The New Group Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
133613115
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2122443380
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Theater

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$5,301,126
Expenses
$5,766,423
Assets
$1,266,543
Liabilities
$240,662

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

Leadership & pay

29 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ADAM BERNSTEIN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • ABBY MERRILL (PRESIDENT)
  • KUMIKO YOSHII (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • THOMAS BRADSHAW (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • SCOTT ELLIOTT (ARTISTIC DIRECTOR): $244,240 total reported compensation
  • ADAM BERNSTEIN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $177,677 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 new group is an artist-driven company with a commitment to developing and producing powerful, contemporary theater. While constantly evolving, we maintain an ensemble approach to all our work and an articulated style of emotional immediacy in (see schedule o) our acting and productions. In this way, we seek a theater that is adventurous, stimulating and most importantly "now" - a true forum for the present culture.

What it reported doing in 2024

During the 2024-25 season, the new group (tng) celebrated its 30th anniversary by advancing its mission to develop and produce adventurous, artist-driven theater. Programming focused on three core pillars: world-class productions, new work development, and comprehensive theater education. In total, tng produced three mainstage plays and one musical, supported the development of 18 new works, and served over 340 students through diverse educational initiatives.mainstage productions & co-productionstng's 30th anniversary season reached a total audience of 30,463 through four distinct theatrical works at the pershing square signature center and the vineyard theater: babe: the off-broadway premiere of jessica goldberg's play, directed by scott elliott and starring marisa tomei. (10/29 - 12/22/2024; attendance: 8,002). Curse of the starving class: a major revival of sam shepard's obie award-winning classic, directed by scott elliott and featuring an ensemble cast including christian slater and calista flockhart. Due to popular demand, the run included a one-week extension. (2/23 - 4/6/2025; attendance: 10,862). The last bimbo of the apocalypse: the world premiere musical by michael breslin and patrick foley. (4/22 - 6/1/2025; attendance: 6,124). Bowl ep: a co-production in association with the vineyard theater and national black theater. Written and directed by nazareth hassan. (5/4 - 6/22/2025; attendance: 5,475).new group/new works developmenttng supported the development of 18 new plays and musicals. Highlights included: tow foundation playwright-in-residence: supported three works by preston crowder (god, damn it!, lessons from him, and bocking). Free fest: a public reading festival at theater row (june 25-29, 2025) featuring four boundary-defying works selected through a newly implemented curatorial process. The climate plays: a specialized reading festival at ripley-grier (july 15-17, 2025) exploring the global climate crisis through three new works. Additional development: readings and workshops were held for 11 other writers, as well as development for the world premiere musical the last bimbo of the apocalypse.education & community engagementthe new group provided theater education and acting training to middle school, high school, and college students across New York city: ytt college access: served 282 students (over 75% first-generation/low-income) using theater techniques to guide students in transforming their personal life stories for use in the college essays and interviews and to support families in every aspect of the college application process. To date, the program maintains a 100% college acceptance rate for participants, with a high success rate of admissions into ivy league and other elite institutions. Summer conservatory: in partnership with wingspan arts, tng provided a three-week, tuition-free program for 61 students (grades 6-12), culminating in three fully staged productions (freaky friday, the addams family, and she kills monsters). Liu brooklyn bfa: in collaboration with long island university, tng continued its bfa in acting for theatre, film, and television. Students received professional training from tng artists and gained hands-on experience through administrative internships within the company.

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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 81
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 19
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 92.4%; rating input score 92
  • Program expense ratio: 84.9%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.65 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 11; 11th 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: 92.6%; rating input score 93; 23rd 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -8.8%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.22; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.19; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.3%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0% per year; rating input score 0; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.5% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 92.4% of revenue deployed · 84.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 25 of 27 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $4.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $244K · 29 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $778K reported
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 11/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 6/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 40/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.