Santa Barbara Opera Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE 0FOUNDED IN 1994, OPERA SANTA BARBARA IS THE SIGNATURE PROVIDER OF PROFESSIONAL OPERA ON THE CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST. WE ASPIRE TO BE A CULTURAL LEADER IN THE SANTA BARBARA REGION, VOICING AND ADVANCING OUR COMMUNITY'S SPIRIT AND VALUES THROUGH VIBRANT MUSIC THEATRE. OUR COMPANY ANNUALLY OFFERS A DYNAMIC REPERTOIRE OF OPERA FAVORITES, LESSER-KNOWN CLASSICS, AND CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN WORKS IN PRODUCTIONS HIGHLIGHTING THE ARTISTS AND CRAFTSPEOPLE OF OUR REGION. WE INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE ART AND MEANING OF OPERA; DEVELOP OPERATIC MUSICIANSHIP IN PROMISING EMERGING SINGERS; AND PROVIDE FREE OPERATIC PROGRAMS, BOTH EDUCATIONAL AND MUSICAL, TO THE TRI-COUNTY AREA.
- Income
- $1.7 million
- Spending
- $1.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 0 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 58
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $152,070, artistic and general direc
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 99% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (3)
- $1.1 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OAS THE PREMIER PRESENTER OF PROFESSIONAL OPERA IN CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST, OUR COMPANY PRESENTS A BROAD REPERTOIRE THAT INCLUDES POPULAR OPERA FAVORITES, LESSER KNOWN OPERAS,CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN WORKS. OPERA SANTA BARBARA'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON INCLUDED ONE GRAND OPERA FAVORITE(CARMEN), ONE LESSER KNOWN CLASSIC (IL TROVATORE), ONE SANTA BARBARA PREMIERE (ZORRO), AND A CHAMBER PRODUCTION OF AN OPERA FOR YOUNGER AUDIENCES (EL GATO CON BOTAS). MORE THAN 4000 ATTENDED THESE PRODUCTIONS.
- $22,519 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OEDUCATION & OUTREACH: THANKS TO A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE ROBERT AND MERCEDES EICHHOLZ FOUNDATION, OPERA SANTA BARBARA WAS ABLE TO OFFER FREE STUDENT MATINEE PERFORMANCES FOR 'EL GATO CON BOTAS AND 'ZORRO'. EACH WAS FOLLOWED BY A Q&A SESSION WITH THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM.
- SEE SCHEDULE OCHRISMAN STUDIO ARTISTS PROGRAM. OPERA SANTA BARBARA DEVELOPSTHE NEXT GENERATION OF OPERA SINGERS, EDUCATORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS BY PROVIDING MAINSTAGE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES, MASTER CLASSES AND ADMINISTRATIVE INTERNSHIPS TO EMERGING PROFESSIONALS. NOW IN ITS 16TH YEAR, THE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON PROVIDING MUCH-NEEDED NEXT-LEVEL OPPORTUNITIES TO PROGRAM ALUMNI, SUCH AS PRINCIPAL ROLES IN ALL THREE MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS, AND THE LEADING ROLES IN THE PRODUCTION OF EL GATO CON BOTAS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 June 1994.
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.