Friends and Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library

EIN: 946085452 501(c)(3) Education

San Francisco, CA

Total Revenue
$4,861,318
Total Expenses
$3,542,110
Total Assets
$12,961,042
Net Assets
$11,844,710
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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
1961
Legal Domicile
CA
Principal Officer
Emily Garvie
Phone
4156267500
Tax Period
2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30

Friends and Foundation of the San Francisco Public Library, founded in 1961, is a community nonprofit in the Education sector that reported $4.9M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue surged 45% from the prior year, signaling strong growth momentum. The organization ran a surplus of $1.3M, a strong 27% operating margin.

Mission

Friends supports the free public libraries of San Francisco. We provide funding and conduct advocacy and outreach to ensure that all people have equal access to the information, resources and support that our libraries provide. Friends believes that libraries are anchors for thriving neighborhoods, and that an excellent library system is critical to the health of our city.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $1,421,842

Library Support Program:Friends has an annual direct support program that funds various library programs, resources, and equipment. As a community foundation, Friends awards support to the SFPL for...

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Library Support Program:Friends has an annual direct support program that funds various library programs, resources, and equipment. As a community foundation, Friends awards support to the SFPL for innovative, free programs and services that are open to everyone across San Francisco in the areas of: children and teens, neighborhood branches, arts and culture, exhibitions, careers and jobs support, ESL, new immigrant support, technology and media learning, remote outreach (bookmobiles), and special collections and infrastructure support for affinity centers throughout the Main Library. Examples of popular programs that rely almost exclusively on Friends' support are One City One Book, the Summer Stride Reading and STEM Program, Tricycle Music Festival, and the publication of At the Library, a free newsletter of activities at the Main Library and the 27 branches. Friends' funds also support professional development for library staff, including paying for specialized training and conferences and grants to Librarians to pilot new innovative services that if successful, are often expanded system wide. And finally, Friends support includes additional funds for the library to promote free programs among identified groups of high-need residents, including contracting digital marketing expertise. Through Friends, community members express their support and aspirations for the SFPL as: - Persuasive Advocates committed to a strong and responsive library with reliable public funding. - Engaged Champions advancing the SFPL's mission for community literacy and expansive free resources and opportunities for everyone.- Generous investors bridging the funding gap between what the city provides and the cost of additional programs, resources, and services that San Franciscans want and need.

Program 2
Expenses: $908,068 Revenue: $915,277

Community Book Program: Through ongoing efforts to support the library, Friends connects readers with inexpensive and free books. Each year, through its Community Book Program ("CBP"), Friends takes...

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Community Book Program: Through ongoing efforts to support the library, Friends connects readers with inexpensive and free books. Each year, through its Community Book Program ("CBP"), Friends takes in over one million donated books and media, which it in turn resells to the public through two bookstores, online sales, and a number of specialty book sales (including some of the largest book sales on the West Coast). The SFPL also selectively acquires rare books from Friends that enhance SFPL's collections. Many books are also donated to schools and other non-profit organizations through Friends' CBP. Friends re-engineered what has been known as Books Operations into the Book Program, embracing its activities more accurately and fueling its growth as a valuable community asset that supports SFPL's mission for literacy and literary engagement. The Book Programs' four fundamental goals balance literacy and a national model for environmental responsibility. These goals are to: - Increase access to low-cost books and media through multiple venues of convenience and affordability. - Redirect free books from the traditional market to underserved and low-income children and families.- Promote literary engagement through free literary activities. - Keep more than one million books and media out of landfill and recycling plants each year.

Program 3
Expenses: $282,205

Advocacy Program:Friends continues the tradition of active and vocal support to ensure excellence in library services for all users. Friends' long and successful track record includes its critical...

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Advocacy Program:Friends continues the tradition of active and vocal support to ensure excellence in library services for all users. Friends' long and successful track record includes its critical role in passing five ballot measures over the last 30 years. Through its advocacy efforts, Friends helped pass a $106 million bond measure to build and refurbish 24 neighborhood branch libraries city-wide (2000, Prop A), championing the Library Preservation Fund, ensuring increased library hours, services and budget (1994, Prop E); spearheading the legislative campaign to build a $109.5 million new Main Library (1988, Prop A) and securing over $9.7 million in state funding. In 2007, Friends helped pass a measure (Prop D) that will bring in over $1.2 billion to the library by renewing the Library Preservation Fund and most recently in 2022, passed the third version of the Library Preservation Fund (Prop F) securing twenty-five years of public funding. We continue to work with elected officials, community groups, and the library administration to ensure a premier library system for San Francisco.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

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Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $3,653,224
Program Service Revenue $0
Investment Income $292,730
Other Revenue $915,364
TOTAL REVENUE $4,861,318

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $902,179
Salaries & Benefits $1,779,969
Fundraising Expenses $533,304
Program Expenses $2,713,003
Other Expenses $859,962
TOTAL EXPENSES $3,542,110

Year-over-Year Comparison

2024 2023 Change
Revenue $4,861,318 $3,344,781 +0.5%
Expenses $3,542,110 $3,616,539 0.0%
Net Income $1,319,208 $-271,758 -5.9%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
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Governance

Voting Members
17
Independent Members
17
Employees
25
Volunteers
165

Governance Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Operated a School
Operated a Hospital
Provided First Class Travel
Reported Conflict of Interest
Reported Asset Diversion
Excess Benefit Transaction
Made Political Expenditures
Engaged in Lobbying
Operated Donor Advised Fund
Maintained Art Collections
Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers
6
$319,766
Total Directors
17
$0
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
2
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
Rebecca Charnas-Grant Chair 1.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Nelly Sapinski Vice Chair 1.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Miriam Wrobel Treasurer 1.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Sarah Ives Secretary 1.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
David Blazevich Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Chrysty Esperanza Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Alison Fong Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Barre Fong Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Diane Gibson Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Kendall Laidlaw Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Kate Lazarus Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Alissa Lee Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Jessica Lipnack Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Ben Mangan Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Marriane O'Connor Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Cynthia So Schroeder Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Willie Swinerton Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Emily Ford Dirks Executive Director (start 5/24) 35.00
Officer
$132,196 $879 $133,075
Bob Daffeh Director of Finance & Admin. 35.00
Officer
$149,541 $37,150 $186,691
Michael Mercanti Communication Officer 35.00
Highest
$100,917 $9,442 $110,359
Shaojun Wu Finance Manager 35.00
Highest
$106,910 $29,664 $136,574
Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Net Income
2025 $4,861,318 $3,542,110 $12,961,042 $1,319,208
2024 $3,344,781 $3,616,539 $10,334,828 $-271,758
2023 $5,378,258 $3,964,708 $10,108,766 $1,413,550
2022 $3,006,314 $3,091,175 $7,992,031 $-84,861
2021 $3,121,864 $3,050,841 $10,027,176 $71,023
2020 $3,213,162 $3,636,643 $7,398,385 $-423,481
2019 $3,756,168 $4,027,200 $7,104,701 $-271,032
2018 $2,976,213 $3,450,561 $7,301,042 $-474,348
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