Killing My Lobster's mission is to make fast, smart, inclusive, and fearless sketch comedy that makes people laugh.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$57K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $1K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$57K
to officers and key staff · 30% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 30% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $74K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$266K
Spent
$190K
To programs
86%
Net assets
$118K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$266K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$266K
FY2021$213K
FY2022$324K
FY2023$253K
FY2024$222K
Expenses
$190K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$190K
FY2021$234K
FY2022$336K
FY2023$282K
FY2024$244K
Net assets
$118K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$118K
FY2021$98K
FY2022$87K
FY2023$58K
FY2024$36K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 2002.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $164K Management & general 6% · $11K Fundraising 8% · $15K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

12 people listed on the 990; $57K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Execartisticdir
$57,212Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nicole Odell’s $59K as Executive Dir. is at the 53rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 2215 $100K–1M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Nicole Odell$59,078$62,271$60,269$7,332—
Emma McCool$57,372$58,554$52,389$11,851—
Allison Page———$57,067$57,212

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Lobster Theater Project executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Create fast, smart, inclusive, and fearless sketch comedy to make people laugh.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $164K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Killing My Lobster is dedicated to producing high quality, relevant and fearless sketch comedy that makes people laugh. We are committed to finding the best and most diverse comedic talent available in the Bay Area and bringing those artists together to create original and innovative shows.

$164Kprogram expense
02

We continued to expand the Diversity in Comedy Fellowship Program which trains aspiring comedians from marginalized communities how to write or perform sketch comedy professionally. We awarded fellowships to 6 artists.In 2020, we further dedicated ourselves to enacting anti-racist policies throughout our organization and we committed to…

Pt IX · col B
03

and having at least 60% of writing positions, 60% of performer positions, and 60% of director positions in a season to be filled by BIPOC, trans, non-binary, and/or queer artists. A Student Bill of Rights and an Artists Bill of Rights were also created.

Pt IX · col B

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$74K
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$266K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$201K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$66K
Money outPt IX
$190K
Ln 25
Programscol B$164K
Managementcol C$11K
Fundraisingcol D$15K
Owns and owesPt X
$118K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$107K
Total assetsLn 16$118K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$201K
Government grantsLn 1e$65K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$4K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$66K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$266K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$107K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$107K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$500
Total assetsLn 16$118K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$118K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 555
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$34K$107K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$42K$118K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$42K$118K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$18K$18K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$64K$64K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$39K$25K$7K$7K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1K$1K$83$83
Payroll taxesLn 10$11K$10K$727$727
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$1K$1K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$28K$28K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$2K$89$1K
Office expensesLn 13$5K$4K$259$517
Information technologyLn 14$3K$1K$1K$109
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$17K$15K$870$2K
TravelLn 17$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$3K$2K$144$289
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$13K$9K$18$4K
All other expensesLn 24e−$17K−$17K
Total functional expensesLn 25$190K$164K$11K$15K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $222K$244K−$22K$36K 990 PDF
FY2023 $253K$282K−$29K$58K 990 PDF
FY2022 $324K$336K−$11K$87K 990 PDF
FY2021 $213K$234K−$21K$98K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $266K$190K$76K$118K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $266,472 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $137,967$200,565
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $124,131$65,907
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$889$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $261,209$266,472
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $15,000$18,500
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $100,358$115,609
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $142,692$55,864
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $258,050$189,973
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,159$76,499
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $266,472 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$64,772
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$135,793
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$3,550
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$200,565
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $65,907$65,907
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $65,907$266,472
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $189,973 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $18,500$18,500
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $64,293$64,293
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $25,470 · Management $6,600 · Fundraising $6,600$38,670
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,127 · Management $83 · Fundraising $83$1,293
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $9,899 · Management $727 · Fundraising $727$11,353
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,155$1,155
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $28,187$28,187
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,970 · Management $89 · Fundraising $1,139$3,198
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,396 · Management $259 · Fundraising $517$5,172
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,140 · Management $1,361 · Fundraising $109$2,610
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $14,790 · Management $870 · Fundraising $1,740$17,400
IX-17 Travel$0
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,451 · Management $144 · Fundraising $289$2,884
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $8,752 · Management $18 · Fundraising $3,742$12,512
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms −$17,254−$17,254
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $163,721 · Management $11,306 · Fundraising $14,946$189,973
Part X · Balance sheet $118,456 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $34,417$106,576
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,402$6,490
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,638$4,890
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $500$500
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $41,957$118,456
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $41,957$118,456
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $41,957$118,456
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $41,957$118,456
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $118,456 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$266,472
XI-2 Total expenses$189,973
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$76,499
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$41,957
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$118,456

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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