New Ballet Ensemble Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
621866526
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Memphis, TN, USA
Phone
9017269225
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Dance

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,507,388
Expenses
$1,911,135
Assets
$2,122,695
Liabilities
$127,121

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

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MATTHEW BEST (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • KATIE SMYTHE THINNES (FOUNDER, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER): $99,411 total reported compensation
  • MATTHEW BEST (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $92,878 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 goals of new ballet ensemble, inc. Are to train community students regardless of family income to a professional or pre-professional level of dance in order to produce dancers from racially and socio-economically diverse backgrounds in the memphis area; to perform in public schools and for non-profit organizations that serve youth; to provide studio space at minimal cost to other non-profit organizations; and to provide classes outside of the core professional tract to children who can benefit from dance instruction but may not pursue careers in dance. Utilizing cross-cultural connections and excellence in dance training, new ballet propels community change and transforms lives through arts education.

What it reported doing in 2024

School performances - these engaging performances include a variety of curriculum-based storytelling with lesson plans attached to address arts, social studies, language, and creative writing objectives. Through these school performances, nbe impacts children living in historically marginalized communities through pre-performance curricula, live performances, and post-performance experiential workshops. In addition, nbe students and ensemble artists perform in partnership with community-based non-profit organizations and community centers and libraries, helping to foster a passion for the arts in a multicultural environment.mainstage performances - nbes annually presents several public mainstage performances. These performances collectively reach over 4,500 audience members with new stories to replace the old and new styles to bring dance to diverse audiences, spaces, and communities. Ny times dance critic alastair maculay's review of nbe's "nutremix" performance stated, "most of the performers are children, and this performance seemed to bind all into a world where ballet and hip-hop exist on equal terms with other dance forms." these performances reinforce the idea that all cultures can blend and borrow while remaining true to their origins.

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 95% 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 89
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 84.8%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • 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: -26.8%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.11; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.1%; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.7% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -1.7% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -1.1% per year; rating input score 0; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 84.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $1.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $99K · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 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 46/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 7/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 46/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 37/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.