Create, perform, teach & promote dance as an essential and inspiring element of our community.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 79 volunteers and 184 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $653K a year · 10% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 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
$352K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.0 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
28
named funders · $1.7M
Looks good: 28 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$3.7M
51% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 51% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
42
of 42 voting members
Looks good: 42 of 42 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.6M
+20% vs prior year
Spent
$8.6M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$3.5M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$7.6M
FY2025▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$5.1M
FY2022$8.4M
FY2023$6.5M
FY2024$6.3M
FY2025$7.6M
Expenses
$8.6M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$4.8M
FY2022$7.1M
FY2023$8.4M
FY2024$8.2M
FY2025$8.6M
Net assets
$3.5M
FY2025▼ -24%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$7.0M
FY2022$8.3M
FY2023$6.5M
FY2024$4.6M
FY2025$3.5M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending May 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1981.

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% · $7.4M Management & general 8% · $694K Fundraising 6% · $544K

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

45 people listed on the 990; $352K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Artistic Director/CEO
$225,274Pt VII · Sec A
$126,557Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nick Mullikin’s $225K as Artistic Director/CEO is at the 89th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Nick Mullikin$225,274$147,005$126,310——
Paul Vasterling End 52023——$143,695——
Lisa French End 92022——$121,143$132,710—
Mary Poiley End 32025$126,557————
Paul Vasterling———$124,890$125,503
Lisa French————$121,359
Felicia Weishaar End 52024—$100,472———
Felicia Weishaar——$69,092——

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 Nashville Ballet 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

Performs professional ballet, provides dance education, and leads community engagement programs to make dance accessible and inspiring for diverse populations across Nashville.

Questions for Nashville Ballet

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $7.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Since its founding in 1984, nashville ballet has grown from a small group of six dancers, to one of the most accomplished ballet companies in the southeast. The mission of nashville ballet is to create,perform, teach, and promote dance as an essential and inspiring element of the community.

$4.8Mprogram expense
02

School of Nashville Ballet (snb)

SNB is the area's preeminent school of dance, offering dance training and education for all ages and abilities. Reaching 2,000+ students annually, SNB'S artistic programming and reputation continues to strengthen and attract national attention by providing world-class dance instruction through its challenging curriculum meticulously…

$2.5Mprogram expense
03

Community Engagement

Community engagement programming has been a core piece of NB'S work for over 20 years. Partnerships with schools and community-based organizations help NB reach 16,000+ people annually, making the program a long-standing success.

$83Kprogram expense

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
See all 28 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.6M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4.7M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$123K
Money outPt IX
$8.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.4M
Managementcol C$694K
Fundraisingcol D$544K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$721K
Total assetsLn 16$7.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
45
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a42
IndependentVI 1b42
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$220K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$35K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$327K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Other incomeLn 4–11$123K
Total revenueLn 12$7.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$432K
SavingsLn 2$289K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$721K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.8M
Other assetsLn 15$95K
Total assetsLn 16$7.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.7M
Net assetsLn 32$3.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5184
VolunteersI 679
Fiscal year endsHeaderMay
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M$721K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6.1M$5.8M
Total assetsLn 16$8.1M$7.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.5M$3.7M
Net assetsLn 32$4.6M$3.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$413K$330K$37K$45K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.3M$2.6M$404K$246K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$344K$281K$42K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$288K$231K$35K$23K
Legal feesLn 11b$7K$6K$723$867
Accounting feesLn 11c$36K$28K$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$254K$181K$30K$43K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$413K$411K$74$2K
Office expensesLn 13$403K$348K$23K$31K
OccupancyLn 16$381K$330K$23K$28K
TravelLn 17$110K$109K$2K$12
InterestLn 20$76K$59K$8K$9K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$441K$345K$43K$53K
InsuranceLn 23$84K$66K$8K$10K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.1M$2.0M$11K$8K
All other expensesLn 24e$59K$17K$23K$19K
Total functional expensesLn 25$8.6M$7.4M$694K$544K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $7.6M$8.6M−$1.1M$3.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $6.3M$8.2M−$1.9M$4.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $6.5M$8.4M−$1.9M$6.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $8.4M$7.1M$1.4M$8.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.1M$4.8M$232K$7.0M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,552,527 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,309,623$2,708,957
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $4,040,620$4,704,683
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $58,606$15,835
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$125,718$123,052
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $6,283,131$7,552,527
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $4,149,150$4,316,803
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $4,033,223$4,322,369
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $8,182,373$8,639,172
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,899,242−$1,086,645
Part VI · Governance 42 of 42 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body42
VI-1b Independent voting members42
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,552,527 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $48,762 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$327,370
VIII-1d Related organizations$73,852
VIII-1e Government grants$219,854
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,087,881
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$35,141
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,708,957
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $4,704,683$4,704,683
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $15,835$15,835
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $71,707$71,707
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $2,583$2,583
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $4,704,683 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $138,887$7,552,527
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,639,172 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $330,092 · Management $37,135 · Fundraising $45,388$412,615
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,621,457 · Management $404,055 · Fundraising $246,224$3,271,736
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $281,447 · Management $42,291 · Fundraising $20,448$344,186
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $230,932 · Management $34,535 · Fundraising $22,799$288,266
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $5,639 · Management $723 · Fundraising $867$7,229
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $27,724 · Management $3,554 · Fundraising $4,265$35,543
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $181,119 · Management $30,441 · Fundraising $42,745$254,305
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $411,060 · Management $74 · Fundraising $2,177$413,311
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $348,352 · Management $23,193 · Fundraising $31,364$402,909
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $329,807 · Management $23,197 · Fundraising $28,404$381,408
IX-17 TravelPrograms $108,739 · Management $1,671 · Fundraising $12$110,422
IX-20 InterestPrograms $59,209 · Management $7,740 · Fundraising $9,478$76,427
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $344,906 · Management $42,667 · Fundraising $52,928$440,501
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $65,966 · Management $8,267 · Fundraising $10,123$84,356
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,037,993 · Management $11,363 · Fundraising $8,059$2,057,415
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $16,598 · Management $23,002 · Fundraising $18,943$58,543
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,401,040 · Management $693,908 · Fundraising $544,224$8,639,172
Part X · Balance sheet $7,198,483 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,014,772$431,874
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $170,266$288,981
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $163,892$162,955
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $64,314$49,377
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $150,870$170,314
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $247,127$197,801
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $6,084,848$5,802,280
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $153,977$94,901
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,050,066$7,198,483
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $228,334$216,005
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,049,568$1,376,119
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $10,836$26,649
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,463,792$3,696,933
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $4,499,774$3,242,603
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $86,500$258,947
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,586,274$3,501,550
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,050,066$7,198,483
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,501,550 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,552,527
XI-2 Total expenses$8,639,172
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$1,086,645
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,586,274
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,921
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,501,550

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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