The Studio Acting Conservatory Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
832635517
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2022320714
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Theater

Reported finances

Revenue
$591,155
Expenses
$691,834
Assets
$4,124,152
Liabilities
$60,093

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • EMILY MORRISON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • EMILY MORRISON (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $90,365 total reported compensation
  • JOY ZINOMAN (BOARD MEMBER): $25,805 total reported compensation
  • KATE DEBELACK (BOARD MEMBER): $7,676 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 studio acting conservatory, inc. Is a non-profit organization that was incorporated on november 15, 2018, in the district of columbia, following its separation from studio theatre. For 50 years, the conservatory has taught acting and directing to adults and young people. Through its quality, rigorous, and time-honored curriculum, the conservatory offers best-in-class training for the modern actor and director. The conservatory is committed to being an anti-racist organization and a safe space for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

The conservatory is the premier training institution for actors and directors in Washington d.c. For 50 years, over 13,000+ alumni have gone on to important theatre and film careers. The conservatory is led by a 22-member faculty of committed professionals, and offers approximately 475-500 class slots to students of every age and background each year. The conservatory also serves disadvantaged dc communities through a scholarship program that provides a theatercurriculum for talented young people age 12-17, with half of these young students receiving full scholarships. Generous scholarships and work-study opportunities are also awarded to adults.

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 some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 81
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.5%; rating input score 84
  • Program expense ratio: 71.1%; rating input score 71
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.45 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: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -17%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.96; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 19%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 14.8% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -24.4% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.5% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 84.5% of revenue deployed · 71.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 16 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $492K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $90K · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 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.
  • 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.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 11/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 16/100.