Traverse City Dance Project

What it reported doing in 2025

In 2025, continued its community tour to four Northern Michigan communitiesKalkaska, Charlevoix, Frankfort, and Traverse City, as well as a pop-up showing at Little Fleet for community members, all showings free of charge. For many, this was their first exposure to live dance, and you made it possible to reach them. During the tour, we included two free pre-performance classes for kids in Kalkaska and Charlevoix, and collaborated with Fitchs School of Dance in Kalkaska, to provide an opportunity for local students to perform right alongside TCDPs professionals. The summer tour brought together six professional dancers, a cellist, a DJ artist, and a passionate technical team. Through partnerships with the Garden Theater, the Kalkaska Downtown Development Authority, Charlevoix Parks and Recreation, and the Northern Michigan Disability Network, the organization deepened community connections while creating new opportunities for artistic collaboration. This season also featured the commissioning of original works by three choreographers, enriching the dialogue between artists and audiences throughout Northern Michigan. TCDP successfully maintained their intern program, now in its second year, that provides invaluable hands-on experience to two college students in arts administration and production. The company also provided two additional recent college graduates their first professional contract as apprentices. It is this kind of mentorship that helps nurture the next generation of leaders in the arts. The biggest event of the season was the launch of the first ever Northern Michigan Dance Festival. This three-day event featured four unique performances, including educational opportunities such as a school show for over 250 students. Presented in collaboration with the Dennos Museum Center, the school program introduced young audiences to a variety of dance forms and included a creative movement workshop led by our Directors and professional dancers. The festival brought together more than 25 dancers and musicians to present unforgettable performances of both world-renowned and world-premiere choreographic works. This vibrant fusion of movement and music was the result of years of planning and partnership building a true testament to what our arts community can achieve together.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 90.6%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 0%; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 0 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Fail
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -14.4%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.14; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 1.37; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: 23.5% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 8.1% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings