Close the June 2026 Budget Shortfall

Dear Friends,

Last weekend (May 29-30), more than 600 supporters gathered at The O'Shaughnessy for In Full Bloom! The performances were a tremendous success and a reminder of why our work matters. Yet despite this momentum, St. Paul Ballet faces a $50,000 funding shortfall that must be closed by our budget year-end, June 30, to sustain programming for more than 300 students.

Some long-time funders were unable to renew their support this year, creating a $50,000 gap in our budget. St. Paul Ballet is not immune to the shifting Minnesota nonprofit landscape, which has seen decreased funding and increased expenses—especially rent and utilities—over the past couple of years. To avoid reducing programs that serve students ages 2½ to 75, we are asking our community to help bridge this shortfall.

You may be surprised to learn that ticket sales barely cover theater expenses and only 50% of our programming income comes from earned revenue in tuition. The rest are donations.

If St. Paul Ballet reduces programming; students like those in our lower levels would be affected. One elementary student, new to our school, struggled for years to feel accepted among peers. At SPB, she found confidence, friendships, and a place to belong.

Another long-time student joined us as a child with physical limitations that doctors believed would restrict participation. Through determination and support, that student now thrives alongside peers and continues to exceed expectations.

A gift of any size will help ensure that students continue to have access to quality dance education, performance opportunities, and a welcoming community where they can grow and thrive.

• It costs $30,000 each month to provide stellar teaching artists and musicians.
• A week of classes in the upper-level youth ballet company costs $1,600 in rent and insurance.

We must raise $50,000 by June 30. Please make your contribution today to help ensure that no student loses access to programming because of this unexpected funding gap.

A gift of $20, $50, $100, or any amount will help close this unexpected gap.

Together, we can close this shortfall and continue transforming lives through dance.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for being part of the SPB family.

With hope for a bright future,
Lori Gleason, Executive Director
lgleason@spballet.org
and The Board of Directors of St. Paul Ballet

“Saint Paul Ballet is a true gem of an organization, providing rigorous pre-professional dance training, while never losing sight of the importance of nurturing each young dancer. At SPB our daughter grew into a technically strong dancer, a passionate performer and confident young person, prepared for whatever her future holds. We know she will carry the lessons she learned in the Saint Paul Ballet dance studios for a lifetime."
— Parents of a Youth Ballet dancer