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The Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera reported $42.1 million in revenue and $32.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.51 went to program services, $16.58 to management and general costs and $5.91 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 53.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $649,878 (GENERAL DIRECTOR). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 72% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $32MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $42MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.6% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.9% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 53.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.3% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 26.8% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $649,878 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.00% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 18 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 78.0 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 40 of 40 | 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 expenseOne of the nation's most important summer festivals, the santa fe opera is praised for its innovative repertory and high standards of excellence. There were approximately 69,168 attendees of the 2025 season. The 2025 season included a total of 36 performances of 5 fully staged operas, including: la boheme composed by giacomo puccini, the marriage of figaro composed by wolfgang amadeus mozart, rigoletto composed by giuseppe verdi, the turn of the screw composed by benjamin britten, and die walkure composed by richard wagner. In addition, there were 2 performances by the santa fe opera…
During the opera's 2025 fiscal year, community engagement programs served approximately 25,000 individuals in-person and virtually, including over 20,000 adults and 3,000 youths in person. Additionally 465 volunteers engaged with the opera both on site and in surrounding communities contributing 8,400 volunteer hours. The opera has continued providing professional learning opportunities for teachers in 4 nm school districts and residencies for students focusing on arts integration and student produced operas in 3 of those school districts
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GENERAL DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $550,058 | $0 | $99,820 | $649,878 |
| MUSIC DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 10.00 hrs/week | $258,154 | $0 | $0 | $258,154 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $223,610 | $0 | $19,804 | $243,414 |
| DIR. OF DEVELOPMENT (THRU 2/14/25) Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,573 | $0 | $24,151 | $193,724 |
| CHIEF ARTISTIC ADVISOR Highest compensated employee, 10.00 hrs/week | $188,871 | $0 | $4,499 | $193,370 |
| DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $159,989 | $0 | $17,326 | $177,315 |
| DIRECTOR OF SAFETY (THRU 11/15/24) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $148,948 | $0 | $16,052 | $165,000 |
| DIR. OF HR (THRU 12/31/24) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $137,401 | $0 | $13,718 | $151,119 |
18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Santa Fe Opera (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (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–1b40 · 40 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 11aNo
- 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 4Yes
- 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 5710
- Volunteers Part I, line 6465
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MASTERPIECE CUISINE LLC Catering | $561,755 |
| CPC NEUTEK Printing | $223,420 |
| POSITIVE ENERGY INC Construction | $181,516 |
| MICHAEL TRUJILLO DBA MICHAEL'S VALET Parking services | $178,981 |
| WALTER BURKE CATERING INC Catering | $160,049 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 12 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
51 private foundations reported grants to The Santa Fe Opera totaling $4.5M 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 Santa Fe Opera'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 Santa Fe Opera, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Santa Fe Opera spent in FY2025, $77.51 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Artis-NaplesNaples, FL · revenue $42M · programs 74.6% · FY2025
- Borealis PhilanthropyMinneapolis, MN · revenue $42M · programs 82.6% · 2024
- Houston Ballet FoundationHouston, TX · revenue $42M · programs 82.5% · FY2025
- Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of ArtChadds Ford, PA · revenue $43M · programs 74.3% · FY2025
- Florida West Coast Symphony Inc dba Sarasota OrchestraSarasota, FL · revenue $42M · programs 76.5% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New Mexico
Questions people ask
How much of The Santa Fe Opera's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, The Santa Fe Opera reported that 77.5% of its $32.4 million in expenses went to program services, 16.6% to management and general and 5.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Santa Fe Opera pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Santa Fe Opera reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $649,878, for the role of GENERAL DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Santa Fe Opera get its money?
Of $42.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 53.4% came from contributions and grants (including 0.3% from government grants) and 26.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Santa Fe Opera a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 85-0131810 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 September 30, 2025, object 202632309349301733 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202542179349301429 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202422269349301972 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202342219349301219 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202242239349301734 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202142249349301244 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 85-0131810: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.