California Academy of Sciences
75% goes to programs $15 to raise $100 Strong reserves
California Academy of Sciences is a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Francisco, California, registered in 1926, with $89,393,165 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 75% of spending to programs.
55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA, 94118 EIN 94-1156258 Since 1926
Revenue (FY2024)
$89.4M
▼ 1.2% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2024)
$109.5M
Net assets
$471.5M
Employees
704
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating75% to programs · $15 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For California Academy of Sciences: 75% to programs · $15 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
C+Financial health25% of the rating52 mo reserves · -22% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For California Academy of Sciences: 52 mo reserves · -22% margin earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For California Academy of Sciences: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For California Academy of Sciences: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
To regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.
What they do
Biodiversity science and sustainability: the academy's institute for biodiversity science and sustainability ("ibss") is home to nearly 80 world-class scientists, over 100 research associates globally, and more than 500 distinguished fellows who gather new knowledge about life's diversity and the process of evolution and rapidly apply that understanding to our efforts to regenerate the natural world. through innovative partnerships and community engagement initiatives, they also guide critical conservation decisions worldwide, inspire and mentor the next generation of scientists, and foster responsible stewardship of our planet so that humans and nature can thrive together.
Aquarium: the steinhart aquarium is home to more than 60,000 live animals representing more than 800 unique species, and its innovative exhibits include one of the largest and deepest indoor coral reefs in the world. the four-story rainforest has free-flying birds and butterflies and exotic reptiles and amphibians. in addition to delighting guests with its living creatures, the aquarium has played a critical role for decades in species survival plans for endangered animals like its charismatic colony of african penguins. for more than 25 years, the steinhart aquarium has proudly held the gold standard accreditation from the association of zoos and aquariums, a stamp of approval reserved for facilities that embody the very best in animal care and welfare, conservation, and education.
Education and outreach: the academy is an innovative leader in efforts to increase scientific and environmental literacy worldwide. the museum is home to science educators and communicators as well as highly trained docents who engage people of all ages-here in california and around the world-in the scientific concepts and issues that will shape our future. through intensive partnerships with schools and teachers, innovative programs for all ages, engaging online learning and digital media offerings, and immersive science visualization productions, academy educators work to increase the public's understanding and appreciation of the natural world and inspire participants to take action on behalf of the rich diversity of life on earth. more than 500 volunteers help support the academy annually and provide a connection between the diverse bay area community and the academy's museum, research, and administration. as one of the bay area's leading cultural institutions dedicated to opening its doors to the entire community, the academy offers a variety of free and reduced admission opportunities and access programs to serve all visitors.
Contact & location
- Address
- 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA, 94118
- City
- San Francisco
- State
- California
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Museums
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $67.5M (FY2013) to $89.4M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $310.6MNet assets $471.5M
Operating margin
-22.4%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$782.1M
Total liabilities
$310.6M
Net assets
$471.5M
Salaries & benefits
$53.4M
49% of expenses
Board members
44
42 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $89,393,165▼1.2% | $109,455,741▼4.3% | $471,517,465▲1.2% | $782,112,156▲1.5% | 990 |
| 2023 | $90,496,532▲26.6% | $114,330,178▲13.2% | $465,973,067▲0.8% | $770,612,160▲1.2% | 990 |
| 2022 | $71,497,681▼18.9% | $101,030,361▲20.6% | $462,350,502▼4.0% | $761,119,834▼2.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $88,151,036▼7.4% | $83,793,845▲21.9% | $481,448,890▼9.2% | $776,432,772▼6.7% | 990 |
| 2020 | $95,197,826▲43.3% | $68,739,031▼20.4% | $530,057,745▲9.0% | $832,230,890▲3.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $66,454,649▼11.0% | $86,327,913▼5.9% | $486,447,283▼4.6% | $804,050,299▼8.4% | 990 |
| 2018 | $74,649,716▼13.0% | $91,774,768▲2.3% | $509,695,916▼2.4% | $877,897,606▲7.0% | 990 |
| 2017 | $85,791,677▲12.4% | $89,722,893▲2.3% | $522,095,588▲1.1% | $820,540,197▲0.4% | 990 |
| 2016 | $76,308,977▼8.1% | $87,733,463▲4.5% | $516,630,378▲1.7% | $817,491,395▼3.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $83,007,965▼13.1% | $83,924,664▼6.0% | $508,000,028▼3.2% | $844,166,045▲1.4% | 990 |
| 2014 | $95,539,995▲41.6% | $89,292,851▲5.3% | $524,658,856▼6.4% | $832,918,117▼2.6% | 990 |
| 2013 | $67,477,825 | $84,823,694▲2.7% | $560,331,628▲0.5% | $854,823,393▲0.4% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $82,619,970▼1.2% | $557,783,836▲3.5% | $851,009,466▲2.4% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $83,630,444▲6.8% | $538,978,222▼5.6% | $830,687,480▼3.7% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $78,320,764▲6.3% | $571,196,244▲4.1% | $862,666,306▲2.8% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $73,686,430 | $548,538,181 | $839,468,861 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Scott Sampson — $705,728 (0.64% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Sampson | Executive Director | 40 | $705,728 |
| Jim Gohary | Chief Financial Officer (thru 05/25) | 40 | $463,777 |
| Amber Mace | Managing Dir., Chief of Strategy | 40 | $414,031 |
| Amy Miller | Dir. of Edu K-12/online (thru 6/24) | 40 | $406,104 |
| Melissa Felder | Chief Experience Officer (thru 05/25) | 40 | $370,545 |
| Ayat Elnoory | Chief People & Culture Officer | 40 | $317,840 |
| Michael Costanzo | General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer | 40 | $308,210 |
| Tiffany Zarem | Director of Marketing (thru 06/24) | 40 | $297,727 |
| Shannon Bennett | Chief of Science & Dean of Research | 40 | $297,683 |
| Megan Schufreider | Dir. of Edu K-12/online (thru 6/24) | 40 | $290,493 |
| Gary Williams | Curator (thru 06/24) | 40 | $287,504 |
| Brian Simison | Curator (thru 06/24) | 40 | $287,476 |
| Rich Mooi | Curator (thru 06/24) | 40 | $286,051 |
| Leah Van Der Mei | Chief Operating Officer (thru 02/25) | 40 | $263,810 |
| Mathew Lau | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $227,720 |
| Adam Gazzaley Md Phd | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Ahmed Muhammad | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Alan Jones | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Amy Cordalis | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Bill Younger | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Foth Retail Inc | Advertising Services | $4,594,884 |
| Cinnabar California Inc | Exhibit Fabrication | $2,187,075 |
| Onerhythm LLC | Marketing Services | $1,837,737 |
| Rosendin Electric Inc | Electrical Services | $842,826 |
| Picturae Inc | Herbarium Digitization | $838,510 |
Grants received · $57.4M total
180 grants to California Academy of Sciences totaling $57.4M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Endowment Foundation | Arts, culture | 2024 | $1,246,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $139,910 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Sciences | 2024 | $103,466 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2024 | $93,500 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $55,000 |
| T Rowe Price Program For Charitable Giving Inc | Multiple | 2024 | $40,000 |
| Stonier Scholarship Inc | General support to further the organization's purpose. | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Save the Redwoods League | Research grants | 2024 | $6,500 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $3,664,029 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2023 | $1,812,052 |
| Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund | To further the organization's exempt purpose | 2023 | $1,000,000 |
| San Francisco Foundation | For general support. for general support. | 2023 | $609,779 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $337,150 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $135,460 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2023 | $125,000 |
Grants made · $93K in FY2024
3 grants totaling $93K in FY2024. All grants made by California Academy of Sciences →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| William Paterson University of New Jersey | Salary, fringe, and other direct costs for senior and undergraduate personnel researching mesh web spiders. | $60,207 |
| Omaha Zoological Society Inc | Support for african penguin program | $25,000 |
| Regents of the University of California At Berkeley | Genomic extraction, sequencing, and library preparation of reptiles and amphibians | $7,503 |
Similar organizations in Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture
Academy Foundation
Beverly Hills, CA
$88.0M
Aannual revenue
Academy Museum Foundation
Beverly Hills, CA
$77.7M
B+annual revenue
Arts & Culture
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
$75.1M
Aannual revenue
Arts & Culture
San Francisco Opera Association
San Francisco, CA
$103.9M
Aannual revenue
- Arts & Culture
Segerstrom Center For the Arts
Costa Mesa, CA
$106.0M
Aannual revenue
Arts & Culture
San Francisco Ballet Association
San Francisco, CA
$70.4M
C+annual revenue
- Arts & Culture
Golden Globe Foundation
W Hollywood, CA
$70.3M
Cannual revenue
Arts & Culture
Kqed Inc
San Francisco, CA
$108.9M
B+annual revenue
Arts & Culture
San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco, CA
$67.8M
B+annual revenue
Arts & Culture
Internews Network
Arcata, CA
$111.3M
B+annual revenue
Compare California Academy of Sciences
Frequently asked questions
- Is California Academy of Sciences a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. California Academy of Sciences is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 94-1156258, based in San Francisco, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is California Academy of Sciences's EIN?
- California Academy of Sciences's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 94-1156258.
- How much revenue does California Academy of Sciences report?
- California Academy of Sciences reported $89,393,165 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of California Academy of Sciences's spending goes to programs?
- California Academy of Sciences spends about 75% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does California Academy of Sciences have?
- CharityIndex grades California Academy of Sciences B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does California Academy of Sciences's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on California Academy of Sciences's latest Form 990 is $705,728, paid to Scott Sampson (Executive Director).
More nonprofits in San Francisco
Explore more
Data for California Academy of Sciences (EIN 94-1156258) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.