Mission Statement
City Lit Theater (founded 1979) is Chicago’s eighth-oldest theatre company and the first in the U.S. devoted to stage adaptations of literary work. Now in our 45th season with a ~$200,000 budget, we bring fiction, poetry, memoir, essays, and drama to life in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, where we’ve been based for 25+ years (1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave). City Lit is a 501(c)(3) and relies on donors to keep tickets affordable.
Financial Overview — FY 2025
$230K
Total Revenue
$231K
Total Expenses
$31K
Net Assets
3
Employees
Revenue Sources
Expense Breakdown
Program Expense Ratio
76.3%
Fundraising Efficiency
74.9%
Operating Reserve
1.63x
Liability-to-Asset
7.7%
Revenue Diversification
60.3%
Executive Compensation
$33K
CharityAI™ Evaluation — 2025
29 / 1000
Financial
82
Reliability
42
Effectiveness
10
Impact
Financial Strength (30%)
0
Reliability & Transparency (20%)
82
Program Effectiveness (25%)
42
Impact & Outcomes (25%)
10
0 programs
IRS Verified Form 990 on File 90% Data Complete
Financial History
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net Assets | Program % | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $230K | $231K | $31K | 76.3% | 3 |
| 2024 | $245K | $252K | $32K | 79.2% | 3 |
| 2023 | $206K | $270K | $40K | 81.0% | 3 |
| 2022 | $252K | $210K | $104K | 88.2% | 1 |
| 2021 | $329K | $144K | N/A | — | 1 |
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