San Francisco Classical Voice
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SFCV's mission is to engage audiences, artists, and arts organizations, and forge meaningful connections through music journalism.
- Income
- $549,541
- Spending
- $517,696
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 13.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 52%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $121,000, exec director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $316,097 spent. San Francisco Classical Voice engages audiences for classical music primarily through our dynamic, multipurpose website (http:/sfcv.org). We convene a large audience throughout the entire San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles as well as national opinion leaders, experts, and fans.
- $78,167 spent. In-Kind Revenue and ExpensesDuring the fiscal year ended August 31, 2022, San Francisco Classical Voice was the recipient of a substantial amount of in-kind contributions. San Francisco Classical Voice has an agreement with Google, Inc. whereby the organization receives in-kind grants and ad usage from the Google Adwords program.
- We publish 400 separate pieces of original content on music (mainly, but not exclusively classical) by first-rank professional writers.Content is directed at the widest possible audience, ranging from newcomers, students, and casual listeners to experts and arts-focused readers. Founded in 1998, SFCV was one of the first, and remains one of the largest and most successful sites devoted to arts journalism.
- SFCV maintains extensive searchable and sortable databases:* Event Calendar: This is an online database that lists almost every classical music event in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.* Composers Database: a multimedia database of composer biographies that is regularly accessed by students of all levels.* Music Teacher Database: a searchable, sortable database of music teachers.* Organizations Database: lists of music organizations and educational organizations.* Musicians Database: individual pages for musicians and local groups,and much more.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.