San Francisco Estuary Institute
San Francisco Estuary Institute reported $19.6 million in revenue and $19.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $82.09 went to program services, $17.91 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 98.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $182,526 (Executive Director). 11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 48% 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 $19MFor 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 $20MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.1% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.9% | 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 | Not reported | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 0.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 98.9% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $182,526 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.96% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 11 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 4.0 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 of 15 | 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 expenseClean Water Program: Our Clean Water Program is one of the nation's premier water quality science supporting aquatic resource protection. Clean Water anticipates and meets the water quality information needs of managers and the public. The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay is the flagship of the Clean Water Program
Resilient Landscapes Program: Resilient Landscapes develops ecosystem restoration and landscape management strategies that sustain key ecological services. We rigorously evaluate management alternatives using innovative visualization and design
Regional Monitoring Program (RMP): The RMP is a subset of the Clean Water Program. Chemical contamination in San Francisco Bay is governed by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (the Water Board). The Water Board has a wellarticulated framework for managing contamination in the Bay contained in the Water Quality Control Plan (Plan). The Plan classifies the valued attributes of the Bay as "beneficial usesX and establishes water quality objectives that are protective of these beneficial uses. The RMP is an innovative collaborative effort between the Institute, the Water…
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 | $182,526 | $0 | $0 | $182,526 |
| Program Managing Dir Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $176,504 | $0 | $0 | $176,504 |
| Program Director Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $170,149 | $0 | $0 | $170,149 |
| Program Director Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,163 | $0 | $0 | $169,163 |
| Program Director Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $167,642 | $0 | $0 | $167,642 |
| Program Director Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,932 | $0 | $0 | $156,932 |
| Program Director Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $147,069 | $0 | $0 | $147,069 |
| Porgram Managing Director Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $139,842 | $0 | $0 | $139,842 |
11 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from San Francisco Estuary Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (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–1b15 · 15 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 599
- Volunteers Part I, line 615
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| USGS-WSC Research Work | $966,822 |
| Integral Consulting Inc Research Work | $427,849 |
| ICF Jones & Stokes Inc Research Work | $357,306 |
| SGS AXYS Analytical Inc Research Work | $328,754 |
| UC Davis Research Work | $286,919 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 13 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to San Francisco Estuary Institute totaling $8,436 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 Estuary Institute'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 Estuary Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 San Francisco Estuary Institute spent in FY2025, $82.09 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of San Francisco Estuary Institute's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, San Francisco Estuary Institute reported that 82.1% of its $19.1 million in expenses went to program services, 17.9% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does San Francisco Estuary Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation San Francisco Estuary Institute reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $182,526, for the role of Executive Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does San Francisco Estuary Institute get its money?
Of $19.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 0.7% came from contributions and grants and 98.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is San Francisco Estuary Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-2951373 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 202631319349304238 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501339349307825 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441319349304399 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331249349300923 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201229349301810 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141379349302584 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-2951373: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.