Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Typical Budgets

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   I am a non-artist (read business) person on a local theater company board of directors.  We are looking at some strategic alternatives and I was wondering if there were any general guidelines as to what percent of a non-profits budget generally goes to administrative cost.  By admin I mean anything that is not directly attributable to a production.  We put on 5 - 6 shows a year.  If anyone was some references to websites that would inform me about typical budgets that would be great.

Much appreciation in advance.

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slewis Walk-On Joined: 12/01/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Typical Budgets Posted: 12/01/08 at 3:22pm
	I am a non-artist (read business) person on a local theater company board of directors. We are looking at some strategic alternatives and I was wondering if there were any general guidelines as to what percent of a non-profits budget generally goes to administrative cost. By admin I mean anything that is not directly attributable to a production. We put on 5 - 6 shows a year. If anyone was some references to websites that would inform me about typical budgets that would be great. Much appreciation in advance.

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JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 12/02/08 at 5:20am
	I don't know if this would actually help? This is from another forum in the UK & is the results of a survey, submitted by voluntary arts groups throughout England;- http://amdram.co.uk/articles/voluntary-arts-survey-the-results/ Jane's précis of calculated expenditure percentages may be a guide? However would it not be easier to collate this from your mobs past records of accounts & formulate it as indicative of your situation? I know a lot of local groups in AUS, spend as little as possible on admin, even those with their own venues. - So not much help cobber!
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
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KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 12/02/08 at 10:51am
	I don't know if you're going to find anything useful. Every CT is organizationally so different. Furthermore, everyone probably defines admin and production differently so even if there are numbers it wouldn't be standard among everyone. For instance, advertising and marketing. Is advertising a production cost? I'd say yes. Is marketing? I'd say no. How about tickets, is it a production cost? I'd say the printing was. How about the software and hardware? What about staff? We have several CTs in my area. One has eight full-time staff with its own theatre. Another does one show a year in a high school; all positions voluntary. Another has a volunteer board but pays production staff a stiepend and rents a small theatre for productions. There are a few others with various other configurations. Also there are the type of productions. You could have a tiny little organization that does simple plays and sets with all volunteers, and so have virtually no production costs. So their admin cost may be a very high percentage even though the dollar amount is small. The thing is if you surveyed all our local CTs thier budgets would be all over the place and I don't think you could draw any conclusions from them.
	KEB
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Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Theater Administration :Running Your Theater

Topic: Typical Budgets( Topic Closed)