Home › Arts, culture & humanities
San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony reported $79.8 million in revenue and $82.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $74.09 went to program services, $16.81 to management and general costs and $9.10 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 39.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $747,609 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 144 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 22% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $82MFor 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 August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $80MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 74.1% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.8% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.1% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.24 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 39.8% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 3.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 39.8% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $747,609 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.91% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 144 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 62.9 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 44 of 44 | 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 expenseThrough its artistic, education, and community programs, the San Francisco Symphony serves more than 650,000 bay area residents and visitors of every economic and cutural background in over 175 concerts throughout the year. Concerts include the classical subscription series, chamber concerts, great performer series, and new artist spotlight series. Additional concerts include live films and the innovative soundbox series. The symphony additionally reaches millions of listeners throughout the united states and abroad through recording, digital performance, and radio and television broadcasts
In partnership with the San Francisco unified school district, the San Francisco Symphony provides comprehensive music education to every student in grades 1-5 in San Francisco's public elementary schools through adventures in music, and supports every public middle and high school band and orchestra program through music and mentors
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 | $688,923 | $0 | $58,686 | $747,609 |
| CONCERT MASTER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $579,758 | $0 | $74,087 | $653,845 |
| PRINCIPAL FLUTE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $438,203 | $0 | $14,062 | $452,265 |
| PRINCIPAL CELLO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $362,978 | $0 | $31,957 | $394,935 |
| PRINCIPAL OBOE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $346,181 | $0 | $46,319 | $392,500 |
| CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $366,385 | $0 | $18,624 | $385,009 |
| CF&AO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $381,390 | $0 | $0 | $381,390 |
144 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from San Francisco Symphony (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.4M (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–1b44 · 44 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 51,004
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,150
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| KARAWANE INC Music conductor | $2,190,463 |
| GEHRY PARTNERS LLP Architect consultant | $545,747 |
| COLUMBIA ARTISTS MUSIC LLC Artist agent | $460,722 |
| METRO INTERNATIONAL PRINTING & PUBLISHIN Printing | $356,429 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 17 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
68 private foundations reported grants to San Francisco Symphony totaling $5.7M 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 Symphony'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 Symphony, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 San Francisco Symphony spent in FY2025, $74.09 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Friends of United HatzalahNew York, NY · revenue $79M · programs 72.0% · 2024
- Lyric Opera of ChicagoChicago, IL · revenue $81M · programs 79.1% · FY2025
- The Musical Arts AssociationCleveland, OH · revenue $79M · programs 80.7% · FY2025
- The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the UnionMount Vernon, VA · revenue $82M · programs 83.3% · 2024
- Museum of the BibleOklahoma City, OK · revenue $79M · programs 74.6% · 2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of San Francisco Symphony's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, San Francisco Symphony reported that 74.1% of its $82.3 million in expenses went to program services, 16.8% to management and general and 9.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does San Francisco Symphony pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation San Francisco Symphony reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $747,609, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does San Francisco Symphony get its money?
Of $79.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 39.8% came from contributions and grants (including 3.0% from government grants) and 39.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is San Francisco Symphony a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-1156284 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 August 31, 2025, object 202611969349301916 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024 (amended), object 202522239349300032 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202411979349300866 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022 (amended), object 202412339349300526 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202241959349301779 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202101329349302850 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-1156284: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.