Mission: The Celebrity Series Mission: To present performing artists who inspire and enrich our community.
The Celebrity Series Vision: We believe in the power of excellence and innovation in the performing arts to enrich life experience, transform lives, and build better communities. We envision a community of Greater Boston where the performing arts are a valued, lifelong, shared experience - on stages, on streets, in neighborhoods - everywhere.
Celebrity Series of Boston is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1989, and donations are tax-deductible.
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Important note on the timeliness of ratings
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Financial and Accountability & Transparency score for Celebrity Series of Boston is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
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Star Rating System by Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator evaluates a nonprofit organization’s financial health including measures of stability, efficiency and sustainability. We also track accountability and transparency policies to ensure the good governance and integrity of the organization.
Exceptional
This charity's score is 91.98, earning it a 4-Star rating. Donors can "Give with Confidence" to this charity.
This score is calculated from two sub-scores:
Finance: 88.66 View details
Accountability & Transparency: 100.00 View details
This score represents Form 990 data from 2019. More recent filing data is available, but it has not been factored into this score, due to COVID-19's effect on this organization.
View this organization’s historical ratings.
Rating update postponed due to COVID-19's impact on this organization. View Celebrity Series of Boston's response.
Star Rated Report
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Program Expense Ratio
77.1%
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Administrative Expenses
9.9%
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expenses
12.8%
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Liabilities to Assets Ratio
9.1%
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency
$0.13
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio
1.19 years
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth
2.92%
We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
Governance
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Governance: | |
|---|---|
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
| |
| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
| |
| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) | |
| Compensates Board ... (More) |
Policies
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Policies: | |
|---|---|
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) |
Transparency
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Transparency: | |
|---|---|
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Audited Financial Statements on Website ... (More) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) |
Additional Information
Unscored
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Total Revenue and Expenses
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Gary Dunning, President, Executive Director
$374,082 (4.70% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Business Master File Data
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Cultural performances (BMF activity code: 090)
Foundation Status:
Organization that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes. 509(a)(2) (BMF foundation code: 16)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
Data Sources: IRS Forms 990
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to view this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available).
Pandemic Response
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Celebrity Series of Boston reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Revenue
Balance Sheet
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
As a presenter that does not own our own venue, we have a nimble business model that allowed us to pivot when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Following five consecutive years of balanced budgets, we ended FY20 with a deficit of $179,549 after we canceled all remaining in-person performances and events in mid-March due to COVID-19. In FY21, ticket revenue was down by 97% compared to FY19. However, our FY21 ended with a $432,376 surplus, bolstered by federal and state COVID-19 emergency funding from the Paycheck Protection Program, Employee Retention Tax, NEA CARES Act grant, and Shuttered Venues Operators Grant. None of our staff were laid off, furloughed, or had salary cuts.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Like most performing arts organizations, Celebrity Series canceled the remainder of our 19/20 season on March 13, 2020, as well as all in-person performances in the 20/21 season. The need for social distancing before vaccines made indoor performances unsafe and impossible to mount responsibly in terms of public health. We collaborated with a community partner on an outdoor series in July and August 2021, and began holding performances indoors again in September 2021.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Celebrity Series has weathered the pandemic by providing virtual opportunities for artists to continue working, performing, and connecting with audiences both in Boston and around the world. In April 2020, we launched Celebrity Series @ Home and were one of the earliest presenters nationally to offer new digital content, with a series of 12 live-streamed concerts from April through June 2020, all featuring local professional artists that are part of our Neighborhood Arts artist roster. We pivoted to digital events in 20/21, with 20 ticketed concerts featuring artists who would have appeared in canceled events in our mainstage season, 20 free Neighborhood Arts concerts featuring local artists, and 58 digital Neighborhood Arts youth-focused workshops. A total of 136 local and international artists were paid for their work, and audiences watched a total of 10,284 hours of Celebrity Series @ Home concerts in all 50 states and 29 countries. Concerts were viewed 25,886 times in total.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We will continue to provide digital offerings of many of our performances. Several of our touring artists have livestreams running concurrent with their performances, and Neighborhood Arts concerts have virtual viewings available later in the same week. All of these online performances are either free or lower-cost. This also means that those who are unable or do not feel safe attending in-person performances can still experience our artists.
Historical Ratings
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 3/1/2020 | 2019 | 91.98 | |
| 5/1/2019 | 2018 | 91.75 | |
| 6/1/2018 | 2017 | 91.45 | |
| 5/1/2017 | 2016 | 88.72 |  |
| 9/1/2016 | 2015 | 91.60 | |
| 6/1/2016 | 2014 | 94.06 | |
| Rating Version: 2.0 | |||
| 9/1/2015 | 2014 | 90.00 | |
| 12/1/2014 | 2013 | 94.72 | |
| 7/1/2014 | 2013 | 91.43 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 9/1/2013 | 2012 | 85.53 | |
| 8/1/2012 | 2011 | 80.63 | |
| 9/20/2011 | 2010 | 72.09 |  |
| Rating Version: 1.0 | |||
| 8/1/2010 | 2009 | 59.57 |  |
| 6/1/2009 | 2008 | 72.63 | |
| 5/1/2008 | 2007 | 75.11 | |
| 2/1/2007 | 2006 | 78.19 | |
| 3/1/2006 | 2005 | 75.08 | |
| 9/1/2005 | 2004 | 86.33 | |
Previous: Finance & Accountability / Next: Leadership & Adaptability
Impact & Results
This score estimates the actual impact a nonprofit has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Impact & Results Score
Not Currently Scored
Celebrity Series of Boston cannot currently be evaluated by our Encompass Rating Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Do you work at Celebrity Series of Boston? Join the waitlist for an updated Impact & Results score.
