San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association
78% goes to programs $12 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association is a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Diego, California, registered in 1949, with $50,686,168 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it C+, and it directs about 78% of spending to programs.
1245 7th Ave, San Diego, CA, 92101 EIN 95-2040874 Since 1949
Revenue (FY2024)
$50.7M
▼ 47.5% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2024)
$64.0M
Net assets
$217.3M
Employees
811
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
C+
★★★★
Rated on 4 of 4 criteria.
Held down by its weakest criterion — a strong score on one criterion can't hide a weak one.
How the rating works →B+Program efficiency40% of the rating78% to programs · $12 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 San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association: 78% to programs · $12 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
DFinancial health25% of the rating41 mo reserves · -26% 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 San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association: 41 mo reserves · -26% margin earns a D 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 San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association: 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 San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To promote the cause of musical art and culture in the county and community
What they do
Promotion and box office: to promote the san diego symphony orchestra association's many performances, receptions and events.
Education outreach: administrative and planning activities in assisting in the development of future musicians and to build future audiences. the majority of expenses relating to education programs are included under concert expense above.
Contact & location
- Address
- 1245 7th Ave, San Diego, CA, 92101
- City
- San Diego
- State
- California
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Performing Arts
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $24.3M (FY2013) to $50.7M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $86.0MNet assets $217.3M
Operating margin
-26.2%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$303.3M
Total liabilities
$86.0M
Net assets
$217.3M
Salaries & benefits
$30.1M
47% of expenses
Board members
28
28 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $50,686,168▼47.5% | $63,989,208▲23.7% | $217,313,732▼5.5% | $303,325,599▼4.5% | 990 |
| 2023 | $96,468,765▲3.8% | $51,731,960▼3.7% | $229,966,158▲25.3% | $317,687,118▲22.6% | 990 |
| 2022 | $92,959,770▲4.0% | $53,733,025▲21.7% | $183,559,420▲28.4% | $259,140,120▲29.7% | 990 |
| 2021 | $89,363,619▲57.7% | $44,156,463▲124% | $142,935,669▲52.0% | $199,800,029▲18.8% | 990 |
| 2020 | $56,683,795▲18.3% | $19,680,858▼41.9% | $94,008,775▲72.2% | $168,111,113▲54.4% | 990 |
| 2019 | $47,933,671▲28.1% | $33,902,123▲15.9% | $54,582,079▲35.6% | $108,915,150▲90.8% | 990 |
| 2018 | $37,430,290▲45.2% | $29,246,097▲5.4% | $40,245,187▲36.6% | $57,072,246▲30.8% | 990 |
| 2017 | $25,781,888▼29.9% | $27,760,262▲6.6% | $29,457,378▼6.7% | $43,620,602▼0.3% | 990 |
| 2016 | $36,753,709▲36.1% | $26,040,490▲4.1% | $31,571,372▲15.6% | $43,739,847▲15.0% | 990 |
| 2015 | $26,997,285▲16.9% | $25,014,026▲3.9% | $27,319,238▲8.0% | $38,018,999▲11.1% | 990 |
| 2014 | $23,090,918▼4.8% | $24,076,477▼7.5% | $25,297,270▼3.6% | $34,231,680▼4.6% | 990 |
| 2013 | $24,264,310 | $26,027,506▲22.2% | $26,248,749▼6.2% | $35,871,079▼0.4% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $21,307,801▼6.6% | $27,972,825▲13.0% | $36,010,520▲5.5% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $22,813,903▲13.4% | $24,757,868▼3.4% | $34,142,202▲2.2% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $20,123,233▼7.5% | $25,634,301▼2.5% | $33,414,549▼2.2% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $21,765,698 | $26,301,403 | $34,180,122 | 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: Rafael Payare Torres — $712,000 (1.11% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Payare Torres | Music Director | 40 | $712,000 |
| Martha A Gilmer | President & Ceo | 40 | $534,119 |
| Jeff Thayer | Concert Master | 40 | $305,475 |
| Sheri Broedlow | Vp of Institutional Advancement | 40 | $233,536 |
| Lea Slusher | Vp of Artistic Planning | 40 | $229,848 |
| Maureen Campbell Melville | Cfo | 40 | $217,636 |
| Katherine Mcdonald | Chief of Staff | 40 | $195,384 |
| Craig Hall | Vp of Marketing & Communications | 40 | $183,343 |
| Alan Prohaska | Board Member (thru 10/24) | 0.4 | — |
| Annette Bradbury | Board Member | 0.4 | — |
| Anthony C Boganey Md Facs | Board Member | 0.4 | — |
| Arlene Inch | Board Member | 0.4 | — |
| Ben Clay | Board Member | 0.4 | — |
| Christopher Sickles | Board Member (thru 4/25) | 0.4 | — |
| Colette Royston | Vice Chair | 0.4 | — |
| David Bialis | Treasurer | 0.4 | — |
| David Snyder | Chair | 8 | — |
| Deborah Pate | Board Member | 0.4 | — |
| Donald Slate | Board Member (thru 10/24) | 0.4 | — |
| Frank Vizcarra | Board Member | 0.4 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Rudolph & Sletten Inc | Construction of Jacobs Music Hall | $2,451,212 |
| 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 |
Grants received · $189.3M total
94 grants to San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association totaling $189.3M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
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Compare San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 95-2040874, based in San Diego, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association's EIN?
- San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 95-2040874.
- How much revenue does San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association report?
- San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association reported $50,686,168 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association's spending goes to programs?
- San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association spends about 78% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association have?
- CharityIndex grades San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association C+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association's latest Form 990 is $712,000, paid to Rafael Payare Torres (Music Director).
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Explore more
Data for San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association (EIN 95-2040874) 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.