The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy
The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy reported $10.1 million in revenue and $11.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $92.00 went to program services, $8.00 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 76.0% of the total. Government grants made up 75.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $246,944 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 50% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $10MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 92.0% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.0% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 76.0% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 75.6% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 21.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $246,944 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.17% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 147.6 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 14 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseYerba Buena Gardens Conservancy (the "conservancy") is a civic nonprofit organization established to program, operate, maintain, and improve the publicly-owned three city blocks of Yerba Buena Gardens on behalf of the residents and visitors of the city and county of san francisco. Located in central san francisco, the Yerba Buena Gardens are a treasured cultural asset visited by over 5 million people annually.consistent with the city of san francisco's vision, the Yerba Buena Gardens is a self-financing entity, where surrounding developments and retail leases financially support the operation…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $207,611 | $0 | $39,333 | $246,944 |
| CHIEF ENGINEER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,356 | $0 | $61,549 | $233,905 |
| STATIONARY ENGINEER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $134,914 | $0 | $58,853 | $193,767 |
| STATIONARY ENGINEER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,080 | $0 | $58,040 | $191,120 |
| GENERAL MANAGER, YB GARDENS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,733 | $0 | $15,261 | $171,994 |
| CAPITAL PROGRAM MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $130,440 | $0 | $19,414 | $149,854 |
| CAPITAL AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,761 | $0 | $25,400 | $136,161 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $438K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b14 · 14 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 515
- Volunteers Part I, line 615
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GARDENERS' GUILD Landscaping services | $974,540 |
| MARINA SECURITY SERVICES Security services | $923,468 |
| METRO SERVICE GROUP Janitorial services | $527,856 |
| RAINBOW WATERPROOFING & RESTORATION CO Construction services | $290,435 |
| AMERICAN EMPIRE BUILDING SERVICES Janitorial services | $251,486 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 9 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy totaling $21 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy spent in FY2025, $92.00 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy reported that 92.0% of its $11.4 million in expenses went to program services, 8.0% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $246,944, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy get its money?
Of $10.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 76.0% came from contributions and grants (including 75.6% from government grants) and 21.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 81-4053105 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202601139349302050 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202510949349300341 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202411309349304236 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321289349303722 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201329349305290 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101349349305425 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 81-4053105: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.