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Theatre Development Fund
Theatre Development Fund reported $20.4 million in revenue and $19.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.95 went to program services, $14.99 to management and general costs and $8.06 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 70.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $369,600 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 25 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 35% 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 $20MFor 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 $20MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.9% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.0% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.1% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.35 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 21.9% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.8% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 70.7% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $369,600 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.90% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 25 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 5.8 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 26 | 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 expenseTkts by tdf - the tkts ticket booths support tdf's mission of encouraging and enabling diverse audiences to attend theatre and dance. The tkts booths, starting in 1973 with one and at june 30, 2025, numbering two, sell approximately 630,000 same-day discounted tickets annually to broadway and off-broadway theatre and dance performances. Tkts enables theatregoers who cannot afford full price tickets to attend theatre, which in turn significantly increases attendance
Tdf membership program - the membership program also supports tdf's mission of encouraging and enabling diverse audiences to attend theatre and dance. Annually tdf makes possible the sale of approximately 575,000 deeply-discounted tickets to broadway, off-broadway, and off-off broadway theatre and dance performances to over 120,000 tdf members, who qualify for membership by certifying that they belong to one of thirteen categories making them eligible for discounted tickets
Tdf schools and community engagement - the education program builds audiences for the theatre by introducing young people to live theatre and preparing them to engage as audiences. Approximately 11,000 new york city public school children are brought to theatre and dance performances annually at no cost to the schools or students, and in addition these young people participate in classroom workshops, post-performance discussions and playwrighting workshops designed to enhance and contextualize their experience. Tdf community engagement programs work to strengthen local audiences from every…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $297,516 | $0 | $72,084 | $369,600 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $270,990 | $0 | $45,751 | $316,741 |
| DIRECTOR, TICKETING PROGRAMS Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $194,405 | $0 | $54,897 | $249,302 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $178,369 | $0 | $61,156 | $239,525 |
| TKTS HEAD TREASURER Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $187,859 | $0 | $41,410 | $229,269 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $171,324 | $0 | $53,245 | $224,569 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $172,971 | $0 | $38,532 | $211,503 |
| VICE-PRESIDENT, TDF COSTUME COLLECTION Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $153,125 | $0 | $34,313 | $187,438 |
25 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Theatre Development Fund (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $926K (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–1b26 · 26 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 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 5155
- Volunteers Part I, line 626
Private foundation grants it received
35 private foundations reported grants to Theatre Development Fund totaling $940K 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 Theatre Development Fund's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Theatre Development Fund, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Theatre Development Fund spent in FY2025, $76.95 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- American Philosophical SocietyPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $20M · programs 72.6% · 2024
- The Shakespeare TheatreWashington, DC · revenue $20M · programs 69.1% · FY2025
- Allied Media ProjectsDetroit, MI · revenue $20M · programs 94.2% · 2024
- Austin Theatre AllianceAustin, TX · revenue $20M · programs 77.1% · FY2025
- The Tivoli Theatre FoundationChattanooga, TN · revenue $20M · programs 95.8% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Theatre Development Fund's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Theatre Development Fund reported that 76.9% of its $19.5 million in expenses went to program services, 15.0% to management and general and 8.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Theatre Development Fund pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Theatre Development Fund reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $369,600, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Theatre Development Fund get its money?
Of $20.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 21.9% came from contributions and grants (including 2.8% from government grants) and 70.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Theatre Development Fund a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-6216919 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 202513539349300626 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202530159349302823 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202333199349321113 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202330269349300628 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221099349301702 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101319349300605 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-6216919: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.