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Competitive Intelligence
San Francisco For Impact
YouTube Benchmark
Live rankings and performance data for 186+ for-impact YouTube channels across San Francisco Metro.Updated weekly
0+
Channels Tracked
0
Combined Subscribers
0
Combined Views
0
Uploads Last 90 Days
Trending Now
Past monthTop uploads by views
All-Time Leaders
Top Channels
San Francisco vs. National
Benchmark Intelligence
How San Francisco nonprofit YouTube channels compare to national nonprofit and industry benchmarks — and where the biggest opportunities for growth are hiding.
Subscribers
Needs Work
318
San Francisco Median
25th–75th: 71–2.0K
National: 1.0K(NP Median)
The typical San Francisco nonprofit has 318 subscribers vs. 1.0K nationally. Most local channels are in early growth — even reaching 1.0K puts you ahead of the national median.
Views / Video
On Par
353
San Francisco Median
25th–75th: 191–1.3K
National: 400(NP Median)
The typical San Francisco channel gets 353 views per video vs. 400 nationally. Better thumbnails, SEO titles, and consistent posting can close this gap.
Engagement Rate
Below National
1.42%
San Francisco Median
25th–75th: 0.7%–1.9%
National: 2.5%(NP Median)
San Francisco's typical 1.42% engagement trails the 2.5% national median. Adding CTAs, responding to comments, and posting Shorts can boost this significantly.
Uploads / 90 Days
Needs Work
1
San Francisco Median
108 of 186 active
National: 4(Active NP Median)
The typical San Francisco nonprofit uploads 1 video per 90 days vs. 4 nationally. Only 108 of 186 channels are active. Consistency is the #1 growth lever.
What the Data Tells Us
🔍
The Gap Is Real
With a median of just 318 subscribers, most San Francisco nonprofits have small audiences — but that's typical for local organizations. The average (61.9K) is higher because a few large channels pull it up. Even reaching 1K subscribers puts a channel in the top quartile locally.
📊
Why Medians Matter
We use medians because a few large channels (avg: 61.9K subs) skew the average 195× higher than the median (318). The median represents what the typical San Francisco nonprofit actually looks like — and what you should benchmark against.
🚀
Biggest Growth Lever
78 of 186 channels haven't uploaded in 90 days. Consistency is the #1 predictor of growth. Channels posting weekly see 3-5× more views than monthly posters. This is San Francisco's biggest opportunity.
National benchmarks sourced from M+R Benchmarks 2025, Rival IQ, Dash Social, and Social Blade nonprofit category data (2024–2025).
Subscriber Distribution
Where most channels fall — the majority have under 5K subscribers
San Francisco Nonprofit Growth Playbook
Data-backed priorities ranked by potential impact — where San Francisco nonprofits should focus to close the gap with national benchmarks
📅
Upload Consistency Is #1
High Impact78 inactive channels
78 of 186 channels haven't uploaded in 90 days. YouTube's algorithm rewards consistency — channels posting at least 2×/month see 3-5× more views than those posting sporadically. This is the single biggest lever for San Francisco nonprofits.
💬
Close the Engagement Gap
High Impact1.42% vs. 5.4% national
San Francisco's 1.42% median engagement is below the 5.4% national average for small channels. Quick wins: add a CTA in the first 30 seconds, pin a comment with a question, and respond to every comment within 1 hour to boost algorithmic ranking.
🔎
Fix Discoverability
High Impact353 vs. 2K national
The median San Francisco channel gets 353 views/video vs. 2,000 nationally for similar-sized channels. Optimize titles for search (use keywords your audience Googles), create custom thumbnails with faces and text, and use 8-12 relevant tags per video.
🎯
Break the 1K Subscriber Barrier
Medium ImpactMedian: 318 subscribers
Half of all San Francisco nonprofit channels have fewer than 318 subscribers. Reaching 1K unlocks YouTube monetization features and puts you in the top quartile locally. End screens, cross-promotion on email newsletters, and consistent thumbnails accelerate subscriber growth.
See how your channel compares to these benchmarks
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AI Spotlight
Editor's Picks
Channels selected by AI for exceptional content quality and impact
6/10
Meet Slinky, Muttville’s 14,000th rescue!
