West Edge Opera
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
West Edge Opera looks at the art form through a new lens: we present early and contemporary works and re-imagine opera traditions to engage and entertain a diverse audience.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 110
- Volunteers
- 32
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 55% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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.
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 September 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 (4)
- $1.1 million spent. Festival: Our core program is a summer opera festival in which we present early music 20th century and contemporary operas in repertory over three weekends in July and August. We have presented this program in many varied venues across the Bay Area; this is the fourth year that it was held in the Oakland Scottish Rite Center. The operas presented were the premiere of Dolores by Nicols Lell Benavides and Marella Martin Koch - a West Edge Opera commission; David & Jonathan by Marc-Antoine Charpentier 1688; and Wozzeck by Alban Berg 1922.
- Snapshot: In 2017 we launched Snapshot: an annual showcase of selections from new operas by West Coast composers. Snapshot presents an orchestration showcase before a live audience with a recording and a feedback panel of opera professionals for the participating composers. Each year approximately 40 west coast composers apply and 4-6 operas are selected. We co-present Snapshot with San Franciscos EarPlay Chamber Music Ensemble. April 2024 marked the 8th annual Snapshot. Snapshot is moving to an every-other-year cycle - no concert was presented in 2025 but it will return in 2026.
- $82,748 spent. New works development: In fall of 2020 during the pandemic shutdown West Edge Opera launched Aperture is an online development residency for composers and librettists offering stipends mentorship and development opportunities for emerging works. WEOs commissioning and development efforts have continued and expanded since this beginning with our second commission Dolores by Nicols Lell Benavides and Marella Martin Koch premiering in 2025 and a third commission underway: Claude & Marcel by Alyssa Weinberg and Stephanie Fleishmann for a planned premiere in 2027.
- $18,411 spent. Various artistic research and development efforts for future seasons; rented storage space for production-related equipment and supplies.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 November 6, 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 September 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 1983.
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 November 4, 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.