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Boston Ballet
Boston Ballet reported $52.0 million in revenue and $46.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.10 went to program services, $10.27 to management and general costs and $4.63 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 54.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $816,563 (Artistic Director). 33 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 19% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $46MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $52MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.1% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.3% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.6% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.10 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 40.5% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.3% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 54.4% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $816,563 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.78% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 33 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 14.9 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 44 of 44 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseBallet Programs: Led by Artistic Director, Mikko Nissinen, the Boston Ballet maintains a diverse repertoire, ranging from full-length ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. The Company typically gives over 100 performances at the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, MA during its eight-month season that ends in June of each year. The 2024-2025 season saw record setting attendance and revenue, with five season productions in addition to The Nutcracker
Boston Ballet School (BBS): provides a comprehensive dance education with the goal of inspiring, nurturing and sustaining a life-long love of dance in every student. BBS operates state-of-the-art dance facilities in Boston, Newton, and Brookline, and offers programming for students of all ages and capabilities. The Classical Ballet Program for older dancers follows a carefully designed curriculum with nine levels of study. The Preparatory and Foundations Programs for ages 16 months to 9 years introduce children to the art of dance by promoting the exploration of creativity and expression…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artistic Director Officer, 40 hrs/week | $807,859 | $0 | $8,704 | $816,563 |
| Executive Director Officer, 40 hrs/week | $416,810 | $0 | $19,188 | $435,998 |
| Chief Marketing Officer Highest compensated employee, 40 hrs/week | $260,934 | $0 | $8,704 | $269,638 |
| Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer Officer, 40 hrs/week | $213,101 | $0 | $965 | $214,066 |
| Chief Development Officer Highest compensated employee, 40 hrs/week | $203,148 | $0 | $9,917 | $213,065 |
| Assistant Artistic Director Highest compensated employee, 40 hrs/week | $169,146 | $0 | $19,124 | $188,270 |
| Music Director Highest compensated employee, 40 hrs/week | $179,852 | $0 | $8,277 | $188,129 |
| Managing Director, Boston Ballet School Highest compensated employee, 40 hrs/week | $164,303 | $0 | $11,603 | $175,906 |
33 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Boston Ballet (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b44 · 44 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5673
- Volunteers Part I, line 6200
Private foundation grants it received
55 private foundations reported grants to Boston Ballet totaling $1.2M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Boston Ballet's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Boston Ballet, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Boston Ballet spent in FY2025, $85.10 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Boston Ballet's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Boston Ballet reported that 85.1% of its $46.0 million in expenses went to program services, 10.3% to management and general and 4.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Boston Ballet pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Boston Ballet reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $816,563, for the role of Artistic Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Boston Ballet get its money?
Of $52.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 40.5% came from contributions and grants (including 0.3% from government grants) and 54.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Boston Ballet a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2312734 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202513039349302701 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202423079349300402 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202333139349302008 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202223009349301652 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202113149349302756 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202120709349300622 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2312734: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.