Austin Theatre Alliance: $27.5M Revenue, $14.5M Program Expenses

On the LakeQuality nonprofit efficiency rubric, Austin Theatre Alliance pulls an A — the highest available grade. The 82/100 composite reflects a combination of program-focused spending, controlled overhead, and the kind of multi-year financial discipline that grant-makers look for.

At $27.5M in 2023 revenue, Austin Theatre Alliance sits in the mid-range of the U.S. nonprofit distribution. Most organizations of this scale operate regionally or focus on a single program area. Program-spending efficiency is strong: 80% of total expenses flow to program activities, above the 75% benchmark most third-party charity raters use.

Revenue has grown meaningfully across the five-year filing history — a sign of expanding donor base, new grants, or scaling programs. Austin Theatre Alliance reported $27.5M in 2023, up notably from the start of the window. CEO compensation is reported as zero in the filing — typical for nonprofits where the chief executive is paid through a related entity (parent system, university, or foundation) rather than the filing organization itself, or for small organizations whose chief is a volunteer or board member. Austin Theatre Alliance sits in the cultural-nonprofit sector (Arts, Culture & Humanities). Museum, performing-arts, and cultural organizations carry distinctive financial patterns — earned revenue from ticket sales and admissions, plus a heavy reliance on endowment income and major donor cycles.