Additional Information
Unscored
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Largest Programs
Celebrity Series of Boston reported its two largest programs on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
$5,874,769
Spent in most recent FY
96%
Percent of program expenses
Programming/Performances
$194,224
Spent in most recent FY
3%
Percent of program expenses
Community Outreach/Education
Previous: Impact & Results / Next: Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
This score provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Leadership & Adaptability Score
100
out of 100
The score earned by Celebrity Series of Boston is a passing score. This score has no effect on the organization's Star Rating.
Encompass Rating V4 provides an evaluation of the organization's Leadership & Adaptability through the nonprofit organization submitting a survey response directly to Charity Navigator.
Leadership & Adaptability Report
100
of 100 points
Mission
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s mission
TO PRESENT PERFORMING ARTISTS WHO INSPIRE AND ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY. WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION IN THE PERFORMING ARTS TO ENRICH LIFE EXPERIENCE, TRANSFORM LIVES, AND BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
We envision a community of Greater Boston where the performing arts are a valued, life-long, shared experience — on stages, on streets, in neighborhoods — everywhere.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Strategic Goals
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Establish Celebrity Series as a leader, convener, influencer in our industry and in our community.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Two: Ensure the ongoing financial strength of the organization.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Three: Prepare the organization for a leadership change in the next five years.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
Celebrity Series provides annual ongoing full staff training in such areas as harassment, racial equity, and online security. In addition, the organization is investing in specific training in agile learning and improving feedback skills. Individual development is also provided in areas such as digital media, digital strategy, Tessitura training, and fundraising skills. All staff are able to attend industry or media-specific conferences, such as Tessitura and Capacity Interactive.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Mobilizing for Mission
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Policy Advocacy
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
Celebrity Series leadership participates in city wide industry workshops in centering racial equity in our sector. They also participate in several forums for cultural development with civic, philanthropic and community development. Leadership has participated in the Boston Creates planning process, submitted testimony in support of arts and culture funding to the state legislature, and promoted arts advocacy opportunities to board and staff members.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Story of Adaptability
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Celebrity Series has weathered the pandemic by providing virtual opportunities for artists to continue working, performing, and connecting with audiences both in Boston and around the world. On March 13, 2020, we canceled the remainder of our live performances for the 19/20 season. As a presenter that does not own our own venue, we have a nimble business model that allowed us to pivot. We quickly focused on building a digital presence, planning for our 21/22 season, strengthening our fundraising program, and streamlining our remote technologies. In April 2020, we launched Celebrity Series @ Home and were one of the earliest presenters nationally to offer new digital content, with a series of 12 live-streamed concerts from April through June, all featuring local Neighborhood Arts artists. We pivoted to digital events fully in 20/21, with 20 ticketed concerts featuring artists who would have appeared in canceled events in our mainstage season, 20 free Neighborhood Arts concerts featuring local artists, and 58 digital Neighborhood Arts youth-focused workshops. A total of 136 local and international artists were paid for their work, and audiences watched a total of 10,284 hours of Celebrity Series @ Home concerts in all 50 states and 29 countries. Concerts were viewed 25,886 times in total. Now entering our first hybrid season, we are requiring vaccination and masks for everyone at our live performances, and offering virtual options for many of these performances as well.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Additional Information
Unscored
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Organization Leadership
Gary Dunning
President and Executive Director
Joshua Boger
Chair
Previous: Leadership & Adaptability
Culture & Community
This score provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves. Learn more about how and why we rate Culture & Community.
Culture & Community Score
100
out of 100
Celebrity Series of Boston has earned a passing score. This score has no effect on the organization's Star Rating. The organization provided data about how it listens to constituents (Constituent Feedback) and its Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) practices (see report below).
The Culture & Community Beacon is comprised of the following metrics:
Constituent Feedback: 100/100 (30% of beacon score)
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: 100/100 (70% of beacon score)
Culture & Community Report
100
of 100 points
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
100/100 points
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 11 diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective DEI policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
View this organization's DEI Strategies
Methodology
We are utilizing data collected by Candid to document and assess the DEI practices implemented by the organization. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the Equity Strategies section of their Candid profiles to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Constituent Feedback
100/100 points
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
View this organization's Constituent Feedback Practices
Methodology
We've partnered with Candid to survey organizations about their feedback practices. Nonprofit organizations can fill out the How We Listen section of their Candid profile to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Analysis and Research
Like the overall Encompass Rating System, the Culture & Community Beacon is designed to evolve as metrics are developed and ready for integration. Below you can find more information about the metrics we currently evaluate in this beacon and their relevance to nonprofit performance.
Constituent Feedback
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
