The Colburn School
80% goes to programs $4 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
The Colburn School is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Los Angeles, California, registered in 1981, with $130,692,009 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 80% of spending to programs.
200 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90012 EIN 95-2501387 Since 1981
Revenue (FY2023)
$130.7M
▲ 76.1% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2023)
$54.8M
Net assets
$591.3M
Employees
465
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating80% to programs · $4 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For The Colburn School: 80% to programs · $4 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating130 mo reserves · +58% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For The Colburn School: 130 mo reserves · +58% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For The Colburn School: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For The Colburn School: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
A school with acclaimed faculty providing students the highest quality performing arts education.
Contact & location
- Address
- 200 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90012
- City
- Los Angeles
- State
- California
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Performing Arts
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $59.1M (FY2013) to $130.7M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $141.6MNet assets $591.3M
Operating margin
58.1%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$732.8M
Total liabilities
$141.6M
Net assets
$591.3M
Salaries & benefits
$23.4M
43% of expenses
Board members
32
32 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $130,692,009▲76.1% | $54,782,423▼1.5% | $591,277,363▲16.9% | $732,847,191▲13.1% | 990 |
| 2022 | $74,199,241▼74.8% | $55,597,043▲7.5% | $505,725,900▲5.6% | $648,075,574▲3.8% | 990 |
| 2021 | $293,942,140▲395% | $51,714,339▲19.4% | $478,765,108▲103% | $624,606,660▲59.2% | 990 |
| 2020 | $59,375,662▲34.5% | $43,302,582▼15.3% | $235,282,915▲34.1% | $392,445,370▲16.8% | 990 |
| 2019 | $44,139,579▲5.3% | $51,111,667▼0.5% | $175,483,745▼10.0% | $335,953,493▼4.1% | 990 |
| 2018 | $41,915,703▼16.2% | $51,348,465▼0.9% | $194,952,088▼4.1% | $350,455,307▼0.1% | 990 |
| 2017 | $49,996,053▲36.2% | $51,791,971▲7.1% | $203,293,576▲2.1% | $350,839,845▼0.1% | 990 |
| 2016 | $36,710,188▲30.4% | $48,341,369▲7.4% | $199,077,129▲6.6% | $351,074,138▲1.7% | 990 |
| 2015 | $28,154,839▼54.9% | $45,029,468▲6.5% | $186,823,875▼14.0% | $345,367,648▼6.1% | 990 |
| 2014 | $62,454,263▲5.7% | $42,287,884▲7.1% | $217,225,019▼2.4% | $367,663,009▼0.9% | 990 |
| 2013 | $59,086,296 | $39,479,498▲3.7% | $222,583,710▲26.3% | $370,839,778▲14.2% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $38,059,666▲1.1% | $176,242,015▲14.5% | $324,836,690▲4.0% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $37,637,906▲2.2% | $153,915,336▼17.3% | $312,347,959▼5.9% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $36,813,925▲7.0% | $186,215,654▲18.6% | $331,903,614▲8.5% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $34,415,820 | $157,049,910 | $305,945,976 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Seljuk Kardan — $697,138 (1.27% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seljuk Kardan | President & Ceo | 40 | $697,138 |
| Robert Lipsett | Professor | 40 | $471,179 |
| Fabio Bidini | Professor | 40 | $462,733 |
| Maeesha Merchant | Cfo/treasurer/vp of Bus. Develop. | 40 | $416,912 |
| Linda Cormier | Vp Hr/bod Secretary | 40 | $335,460 |
| Clive Greensmith | Professor | 40 | $315,970 |
| Anne E Wickert | Vp Advancement | 40 | $315,885 |
| Martin Beaver | Faculty | 40 | $286,637 |
| Tatjana Masurenko | Faculty | 40 | $280,501 |
| Nathaniel Zeisler - Dir Cici | (thru 08/23)/provost (as of 08/23) | 40 | $242,157 |
| Adrian Daly | Provost (thru 08/23) | 40 | $215,428 |
| Mira Wolff - Vp Hrgeneral | Counsel/bod Secretary (as of 10/23) | 40 | $43,875 |
| Alice Coulombe | Director | 1 | — |
| Aliza Lesser | Director | 1 | — |
| Allan Marks | Director (as of 12/23) | 1 | — |
| Andrew Millstein | Chairman | 1 | — |
| Ann Moore | Director | 1 | — |
| Bethany Coffee | Director (as of 12/23) | 1 | — |
| Beverly C Marksbury | Director | 1 | — |
| Carol Colburn Grigor | Life Chairman Emeritus | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Gehry Partners LLP | Architect - Building Design | $5,438,886 |
| Universal Protection Service LP | Security | $1,093,746 |
| Mccarthy Building Companies | Construction | $750,790 |
| Peerless Building Maintenance Co | Janitorial | $709,395 |
| Arthur J Gallagher & Co | Consulting-insurances | $615,204 |
Grants received · $12.9M total
67 grants to The Colburn School totaling $12.9M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
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Compare The Colburn School
Frequently asked questions
- Is The Colburn School a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. The Colburn School is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 95-2501387, based in Los Angeles, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is The Colburn School's EIN?
- The Colburn School's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 95-2501387.
- How much revenue does The Colburn School report?
- The Colburn School reported $130,692,009 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of The Colburn School's spending goes to programs?
- The Colburn School spends about 80% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does The Colburn School have?
- CharityIndex grades The Colburn School A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does The Colburn School's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on The Colburn School's latest Form 990 is $697,138, paid to Seljuk Kardan (President & Ceo).
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Data for The Colburn School (EIN 95-2501387) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.