Muttville
8.6K subscribers
Muttville maintains a high upload frequency with 49 videos in 90 days focused on adoption profiles. Despite a moderate 13.4% view-to-subscriber ratio, the channel achieves an exceptional 23% engagement rate. However, 2% caption coverage limits accessibility.
highAnimal welfare channel drivi…
6/10
This Creamy Coleslaw Recipe is the Perfect Side DIsh | Jacques Pépin Cooking at Home | KQED
Kqed Inc
377.0K subscribers
KQED shows strong historical resonance with a 2.74% engagement rate and 100 average comments per video. Despite a robust library of 2,048 videos, the channel has been dormant for nearly a year.
highPublic media channel with ex…
6/10
Seafloor surface connections #Doldrums
Schmidt Ocean Institute
567.0K subscribers
Despite 565K subscribers, the 1.3% view-to-sub ratio indicates a dormant base. However, active viewers are highly engaged (4.09% rate). Upload consistency is strong with 50 videos in 90 days, but 4% caption coverage is a critical accessibility gap.
highOcean research institute pro…
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Content Strategy
Content Format Breakdown
How San Francisco nonprofits structure their YouTube content — from long-form storytelling to quick Shorts
Format Distribution
186 channels analyzed98%
Shorts-Heavy 4
Short-Form (<5m) 182
Mid-Form (5–15m) 0
Long-Form (15m+) 0
Upload Efficiency
Best avg views per video
Performance
Engagement & Format
Trending NowPast 2 months
Viral Hits
The most-viewed recent uploads across all tracked channels
2
1mo ago
Seafloor surface connections #Doldrums
Schmidt Ocean Inst…46.8K
3
1mo ago
SETI CEO Bill Diamond Responds to UAP/UFO File Release on CBS News
Seti Institute17.2K
4
1mo ago
Welcoming Elim Chan: the next Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symp…14.8K
5
1mo ago
Dewey Crumpler: Tulips
San Francisco Muse…10.5K
6
1mo ago
Science is HERE this summer at The Tech Interactive
The Tech Interactive9.7K
7
1mo ago
Explore SMU's MSN-FNP Program
Samuel Merritt Uni…6.1K
Community Builders
Comment Magnets
Channels sparking the most conversation — ranked by average comments per video
#
Channel
Avg Comments
1
Kqed Inc
377.0K subs · 85.0K avg views
101
2
Computer History Museum
177.0K subs · 107.8K avg views
56
3
Fine Arts Museums Foundation
44.4K subs · 35.5K avg views
37
4
Project Open Hand
6.0K subs · 1.6K avg views
28
5
Muttville
8.6K subs · 1.1K avg views
11
6
Schmidt Ocean Institute
567.0K subs · 6.8K avg views
10
7
Throckmorton
3.4K subs · 14.2K avg views
9
8
San Francisco Ballet Association
47.7K subs · 10.8K avg views
8
9
Seti Institute
85.5K subs · 1.3K avg views
8
10
Burning Man Project
64.6K subs · 3.5K avg views
7
Contenido en Español
Spanish-Language Content
Original Spanish-language videos from nonprofits — a critical gap in markets with large Hispanic populations
7%
of tracked channels have any Spanish content
13
channels with Spanish videos out of 186 tracked
0
channels with Spanish as primary language
1
Policylink
🌐 Bilingual · 42 Spanish videos · 1.4K subs
42 videos
en español
2
Synapse School
🌐 Bilingual · 24 Spanish videos · 265 subs
24 videos
en español
3
Centro Legal De La Raza Inc
🌐 Bilingual · 21 Spanish videos · 47 subs
21 videos
en español
4
The Exploratorium
🌐 Bilingual · 9 Spanish videos · 59.1K subs
9 videos
en español
5
Compass Family Services
🌐 Bilingual · 6 Spanish videos · 126 subs
6 videos
en español
6
Low Income Investment Fund
🌐 Bilingual · 4 Spanish videos · 246 subs
4 videos
en español
7
Earthjustice
🌐 Bilingual · 2 Spanish videos · 8.4K subs
2 videos
en español
8
Childrens Hospital & Research Center At Oakland
🌐 Bilingual · 2 Spanish videos · 5.1K subs
2 videos
en español
By Mission
Category Spotlights
Explore channels by mission area — click a category to see top performers
Mission Categories
Select a category
Click a mission category on the left to explore
top channels and videos in that area
💎 Could your channel be a Hidden Gem?
Small channels making outsized impact get featured. See how your content scores.
Analytics
Distribution and trends across all tracked channels
Subscriber Distribution — Top 20
Engagement Rate — Top 20
Upload Frequency — Videos in Last 90 Days
Engagement Rate vs. Subscriber Count
Bubble size = total views · Log scale on subscribers · Outliers top-left = high engagement, small audience
About RiseWorks: We produce monthly video, photo, and series content for nonprofits on a flat subscription. The Benchmark is how we give back to the sector.
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Data sourced from the YouTube Data API. Last updated 7/18/2026. Rankings reflect publicly available channel statistics.