San Francisco Symphony: $71.1M Revenue, $63.1M Program Expenses

The composite efficiency score of 63/100 puts San Francisco Symphony at C — neither standout nor failing. Some factors run above the median (typically program spending) while others run below (typically reserves or trend stability).

At $71.1M in 2023 revenue, San Francisco Symphony sits in the mid-range of the U.S. nonprofit distribution. Most organizations of this scale operate regionally or focus on a single program area. San Francisco Symphony directs 80% of its expenses to programs — above the third-party-rater threshold for an efficient organization.

Five-year revenue trend is mildly negative: a modest decline that could reflect grant-cycle timing, donor turnover, or program wind-down. Worth checking against the program-spending pattern to see whether the decline is structural. CEO compensation is reported as zero in the filing — typical for nonprofits where the chief executive is paid through a related entity (parent system, university, or foundation) rather than the filing organization itself, or for small organizations whose chief is a volunteer or board member. San Francisco Symphony sits in the cultural-nonprofit sector (Arts, Culture & Humanities). Museum, performing-arts, and cultural organizations carry distinctive financial patterns — earned revenue from ticket sales and admissions, plus a heavy reliance on endowment income and major donor cycles.