Odc Theater

What it reported doing in 2024

The 170-seat venue hosts over 150 performances annually, featuring nearly 1,000 local, national, and international artists. It also cultivates informed, engaged audiences and champions the performing arts as a driver of san francisco's cultural and economic vitality.legacy and impact: since its founding in 1976 by brenda way, odc theater has served as a cornerstone for contemporary dance in san francisco and a launchpad for artists debuting in the bay area, including spalding gray, diamanda gals, bill t. Jones, eiko & koma, ronald k. Brown/evidence, karole armitage, sarah michelson, brian brooks, and john heginbotham. Under creative director chlo l. Zimberg, the theater continues to nurture the next generation of groundbreaking dance artists.resilience and leadership: amid widespread venue closures during the post-pandemic recovery, odc theater remains one of the few surviving presenters of contemporary and experimental dance in the u.s. The theater distinguishes itself through its commitment to equity, artist support, and its role as a critical west coast hub for accessible, affordable space and resources.curatorial innovation: in 2024, odc theater expanded the visibility of its curatorial model, developed by zimberg, which shifted from a single curator to a resident curator model that fosters collaboration and diversity. This approach centers artistic partnership across odc's community and showcases a wide range of regional, national, and international voices. Artists engage through commissioning, presentation, mentorship, and subsidized access to creation and performance space.programs and collaborations: resident curator maurya kerr and zimberg selected 4 artists for the spring season and 9 artists for the state of play festival, a week-long platform for experimental dance. Guest curator leyya mona tawil contributed to the presentation of fanny ara, rescheduled from 2023 due to fiscal delays. Despite severe budget pressures, odc theater met all presenting commitments and co-presented with sfdanceworks, brad barton (reality thief), the isadora duncan dance awards, the san francisco dance film festival, counterpulse, and other partners. It also hosted performances by odc/dance, the odc health program, and the odc school. Through its rental discount initiative, odc theater provided over $40,000 in subsidies to self-producing artists.resource development: in 2024, odc launched the odc theater art club to engage individual donors, expand contributed income, and build advocacy among community ambassadors. This initiative responds to a marked decline in regional foundation funding as major funders shift priorities outside the bay area and away from the performing arts. Strengthening individual and diversified contributed support remains a top priority for 2025.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 73.3%; rating input score 73
• Program expense ratio: 76.1%; rating input score 76
• Fundraising efficiency: $12.37 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • 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: 74.1%; rating input score 74; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • 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: 3.8%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.12; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.87; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: Limited

Growth

• Program expense growth: -2.6% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -5.9% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 1.2% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings