Home › Arts, culture & humanities
Playwrights Horizons
Playwrights Horizons reported $14.7 million in revenue and $14.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.61 went to program services, $7.46 to management and general costs and $7.93 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 53.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $378,242 (MANAGING DIRECTOR (TO JUN 24)). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 41% 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 $14MFor 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 $15MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.6% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.5% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 7.9% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 53.8% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.7% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 44.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $378,242 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.66% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 19.2 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 31 of 33 | 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 expenseProduction and play development:this program consists of development, production and presentation of new works by U.S playwrights, composers and lyricists, including productions, workshops and readings. There were 6 full theatrical productions, and 20 readings
Theater school:operated in association with new york university's tisch school of the arts, this undergraduate program offers training in playwriting, directing, acting, voice and theater management. The theater school had 186 students in the year ending june 30, 2025
Playwrights rehearsal studios:when not in use by the school, playwrights rehearsal studios are available for rent at affordable rates to hundreds of arts and education non-profits and community organizations each year, as well as to individual and commercial groups
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MANAGING DIRECTOR (TO JUN 24) Former, 40.00 hrs/week | $363,847 | $0 | $14,395 | $378,242 |
| ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,159 | $0 | $16,111 | $188,270 |
| GENERAL MANAGER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,222 | $0 | $29,175 | $185,397 |
| DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,828 | $0 | $6,100 | $155,928 |
| THEATER DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $122,227 | $0 | $16,111 | $138,338 |
| ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIR. Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $102,922 | $0 | $12,911 | $115,833 |
| CONTROLLER (TO NOV 24) Officer, 21.00 hrs/week | $79,908 | $0 | $0 | $79,908 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR (AS OF AUG 24) Director/trustee, officer, 1.00 hrs/week | $73,572 | $0 | $0 | $73,572 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Playwrights Horizons (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $700K (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–1b33 · 31 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14No
- 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 4No
- 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 5485
- Volunteers Part I, line 6731
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CONSIGLI CONSTRUCTION CO INC Construction manager for downtown renova | $3,066,455 |
| SBW ADVISORY SERVICES LLC Project manager for downtown renovation | $173,313 |
| MARVEL ARCHITECTS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS Architect for downtown renovation | $171,490 |
| CORE Z OPERATIONS LLC FSA ZIEGFELD BA Gala venue & catering | $155,423 |
| ALLIED ADVERTISING LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Digital marketing agency | $111,337 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
51 private foundations reported grants to Playwrights Horizons totaling $1.1M 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 Playwrights Horizons's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Playwrights Horizons, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Playwrights Horizons spent in FY2025, $84.61 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Mint Museum of ArtCharlotte, NC · revenue $15M · programs 80.6% · FY2025
- Historic Hudson ValleyPocantico Hills, NY · revenue $15M · programs 83.9% · 2024
- Macphail Center for MusicMinneapolis, MN · revenue $15M · programs 78.2% · FY2025
- Norton Simon Museum of Art at PasadenaPasadena, CA · revenue $15M · programs 74.8% · FY2025
- Florida Studio TheatreSarasota, FL · revenue $15M · programs 85.3% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Playwrights Horizons's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Playwrights Horizons reported that 84.6% of its $14.2 million in expenses went to program services, 7.5% to management and general and 7.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Playwrights Horizons pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Playwrights Horizons reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $378,242, for the role of MANAGING DIRECTOR (TO JUN 24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Playwrights Horizons get its money?
Of $14.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 53.8% came from contributions and grants (including 2.7% from government grants) and 44.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Playwrights Horizons a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-2805131 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 202611339349306411 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501349349303780 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431279349302753 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202320819349301382 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221229349301577 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111339349301706 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-2805131: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.