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Paper Mill Playhouse
Paper Mill Playhouse reported $31.4 million in revenue and $28.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $81.45 went to program services, $10.50 to management and general costs and $8.05 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 64.5% of the total. Government grants made up 8.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $384,449 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 23 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 94% 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 $28MFor 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 $31MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.5% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.0% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.25 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 28.7% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 8.5% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 64.5% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $384,449 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.36% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 23 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.3 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 32 of 32 | 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 expensePaper Mill Playhouse has been a cherished New Jersey arts institution for 86 years, with a national reputation that continues to grow. As a producing theater, Paper Mill's collaboration with other regional theaters and leading independent producers brings audiences the best in musical theater, from celebrated revivals to groundbreaking new works. Education and outreach programs nurture young people's creativity and empathy. Paper Mill brings decades of leadership in cultural access and is at the forefront of autism-friendly theater. Paper Mill Playhouse received the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony…
Paper Mill's Education, Outreach and Access programs engage young people in the joy of live theater through the Adopt-A-School Project, Paper Mill Theater School, Rising Star Awards, Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and its New Voices concerts, and Theater for Young Audiences. Paper Mill has decades of leadership in breaking barriers to the arts, including accessibility for individuals with disabilities and cultural partnerships with New Jersey's schools and community-based organizations. As the first theater in the country to present a comprehensive autism-friendly performance, Paper Mill…
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, 40.0 hrs/week | $360,537 | $0 | $23,912 | $384,449 |
| Artistic Director Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $374,619 | $0 | $8,025 | $382,644 |
| DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $160,562 | $0 | $23,580 | $184,142 |
| DirECTOR of Marketing Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $138,711 | $0 | $37,197 | $175,908 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $139,191 | $0 | $30,657 | $169,848 |
| HEAD ELECTRICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $140,324 | $0 | $26,963 | $167,287 |
| MASTER CARPENTER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $138,365 | $0 | $23,764 | $162,129 |
23 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Paper Mill Playhouse (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $779K (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–1b32 · 32 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5881
- Volunteers Part I, line 680
Private foundation grants it received
51 private foundations reported grants to Paper Mill Playhouse totaling $1.0M 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 Paper Mill Playhouse's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Paper Mill Playhouse, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Paper Mill Playhouse spent in FY2025, $81.45 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New Jersey
Questions people ask
How much of Paper Mill Playhouse's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Paper Mill Playhouse reported that 81.5% of its $28.2 million in expenses went to program services, 10.5% to management and general and 8.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Paper Mill Playhouse pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Paper Mill Playhouse reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $384,449, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Paper Mill Playhouse get its money?
Of $31.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 28.7% came from contributions and grants (including 8.5% from government grants) and 64.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Paper Mill Playhouse a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 22-1550515 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 202610309349301221 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202530319349301603 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202440579349301204 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341289349301879 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202230259349300443 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202130089349300103 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 22-1550515: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.