Guthrie Theater Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
410854160
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone
6122256000
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Arts, Culture, and Humanities

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$32,853,167
Expenses
$32,821,153
Assets
$164,340,713
Liabilities
$9,971,745

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

Leadership & pay

47 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • JOSEPH HAJ (DIRECTOR): $772,045 total reported compensation
  • TRISHA KIRK (MANAGING DIRECTOR): $313,057 total reported compensation
  • KRISTA MATHEWS (DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT): $256,975 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 guthrie theater engages exceptional theater artists in the exploration of both classic and contemporary plays, connecting the community we serve to one another and to the world. Through its extraordinary artists, staff and facility, the guthrie is committed to the people of Minnesota and, from its place rooted deeply in the twin cities, influences the field as a leading 21st-century arts organization.

What it reported doing in 2024

Education and engagement: during the 2024-2025 season, the guthrie's education and engagement programs deepened public connection to the theater through a wide range of activities serving audiences of all ages. The mainstage season engagement series offered approximately 25 events, including play clubs, artist conversations, and community focused programs such as an indigenous artist's market, engaging patrons in the study and practice of theater. The theater in focus initiative expanded access to theatrical learning by offering educators archived productions of shakespeare's hamlet, henry v, and a midsummer night's dream, along with guthrie designed curriculum for classroom use. Nearly 200 young people participated in week-long summer camps taught by professional artists, with 72 scholarships awarded to reduce financial barriers; several past participants have returned as performers or gone on to pursue further training at universities worldwide. The guthrie also sustained key partnerships, including with the university of Minnesota's bfa acting training program and with youth serving organizations such as project success and inspiremsp, collectively connecting thousands of students to subsidized theatrical experiences. Engagement with the native advisory council (nac) informed land stewardship practices and annual programming, and supported contributions of more than $20,000 since 2023 to local native led nonprofits. Additionally, the four week guthrie actors lab supported about 12 emerging twin cities theater artists in advancing their craft and expanding their professional networks.

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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 55
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 92%; rating input score 92
  • Program expense ratio: 78.3%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.43 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 97.6%; rating input score 98; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 0.1%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.01; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.4% per year; rating input score 100; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 92% of revenue deployed · 78.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 40 of 41 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $25.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $772K · 47 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $951K reported
  • Consistency: 44 of 44 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 26/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 33/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 43/100.