San Francisco State University Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
261169717
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
4153382506
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$14,601,218
Expenses
$12,327,241
Assets
$191,420,576
Liabilities
$373,703

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

36 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JEFF JACKANICZ (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • LYNN MAHONEY (EX-OFFICIO (VOTING)): $668,287 total reported compensation
  • AMY SUEYOSHI (EX-OFFICIO (VOTING)): $468,338 total reported compensation
  • JEFF WILSON (EX-OFFICIO (VOTING)): $448,316 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The foundation is formed for the following specific purposes: (a) to develop and increase the facilities of san francisco state university ("sfsu") for broader educational opportunities and service to students, alumni, and the citizens of the state of California by encouraging gifts to sfsu of money, property, works of art, historical papers and documents, museum specimens of educational, artistic or historical value and any other assets of value of any description; (b) to provide funding for scientific, economic, and other types of research at sf state; (c) to provide funding for the establishment of scholarships and other student assistance programs to sfsu from sources other than those from which the state of California ordinarily makes appropriations to sfsu; and (d) to provide advisory council and assistance to the president of sfsu.

What it reported doing in 2024

The foundation's main program is managing endowments for sfsu. The foundation manages over $180,000,000 in endowments. A few of the endowments: llr - dean's project. This endowment provides support for faculty research with other colleges within san francisco state university and community engagement with students, alumni, staff, and general public. Support of approximately $732,000 was provided in fy 24-25. Climate hq. This endowment is to cultivate sf state students, faculty, and staff to become diverse climate change leaders. Support of approximately $643,000 was provided in fy 24-25.osher lifetime learning institute (olli). This endowment is to bring the academic strengths of the university to lifelong learners in the bay area - to engage alumni and others to connect meaningfully to be university in pursuit of learning. Support of approximately $432,000 was provided for fy 24-25.the foundation was able to meet donor intent by providing $2.8 million in scholarships and college department support in fy 2024-2025.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 65% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 83
  • Transparency & Controls: 60
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 81
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 82.5%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.8%; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 85.3%; rating input score 85; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 15.6%; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 15.53; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.1%; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.9% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 82.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 29 of 34 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $10.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $668K · 36 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $545K reported
  • Consistency: 31 of 31 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 6 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 50/100.