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Nonprofit · EIN 47-3543143

THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY

Tax-exempt · MONTCLAIR, NJ 07042

Financials

$393K$430K2022$1.2M$1.3M2023$1.5M$1.5M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
September 30, 2025990$1,535,039$1,512,761$22,278$544,318$613,367-$69,049
September 30, 2024990$1,175,036$1,270,798-$95,762$384,913$476,240-$91,327
September 30, 2023990$393,281$429,657-$36,376$449,571$455,136-$5,565
Financial details: 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$507,955
of which government grants
$157,900
Program service revenue
$924,777
Investment income
$0
Other revenue
$102,307

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$0
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$114,900
Other salaries and wages
$64,165
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$193,950
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Travel
$4,997
Depreciation
$131,668
Program services (functional)
$1,289,694
Management and general (functional)
$157,771
Fundraising (functional)
$65,296

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$384,913
Total assets, end of year
$544,318
Total liabilities, end of year
$613,367
Net assets, end of year
-$69,049
Land, buildings and equipment
$98,502
Net assets without donor restrictions
-$69,049
Gross receipts
$1,535,039
Employees
8
Volunteers
23
Year formed
2015
State of legal domicile
NJ

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Janeece Freeman-ClarkArtistic Director40$55,276
Cathi FlanaganActing Treas.
Officer
0$30,088
Terri GorgoneSecretary
Officer
3$13,800
Patty GonzalezTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Anuraj BismalTrustee
Trustee or director
3$0
Jessica SpornTrstee Emeritus
Trustee or director
0$0
Hilary HooverTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Stacey KilkenneyTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Meryl BudnickTrustee
Trustee or director
10$0
MaryBeth BogerPresident
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
Jennene TierneyTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Ilena SilvermanTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Veena RajTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Kate LarsenTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Elaine SchwartzTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
3 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Lindsay Roberts GreeneTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Melani Wilson SmithTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Genevieve WrennTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
990 for the year ended September 30, 2024: 15 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Janeece Freeman-ClarkArtistic Director40$47,000
Jessica SpornCo-President
Trustee or director, Officer
20$10,000
Patty GonzalezTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Anuraj BismalTrustee
Trustee or director
3$0
Hilary HooverTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Stacey KilkenneyTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Meryl BudnickTrustee
Trustee or director
10$0
MaryBeth BogerCo-President
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
Jennene TierneyTrustee
Trustee or director
3$0
Ilena SilvermanTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Veena RajTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Kate LarsenTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Lindsay Roberts GreeneTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Melani Wilson SmithTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
10$0
Terri GorgoneSecretary
Officer
3$0
990 for the year ended September 30, 2023: 16 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Janeece Freeman-ClarkArtistic Director40$12,500
Anuraj BismalTrustee
Trustee or director
3$0
Hilary HooverTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Stacey KilkenneyTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Meryl BudnickTrustee
Trustee or director
10$0
MaryBeth BogerCo-President
Trustee or director
3$0
Jennene TierneyCo-President
Trustee or director
3$0
Ilena SilvermanTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Veena RajTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Kate LarsenTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Maureen LudwigCo-Treasurer
Trustee or director
3$0
Lindsay RobertsTrustee
Trustee or director
1$0
Melani Wilson SmithCo-Treasurer
Trustee or director
10$0
Christopher JoyceTrustee
Officer
3$0
Terri GorgoneSecretary
Officer
3$0
Jessica SpornExecutive Director40$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
PO BOX 409, MONTCLAIR, NJ 07042-0409
Mailing address (990-N for 2014)
349 Irving Avenue, South Orange NJ 07079
Principal officer (990-N for 2014)
Adrian Banks, 310 Self Pl, South Orange NJ 07079
Signed the 990
Janeece Freeman-Clark, Artistic Director
Phone
(862) 205-3525
Return prepared by
MAUREEN A LEIDL CPA

Mission

Vanguard Theater Company (VTC), founded by two Black artists, provides equitable opportunity, training, and access to theater artists and audiences. VTC is changing the narrative through theater dedicated to DREAM: Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism and Mentorship. VTC creates a space for individuals of different racial and socio-economic backgrounds and life circumstances to address issues of social justice through theater.

990 for the year ended September 30, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • VTC challenges conventional social and cultural narratives through theater dedicated to DREAM: Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism, & Mentorship. The vision of VTC is to be recognized as a model for purposeful inclusion of diverse voices and stories; casting and leadership that reflects our community and partnerships that propel cross community conversations with non-arts organizations, including public, private and higher education, government entities and advocacy groups. Ultimately, VTC ensures that stories get told in ways that spark new thought and conversation about bias and its consequences.
    Expenses $533,188
  • VTC identifies and helps develop the next generation of playwrights, composers, lyricists, performers, and stagecraft artists from races and communities that have historically faced institutional and structural barriers to mainstream musical theater. VTCs ongoing educational and training programming, which reaches more than 500 students annually, includes DREAM VTC,an education and performance program for ages 12-18 that emulates a professional production experience as well as VTC Kids, our foundational program for students ages 7-12. All of the education programs emphasize using the arts to give back to the community. The VTC signature mentorship programs are of critical importance in the efforts to challenge narratives.
    Expenses $470,820
  • Summerstock, a 2-week residential camp is an intensive, by-audition, performing arts experience for serious musical theater students, ages 12-19, in residence at Camp in NJ. Students learn critical theater skills and life lessons. For many it is their first experience living and working outside of their socio-economic and demographic bubbles. For some, it is their first opportunity living in nature and engaging in traditional camp activities. The staff is led by professional actors and directors, and approximately 112 campers perform five fully produced shows in two weeks time. In addition to show rehearsals, campers take workshops in a variety of areas including: Songwriting, Shakespeare, Musical Theater Dance, Music Theory, Sight Reading and Character Analysis. Recreational activities such as: swimming, boating, archery, hiking, and nightly campfires, perfectly round out the camp experience.
    Expenses $285,686

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in September, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025September 30, 2026February 16, 2027Not due yet
2024September 30, 2025February 17, 2026990 on file
2023September 30, 2024February 18, 2025990 on file

IRS record

EIN
47-3543143
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
2015
Accounting year ends
September
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$544,318
Income (IRS master file)
$1,535,039

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990September 2025$1,535,039$1,512,761$544,318XML
990September 2024$1,175,036$1,270,798$384,913IRS
990September 2023$393,281$429,657$449,571XML
990June 2023$992,469$1,171,682$347,749IRS
990June 2022$961,898$868,434$476,638IRS
990June 2021–––IRS
990June 2020–––IRS
990June 2018–––IRS
990-N for 2014
Officer: Adrian Banks
June 30, 2015≤ $50,000 receipts––e-Postcard

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 47-3543143).

Questions about THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY

What is the EIN of THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY?
The employer identification number (EIN) of THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY is 47-3543143.
Is THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2015.
Are donations to THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending September 30, 2026) is due February 16, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended September 2025.
Who is the principal officer of THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY?
The 990-N for 2014 names Adrian Banks.
Who are the officers and directors of THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY?
The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 lists 18 people; 3 received compensation from the organization, the highest $55,276 (Janeece Freeman-Clark, Artistic Director).
How much revenue does THE VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY have?
On its 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $1,535,039, expenses of $1,512,761 and total assets of $544,318 at year end.

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