San Diego Youth Symphony & Conservatory
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 237380943
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2010–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- San Diego, CA, USA
- Phone
- 6192333232
- Rating
- 81
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $2,211,172
- Expenses
- $3,164,366
- Assets
- $3,156,698
- Liabilities
- $236,804
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
21 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- MICHAEL REMSON (CEO)
Highest reported compensation
- MICHAEL REMSON (CEO): $155,245 total reported compensation
- SAMEER PATEL (MUSIC DIRECTOR): $127,049 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Since 1945, San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS) has served as a catalyst for investing in the future of young people through joyful and transformative music-making experiences. We reach over 2,500 students and families annually throughout San Diego County through our ensemble, early childhood, and community engagement programs.Mission: SDYS instills excellence in musical achievement and personal growth through rigorous and inspiring music education experiences.Vision: Lives enriched by music.Values: Commitment, Creativity, Equity, Collaboration, Service
What it reported doing in 2024
San Diego Youth Symphony (SDYS)For eighty years, San Diego Youth Symphony has offered youth orchestra programs in Balboa Park for young musicians at every level. Today, SDYS features 15 ensembles serving over 500 students, spanning from beginner to advanced and culminating in our flagship Symphony Orchestra. Students rehearse weekly from September through May, performing in concerts each January and May. Through this program, young people develop artistry, discipline, and lifelong friendships in one of San Diego's most beloved cultural settings. SDYS is committed to expanding access to these programs, and currently provides tuition assistance or scholarships to nearly 20% of participants.The Opus Project and Community ProgramsLaunched in 2010, the Opus Project brings free, high-quality instrumental music instruction to students who might not otherwise have access, partnering with elementary school districts to provide in-school music education rooted in a belief that every child deserves to experience the power of music. Today, the Opus Project operates in Chula Vista and Santee, continuing to serve young musicians and their families. Beyond Opus, SDYS supports music education efforts in additional schools across San Diego County through community partnerships, providing on-site instruction and program support to extend our mission into more neighborhoods and communities.Early Childhood ProgramsSDYS supports the earliest phase of children's musical development through two programs designed for young learners and their families. ChIMES serves children from birth through age five, using ensemble-based learning to promote pro-social skills, speech and language development, and early school preparation. In addition to parent-child classes, ChIMES has expanded into classrooms in the Chula Vista Elementary School District and library partnerships throughout the county. Music Discovery builds on that foundation for children ages 57, introducing them to the instrument families of the orchestra and preparing them for the exciting step into an SDYS ensemble. Together, these programs ensure that children from all backgrounds have access to joyful and transformative music-making experiences from the very start.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 77
- Transparency & Controls: 79
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 24
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 95.9%; rating input score 96
- Program expense ratio: 67%; rating input score 67
- Fundraising efficiency: $3.14 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
- Compensation committee: Pass
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
- Written employment contract: Missing
- Compensation survey or study: Pass
- Board or committee approval: Pass
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -43.1%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 1; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 8.9%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 4.4% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 2.9% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 95.9% of revenue deployed · 67% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.1M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $155K · 21 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
- Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
- Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
- Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
- Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 9/100.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 3/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 37/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 34/100.