Home › Arts, culture & humanities
The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association
The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association reported $50.7 million in revenue and $64.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.80 went to program services, $17.44 to management and general costs and $4.76 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 51.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $712,000 (MUSIC DIRECTOR). 101 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 6% 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 $64MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $51M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$47.20 $26M
- Government grants$0.53 $294K
- Program service revenue$32.62 $18M
- Other revenue$19.65 $11M
Investment income was negative: −$4.3M. 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) | 77.8% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.4% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.8% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 51.8% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 35.4% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $712,000 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.11% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 101 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 40.8 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 28 of 28 | 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 expenseConcert expenses: to provide educational and cultural enrichment to the San Diego area through live musical concerts
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSIC DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $712,000 | $0 | $0 | $712,000 |
| PRESIDENT & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $534,119 | $0 | $70,625 | $604,744 |
| CONCERT MASTER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $305,475 | $0 | $60,757 | $366,232 |
| VP OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $233,536 | $0 | $41,140 | $274,676 |
| VP OF ARTISTIC PLANNING Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $229,848 | $0 | $25,793 | $255,641 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $217,636 | $0 | $23,965 | $241,601 |
| VP OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $183,343 | $0 | $52,540 | $235,883 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $195,384 | $0 | $17,248 | $212,632 |
101 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association (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–1b28 · 28 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5811
- Volunteers Part I, line 6550
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ELITE SHOW SERVICES INC Security | $1,520,243 |
| SOLOTECH SALES & INTEGRATION USA INC Audiovisual construction | $611,142 |
| BEST VALUE COMMERCIAL CLEANING SERVICE Cleaning service | $505,120 |
| CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY Global talent and sports agency | $503,433 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 47 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association totaling $3.2M 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 The San Diego Symphony Orchestra 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 The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association spent in FY2025, $77.80 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Window to the World CommunicationsChicago, IL · revenue $50M · programs 66.9% · FY2025
- Twin Cities Public TelevisionSaint Paul, MN · revenue $51M · programs 73.4% · FY2025
- Los Angeles Opera CompanyLos Angeles, CA · revenue $50M · programs 78.7% · FY2025
- The Franklin InstitutePhiladelphia, PA · revenue $51M · programs 84.6% · 2024
- Kaizen Education FoundationPhoenix, AZ · revenue $50M · programs 79.3% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association reported that 77.8% of its $64.0 million in expenses went to program services, 17.4% to management and general and 4.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $712,000, for the role of MUSIC DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association get its money?
Of $50.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 51.8% came from contributions and grants (including 0.6% from government grants) and 35.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 95-2040874 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 202611139349300736 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521149349301532 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441369349310334 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321329349309707 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 (amended), object 202232099349300233 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101359349302800 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 95-2040874: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.