BBB Wise Giving Report for
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association

BBB Wise Giving Report issued May 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires May 2012


Does not meet one or more standards
This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association
Address: 15 South Pioneer Street
  Ashland, OR 97520
Phone: 541-482-2111
Web Address: www.osfashland.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1935, Oregon
Affiliates: Oregon Shakespeare Festival Endowment Fund
Stated Purpose: "to reveal our collective humanity through illuminating interpretations of new and classic plays, deepened by the kaleidoscope of rotating repertory, inspired by Shakespeare's work and the cultural richness of the United States."

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association (OSFA) does not meet the following Standard for Charity Accountability.

Standard 4: Compensated Board Members - Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.

OSFA does not meet this Standard because:

  • The Board Chair is considered by the Alliance to be indirectly compensated since two of his family members are part of the Association's paid staff.

In response to this finding, the charity states, in part:

"The Board Chair is considered by BBB to receive indirect compensation because his adult son and daughter-in-law are long-time paid members of the staff, occupying positions in the lower level of the organization and receive the same compensation as others undertaking similar work.  The Festival assures BBB that the Board Chair has no direct or indirect influence over their hiring, firing, compensation, benefits or working conditions."
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association (OSFA) meets the remaining 19 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

OSF is a non-profit theatre that presents an eight-and-a-half month season of eleven plays in three theatres. OSF also conducts a theatre education program. According to the organization, OSF presents more than 780 performances annually, with attendance of approximately 400,000.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009, OSFA's program expenses were:

  
Plays and education 18,844,684
Marketing and audience services 3,938,461
Total Program Expenses: $22,783,145
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Paul Nicholson, Executive Director
Compensation*:
 $261,276

Chair of the Board: James V. Risser
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: President, OSFA

Board Size: 31

Paid Staff Size: 500

*November 1, 2007 - October 31, 2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

               

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 13% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $9,581,558, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

               

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

               

The following information is based on OSFA's audited financial statements - combined with subsidiary - for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Plays 17,098,086
Gifts and grants 5,632,987
Memberships 3,520,474
Endowment fund investment income 1,379,457
Other 615,213
Concessions 334,688
Other events 250,342
Publications 234,742
Educational programs 213,112
Contributions and changes in value of gift annuities 113,323
Investment income 87,303
Support groups 78,050
Capital campaign and endowment fund contributions (net) 64,432
Other funds -827
Costume rental business -15,949
Net loss from OSF solutions -70,581
Total Income $29,534,852


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 84%  Fund Raising: 5%  Administrative: 9%  Other Expenses: 2%

Total income   $29,534,852
  Program expenses $22,783,145
  Fund raising expenses 1,225,532
  Administrative expenses 2,551,518
  Other Expenses 557,944
Total expenses   $27,118,139
Income in Excess of Expenses   2,416,713
Beginning net assets   49,401,795
Ending net assets   51,818,508
Total liabilities   4,609,995
Total assets   $56,428,503


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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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