Berkshire Theatre Group Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
046134497
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Pittsfield, MA, USA
Phone
4132985526
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Theater

Reported finances

Revenue
$5,647,262
Expenses
$6,018,595
Assets
$15,165,970
Liabilities
$3,909,998

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

24 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LEE PERLMAN (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • KATHLEEN MAGUIRE (ARTISTIC DIR): $200,000 total reported compensation
  • ALLISON RACHELE BAYLES (EDUCATION DI): $81,701 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The organization's mission is to sustain, promote and produce theatre for the community through performances and educational activities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Founded in 1928, the berkshire theatre festival (btf) is one of the oldest and most prestigious theatres and mirrors the very history of the american theatre movement. Located in the heart of the village of stockbridge, ma btf remains dedicated to producing theatre that recognizes its venerable past as well as providing a home for the next generation of the american theatres' artists. Its main stage (which houses a 400 seat proscenium theatre) is a national historic site and was designed by the prestigious firm of stanford white. The barn, which is home to the 120 set unicorn theatre, was once owned by the mellon family. The company is dedicated to three areas of activity: performance, education and training. Now in partnership with the colonial theatre in pittsfield ma, the breadth of programming and performances has expanded.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.2%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 73.9%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.07 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -6.6%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.52; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.26; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.7%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.3% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.4% per year; rating input score 100; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.2% of revenue deployed · 73.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 22 of 24 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $4.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $200K · 24 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 34/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 18/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 38/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.