San Francisco Opera Association
77% goes to programs $9 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
San Francisco Opera Association is a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Francisco, California, registered in 1924, with $103,898,267 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 77% of spending to programs.
301 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94102 EIN 94-0836240 Since 1924
Revenue (FY2023)
$103.9M
▲ 21.8% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2023)
$93.4M
Net assets
$329.2M
Employees
971
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating77% to programs · $9 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 Francisco Opera Association: 77% to programs · $9 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating42 mo reserves · +10% 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 Francisco Opera Association: 42 mo reserves · +10% margin earns a A 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 Francisco Opera 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 Francisco Opera Association: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The world-renowned san francisco opera is considered one of the most important operatic organizations in the united states. great singing, outstanding conducting and productions sensitive to the music are core values of the opera. the opera perpetuates its legacy through the training of young artists, arts education, and audience development.
What they do
Opera center (training and professional development) - the opera supports an internationally recognized training and professional development program, the adler fellowship program. the adler fellowship program is a performance-oriented residency of two years offering advanced young artists intensive individual training, coaching, professional seminars, and a wide range of performance opportunities. adler fellows gain valuable professional experience by performing roles of increasing importance in the opera's main-stage season. in addition to performances on the main stage, selected adler fellows are featured in the schwabacher recital series. the adler season culminates in an adler fellows concert. alumni from the adler program include: sopranos leah crocetto, nancy gustafson, patricia racette, nadine sierra, ruth ann swenson, elza van den heever, and deborah voigt; mezzo-sopranos zheng cao and dolora zajick; tenors brian jagde, sean panikkar, and noah stewart; countertenor brian asawa; baritones mark delavan and lucas meachem; and bass-baritones monte pederson and john relyea. the san francisco opera also supports the merola opera program for aspiring professionals, offering up-and-coming singers, coach-accompanists and stage directors the opportunity of intense study and performance during an eleven-week summer program.the opera's commitment to providing music education and enrichment opportunities to students, teachers, young audiences, and adults continued in a myriad of school and family programs and online resources. the san francisco opera and opera guild bring opera and music education to students and individuals throughout northern california.
Electronic media - the objective of this initiative is to extend the company's audience through television and radio broadcasts, home video products, local simulcasts, cinema presentations, web videos, and in-house hd coverage. the company's pioneering lobbyvision provides audiences a view of the stage from various locations in front of house with screens showing real-time hd video and subtitles.
Contact & location
- Address
- 301 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94102
- City
- San Francisco
- State
- California
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Performing Arts
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $75.8M (FY2013) to $103.9M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $33.1MNet assets $329.2M
Operating margin
10.1%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$362.3M
Total liabilities
$33.1M
Net assets
$329.2M
Salaries & benefits
$68.3M
73% of expenses
Board members
68
67 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $103,898,267▲21.8% | $93,360,982▼5.1% | $329,241,242▲5.4% | $362,293,193▲4.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $85,335,694▼3.4% | $98,402,775▲43.4% | $312,428,612▼0.7% | $346,916,574▲1.8% | 990 |
| 2021 | $88,376,102▲11.6% | $68,630,368▲31.5% | $314,499,971▼7.7% | $340,733,171▼7.9% | 990 |
| 2020 | $79,158,489▼10.3% | $52,174,556▼25.9% | $340,907,354▲26.6% | $369,784,114▲28.4% | 990 |
| 2019 | $88,254,131▲2.6% | $70,437,595▼9.6% | $269,322,430▲7.9% | $287,958,480▲5.8% | 990 |
| 2018 | $86,033,935▲0.3% | $77,924,437▼0.6% | $249,598,803▲1.5% | $272,298,969 | 990 |
| 2017 | $85,746,656▼16.3% | $78,385,866▲0.7% | $245,914,529▲5.5% | $272,306,576▲5.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $102,414,224▲44.4% | $77,826,840▼4.3% | $233,039,055▲17.0% | $258,819,459▲15.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $70,932,725▼30.3% | $81,351,738▲2.7% | $199,204,183▼6.4% | $224,924,957▼5.5% | 990 |
| 2014 | $101,715,528▲34.2% | $79,239,128▲7.2% | $212,731,800▲8.0% | $238,003,934▲6.7% | 990 |
| 2013 | $75,808,500 | $73,925,003▲9.5% | $197,007,728▲4.9% | $223,116,675▲6.2% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $67,507,925▼3.6% | $187,820,357▲5.2% | $210,148,701▲4.3% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $70,027,494▼1.1% | $178,599,925▼3.2% | $201,546,402▼4.5% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $70,782,917▲10.0% | $184,527,300▲4.3% | $211,119,844▲2.9% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $64,323,436 | $176,999,909 | $205,071,283 | 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 (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Matthew Shilvock — $717,377 (0.77% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Shilvock | Ceo/general Director | 60 | $717,377 |
| Eun Sun Kim | Caroline H. Hume Music Director | 60 | $545,938 |
| Michael Simpson | Managing Director: Admin/cfo | 60 | $355,748 |
| Gregory Henkel | Managing Director: Artistic | 60 | $296,617 |
| Jennifer Good | Managing Director: Production | 60 | $294,832 |
| Lisa Bury | Chief Philanthropy Officer | 60 | $288,983 |
| Douglas Mitchell | Head of Audio/visual | 60 | $278,409 |
| Kay Stern | Orchestra Member Concertmaster | 60 | $277,076 |
| Lori Harrison | Head of Properties | 60 | $253,579 |
| David Hatch | Head of Carpentry | 60 | $249,320 |
| Theresa Von Klug | Chief Operating Officer | 60 | $223,341 |
| Tabitha Rowell | Director of Development | 60 | $189,318 |
| Troy Smith | Director of Marketing | 60 | $186,625 |
| Lee Helms | Director of Innovation Programs | 60 | $185,524 |
| Anna Fieler | Director | 1 | — |
| Anne Brandeis Popkin | Director | 1 | — |
| Anne G Mcwilliams | Director (thru 02/24) | 1 | — |
| Arif Damji | Director | 1 | — |
| Barbara A Wolfe | Director | 1 | — |
| Ben Nelson | Director | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Ability Advertising LLC | Marketing | $1,303,525 |
| Curtin Theatrical Moving Inc | Moving Company | $530,529 |
| Ideas the Special Events Co Inc | Design Services | $410,373 |
| Events Management Inc | Catering | $395,821 |
| Global Gourmet Catering | Catering | $375,786 |
Grants received · $111.8M total
185 grants to San Francisco Opera Association totaling $111.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
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Compare San Francisco Opera Association
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Francisco Opera Association a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. San Francisco Opera Association is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 94-0836240, based in San Francisco, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is San Francisco Opera Association's EIN?
- San Francisco Opera Association's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 94-0836240.
- How much revenue does San Francisco Opera Association report?
- San Francisco Opera Association reported $103,898,267 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of San Francisco Opera Association's spending goes to programs?
- San Francisco Opera Association spends about 77% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does San Francisco Opera Association have?
- CharityIndex grades San Francisco Opera Association A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does San Francisco Opera Association's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on San Francisco Opera Association's latest Form 990 is $717,377, paid to Matthew Shilvock (Ceo/general Director).
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Data for San Francisco Opera Association (EIN 94-0836240) 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.