The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported $58.3 million in revenue and $54.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.43 went to program services, $10.24 to management and general costs and $4.33 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 57.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $636,312 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 65 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 28% 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 $54MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 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 $58MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.4% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.2% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.3% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 57.1% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 24.1% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $636,312 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.17% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 65 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 28.0 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 19 of 19 | 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 expenseCommunity veterinary servicesour community veterinary services include our public veterinary hospital, behavior resource center, high-volume spay/neuter clinic, community veterinary clinic, mobile vaccine clinic, and other programs. We also provide high volume, high quality subsidized spay/neuter surgeries and free vaccines in the central valley, specifically tulare, kings, and fresno counties and the city of stockton. Veterinary hospital: the sf spca operates a full-service animal veterinary hospital, located in the mission district. The hospital is open to the public and treats more than…
Shelter & adoptions shelter medicine program: all animals entering the shelter receive comprehensive medical care to ensure they are ready for their new homes. Before adoption, all animals receive a medical and behavioral screening and quality care. They are also vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. In addition to the sf spca's shelter population, many unaltered animals accepted by the San Francisco department of animal care and control shelters receive spay or neuter services in our state-of-the-art shelter medicine surgical suite.shelter behavior training and specialization…
Public education and advocacypublic education and advocacy: the sf spca advocates for more humane treatment of animals on a state level. The shelter policy and legal services (spals) program champions policy change and seeks to transform sheltering in california. Shelter pals also assists other animal shelters and rescues in california with free legal assistance to improve their lifesaving capabilities. Shelter pals is the country's only pro bono legal-aid program dedicated exclusively to the needs of animal shelters, providing free legal advice and coordinating strategic litigation
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $622,537 | $0 | $13,775 | $636,312 |
| COO (UNTIL 12/31/2024) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $421,789 | $0 | $11,027 | $432,816 |
| CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $375,237 | $0 | $4,931 | $380,168 |
| CHIEF STRATEGY AND ADVANCEMENT OFF. Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $347,178 | $0 | $9,671 | $356,849 |
| EXECUTIVE VP OF ADVANCEMENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $276,709 | $0 | $28,612 | $305,321 |
| CHIEF OF RESCUE & WELFARE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $273,100 | $0 | $15,501 | $288,601 |
| ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $238,732 | $0 | $15,556 | $254,288 |
| ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $225,357 | $0 | $22,787 | $248,144 |
65 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.9M (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–1b19 · 19 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 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5393
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,403
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| SANKY COMMUNICATIONS INC Marketing consultant | $859,320 |
| GLOBAL RISK SOLUTIONS INCGRS Security | $664,941 |
| COMMUNITY COUNSELLING SERVICE LLC Fundraising consultant | $600,078 |
| WESSNE'S JANITORIAL INC Janitorial services | $295,695 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 32 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
21 private foundations reported grants to The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals totaling $246K 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 San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals'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 San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spent in FY2025, $85.43 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Indianapolis Zoological SocietyIndianapolis, IN · revenue $58M · programs 88.1% · 2024
- Aquarium of the Pacific CorporationLong Beach, CA · revenue $59M · programs 85.6% · 2024
- New England Aquarium CorporationBoston, MA · revenue $55M · programs 77.4% · 2024
- San Antonio Zoological SocietySan Antonio, TX · revenue $61M · programs 88.8% · 2024
- National AquariumBaltimore, MD · revenue $54M · programs 69.5% · 2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported that 85.4% of its $54.3 million in expenses went to program services, 10.2% to management and general and 4.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $636,312, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals get its money?
Of $58.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 57.1% came from contributions and grants and 24.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-0836580 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 202620569349301722 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202413189349310556 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202333079349302413 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202223189349318612 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202133089349302108 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202013049349301861 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-0836580: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.