-building,One-on-One Mentorship with Pipeline staff (Janice Amaya, Philip Santos Schaffer, and Tatiana Godfrey),Springboard Workshops, where writers explore their plays in progress with directors, dramaturgs, and subject-matter experts,Staged Readings of completed drafts, offering public sharing and industry exposure.All participants and collaborators are paid for their time and contributions.
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 February 2012.
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.