How the Screen Actors Guild Spends Revenue
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG) – is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) 5 – a labor union – representing 160,000 media artists including actors, dancers, broadcast journalists, news writers, singers, performers, and other artists in the industry.
Governed by a national board with 79 independent voting members, SAG has an executive committee and 25 local boards and national and local committees comprised of members.
In 2020, SAG reported total revenue of $129 million, most of which came from membership dues ($108 million or an average of $700 annually from the 160,000 members) followed by awards show income ($9 million).
Expenses totaled $122 million (not including $3 million in depreciation), categorized as follows:
- $72 million (56% of revenue): Compensation
- $30 million (23% of revenue): Office-Related Expenses
- $ 8 million (6% of revenue): Fees for Services
- $ 7 million (5% of revenue): Award Show Expenses
- $ 3 million (2% of revenue): Travel and Conferences
- $ 2 million (2% of revenue): Other Expenses
Compensation is the largest expense for SAG: 681 employees received $72 million in compensation which equates to an average compensation of $106,000. However, only 145 employees received more than $100,000 with the most highly compensated employee reported to be David White, the national Executive Director who received $954,683 in compensation in 2020.
Using the above information, every $100 in revenue was spent as follows:
$100: Revenue
-$ 56: Compensation
-$ 30: Office-Related Expenses
-$ 6: Fees for Services
-$ 5: Award Show Expenses
-$ 2: Travel and Conferences
-$ 2: Other Expenses
-$ 94: Total Expenses
$ 6: Excess Revenue: To General Fund
As illustrated above, $86 out of every $100 was used to compensate staff and pay for office-related expenses.
SAG spent $94 out of every $100 in revenue received.
At the end of the year, SAG reported having $78 million in net fund assets (compared to $74 million at the beginning of the year).
To read the IRS Form 990 (2019 for the year ending April 30, 2020), click here.
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