Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

San Francisco Botanical Garden Society at Strybing Arboretum

EIN 94-6050168 · San Francisco, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GARDENS OF GOLDEN GATE PARK CONNECTS PEOPLE TO PLANTS, THE PLANET, AND EACH OTHER. THE GARDENS OFFER EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR VISITORS AND ACTIVELY MANAGES THE LIVING COLLECTIONS.

Income
$7.9 million
Spending
$8.2 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
2.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 48%
Employees
131
Volunteers
1,577
Highest pay
$223,884, ceo

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

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 30 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 23 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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. $3.4 million spent. VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND OUTREACH - DURING FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, THE GARDENS WELCOMED 1,211,165 VISITORS (53% VISITED FREE OF CHARGE) MAKING THE GARDENS AMONG THE MOST VISITED PUBLIC GARDENS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN THIS SAME PERIOD, 8,786 HOUSEHOLDS WERE MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE GARDENS OPERATE A BOOKSTORE AND PLANT SHOP AND MANAGE ALL COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS. PROGRAM SERVICE REVENUE INCLUDES BOOKSTORE/PLANT SHOP SALES NET OF INVENTORY COSTS AND INCOME FROM PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS. IN ADDITION, THE GARDENS RECEIVES AN ALLOCATION OF NON-RESIDENT ADMISSION INCOME COMPRISED OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS TO RUN THE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM AND AN ALLOCATION FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS. TOTAL ADMISSIONS RECEIPTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 WERE $7,994,196, WHICH SUPPORTS IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GARDENS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS, AND COVERS MOST OF THE SAN FRANCISCO RECREATION & PARK DEPARTMENT'S COSTS FOR HORTICULTURAL STAFF AND UPKEEP, AS WELL AS FACILITIES MAINTENANCE. OF THE TOTAL RECEIPTS, SFBGS EARNED APPROXIMATELY $1,456,466 IN REIMBURSED PERSONNEL AND OTHER OPERATING COSTS AND $704,590 TO OPERATE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS.
  2. $2.0 million spent. PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS - SFBGS OFFERS YEAR-ROUND EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, PROVIDES INTERPRETIVE SERVICES, AND MANAGES AN EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND A HORTICULTURAL LIBRARY. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, SFBGS SERVED 33,730 CHILDREN DIRECTLY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN THE GARDENS. SFBGS WELCOMED AND TRAINED 1557 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED 22,631 HOURS TO PROJECTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF FLOWER PIANO, OUR LARGEST PUBLIC EVENT, SERVED 75,000 PEOPLE OVER A TEN-DAY PERIOD. PROGRAM SERVICE REVENUE INCLUDES TICKETED COMMUNITY EVENTS, CLASS AND TRAINING FEES, AND REVENUE FROM BOOKS AND ART SOLD BY THE LIBRARY.
  3. $616,284 spent. COLLECTIONS AND CONSERVATION - SFBGS FUNDS GARDEN IMPROVEMENTS AND PROVIDES CURATORIAL AND PLANT COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT SERVICES AT CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS, JAPANESE TEA GARDEN AND SAN FRANCISCO BOTANICAL GARDEN. AS OF JUNE 30, 2025, THERE WERE 14,023 ACCESSIONS TO THE GARDEN'S LIVING COLLECTIONS, COMPRISED OF 10,561 DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLANTS, 10% OF WHICH ARE OF WILD COLLECTED ORIGIN.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1959.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.