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San Francisco Opera Association
San Francisco Opera Association reported $82.8 million in revenue and $89.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $74.76 went to program services, $19.18 to management and general costs and $6.06 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 59.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $774,969 (CEO/GENERAL DIRECTOR). 142 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 6% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $89MFor 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 July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $83M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$58.01 $49M
- Government grants$0.51 $425K
- Program service revenue$19.31 $16M
- Investment income$22.17 $19M
Other revenue was negative: −$897K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 74.8% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 19.2% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.1% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 59.1% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.5% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 19.5% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $774,969 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.87% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 142 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 44.4 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 70 of 71 | 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 expenseProduction and artistic accomplishments - San Francisco Opera's 2024-25 season began on friday, september 6, 2024, with the annual opera ball gala and verdi's un ballo in maschera conducted by music director eun sun kim. Un ballo in maschera was presented in a new-to-San Francisco Opera production by italian director leo muscato and starred michael fabiano, lianna haroutounian, and the debut of mongolian baritone amartuvshin enkhbat. Chorus director john keene prepared the artists of the San Francisco Opera chorus.on september 14, poul ruders' 2000 opera the handmaid's tale had its west coast…
Opera center (training and professional development) - the opera supports an internationally recognized training and professional development program, the adler fellowship program. The adler fellowship program is a performance-oriented residency of two years offering advanced young artists intensive individual training, coaching, professional seminars, and a wide range of performance opportunities. Adler fellows gain valuable professional experience by performing roles of increasing importance in the opera's main-stage season. In addition to performances on the main stage, selected adler…
Electronic media - the objective of this initiative is to extend the company's audience through television and radio broadcasts, home video products, local simulcasts, cinema presentations, web videos, and in-house hd coverage. The company's pioneering lobbyvision provides audiences a view of the stage from various locations front of house with screens showing real-time hd video and subtitles
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO/GENERAL DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $729,130 | $0 | $45,839 | $774,969 |
| CAROLINE H. HUME MUSIC DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $561,728 | $0 | $28,609 | $590,337 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR: ADMIN/CFO Officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $391,002 | $0 | $42,930 | $433,932 |
| HEAD OF AUDIO/VIDEO Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $287,994 | $0 | $75,238 | $363,232 |
| CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Key employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $350,351 | $0 | $7,208 | $357,559 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR: PRODUCTION Key employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $303,260 | $0 | $37,558 | $340,818 |
| HEAD OF CARPENTRY Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $264,132 | $0 | $68,939 | $333,071 |
| HEAD OF PROPERTIES Highest compensated employee, 60.00 hrs/week | $262,330 | $0 | $68,463 | $330,793 |
142 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from San Francisco Opera Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.0M (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–1b71 · 70 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 2Yes
- 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5941
- Volunteers Part I, line 6424
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ABILITY ADVERTISING LLC Marketing | $1,189,004 |
| TAIT TOWERS MANUFACTURING LLC Professional services | $764,032 |
| CURTIN THEATRICAL MOVING INC Moving company | $503,290 |
| THEATER DIRECT INC Professional services | $433,609 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 27 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
53 private foundations reported grants to San Francisco Opera Association totaling $8.2M 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 San Francisco Opera Association's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for San Francisco Opera Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 San Francisco Opera Association spent in FY2025, $74.76 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the UnionMount Vernon, VA · revenue $82M · programs 83.3% · 2024
- National Arts Centre Corporation Dba NacCanada, · revenue $84M · programs 91.4% · FY2025
- Lyric Opera of ChicagoChicago, IL · revenue $81M · programs 79.1% · FY2025
- Pittsburgh Cultural TrustPittsburgh, PA · revenue $84M · programs 90.5% · 2024
- San Francisco SymphonySan Francisco, CA · revenue $80M · programs 74.1% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of San Francisco Opera Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, San Francisco Opera Association reported that 74.8% of its $89.1 million in expenses went to program services, 19.2% to management and general and 6.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does San Francisco Opera Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation San Francisco Opera Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 was $774,969, for the role of CEO/GENERAL DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does San Francisco Opera Association get its money?
Of $82.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, 59.1% came from contributions and grants (including 0.5% from government grants) and 19.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is San Francisco Opera Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-0836240 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 July 31, 2025, object 202641619349300224 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2024, object 202511629349300201 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2023, object 202421609349300102 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2022, object 202311609349300601 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021, object 202241609349301119 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2020, object 202131609349301403 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-0836240: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.