Chinatown People Progressive Association Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CHINESE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION IS A GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION WHICH WORKS FOR FULL EQUALITY AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN GREATER BOSTON AND BEYOND. OUR ACTIVITIES SEEK TO IMPROVE LIVING AND WORKING STANDARDS OF CHINESE AMERICANS AND TO INVOLVE ORDINARY COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MAKING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT OUR LIVES.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- 29.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 27
- Volunteers
- 80
- Highest pay
- $129,733, executive director
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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 29.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 39% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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.
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (1)
- $773,764 spent. THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION INCLUDES WORKERS, PROFESSIONALS, ELDERLY AND YOUTH, IMMIGRANT AND AMERICAN BORN. CPA OPERATES VARIOUS INITIATIVES AND CONDUCTS SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS MISSION, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING ONGOING PROGRAMS:CHINATOWN STABILIZATION CAMPAIGN:THE CHINATOWN STABILIZATION CAMPAIGN IS A GRASSROOTS NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZING PROJECT FOCUSED ON SAFE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR WORKING CLASS FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE GOAL OF THE CAMPAIGN IS TO STABILIZE AND GROW THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY AS BOTH AN URBAN WORKING-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD AND A VITAL COMMUNITY CENTER. THE PRIMARY STRATEGY IS TO COMBINE TENANT ORGANIZING TO HELP PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOMES, SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO WORK FOR POLICIES THAT STABILIZE WORKING CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.CHINESE YOUTH INITIATIVE:THE GOAL OF THE CHINESE YOUTH INITIATIVE ("CYI") IS TO DEVELOP THE ORGANIZING SKILLS, LEADERSHIP CAPACITY, AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF CHINESE AMERICAN YOUTH SO THAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY'S CONDITION. CPA INVOLVES YOUTH IN A SEVEN-WEEK SUMMER INTERNSHIP AND ACADEMIC-YEAR INTERNSHIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH; YEAR-ROUND WORKSHOPS, DISCUSSIONS, AND ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE YOUTH AWARENESS; AND HANDS-ON COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ORGANIZING PROJECTS WHERE YOUTH CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM:CPA ASSISTS INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WITH INFORMATION, REFERRALS, AND KNOW-YOUR-RIGHTS EDUCATION IN A WIDE RANGE OF AREAS. CPA PROVIDES U.S. CITIZENSHIP INSTRUCTION AND TUTORING WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE CONCEPT AND PRACTICE OF CIVIC PARTICIPATION. CPA ALSO PREPARES ADULT STUDENTS FOR THE NATURALIZATION EXAMINATION, PROVIDES HELP WITH CHINESE DOCUMENT APPLICATIONS AND LIMITED TRANSLATION ASSISTANCE. IN ADDITION TO ITS ONGOING ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS, CPA HOLDS MANY PROGRAMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS MEMBERS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, DISCUSSIONS, RECREATIONAL TRIPS, CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS, AND SOCIAL EVENTS.CIVIC EMPOWERMENT PROJECT:THE GOAL OF THE CIVIC EMPOWERMENT PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP THE CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND POLITICAL CLOUT OF ORDINARY CHINESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THROUGH A COMBINATION OF NON-PARTISAN GRASSROOTS ISSUE-BASED ORGANIZING, VOTER REGISTRATION, YEAR-ROUND CIVIC EDUCATION, AND DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY POLICY AGENDAS.GREEN JUSTICE PROGRAM:CPA ORGANIZES AND ADVOCATES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF OUR MEMBERS INCLUDING ISSUES SUCH AS PUBLIC TRANSIT, CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND AIR POLLUTION. CPA IS A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE GREEN JUSTICE COALITION AND IS PARTICIPATING IN A CAMPAIGN FOR AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSIT AND LEADING A PROJECT TO EXPLORE THE CREATION OF A CHINATOWN MICROGRID. CPA IS A LONG-TIME PARTICIPANT IN THE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OF FREEWAY EXPOSURE AND HEALTH TO STUDY THE IMPACTS OF HIGHWAY POLLUTION AND RESIDENTS' HEALTH AND FIND WAYS TO MITIGATE DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS.IMMIGRANT WORKER CENTER COLLABORATIVE:THE IMMIGRANT WORKER CENTER COLLABORATIVE'S ("IWCC") MISSION IS TO BE A MOVEMENT BUILDING INSTITUTION THAT UNITES AND STRENGTHENS WORKER CENTERS TO DEVELOP THE LEADERSHIP OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS. THE GOAL OF THE IMMIGRANT WORKER CENTER COLLABORATIVE IS TO CREATE A MASS MOVEMENT OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS ORGANIZING TO RESHAPE THEIR WORK LIFE AND SOCIETY.CPA PLAYS AN ANCHOR ROLE FOR THE IWCC TO BE A COLLECTIVE LEARNING AND RESOURCE NETWORK FOR IMMIGRANT WORKER CENTERS, A FORCE FOR BUILDING CROSS-ETHNIC SOLIDARITY AND A MASS-BASED IMMIGRANT WORKER RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND A STRATEGY SPACE TO DEVELOP COLLECTIVE CAMPAIGNS FOR GREATER IMPACT. IN ADDITION TO CPA, IWCC PARTNERS INCLUDE THE BRAZILIAN WORKERS CENTER, BRAZILIAN WOMEN'S GROUP, CENTRO COMUNITARIO DE TRABAJADORES, THE CHELSEA COLLABORATIVE, FUERZA LABORAL, MASSCOSH, METROWEST WORKERS CENTER/CASA DE TRABALHADORES, AND LYNN WORKER CENTER FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.WORKERS' CENTER:THE GOAL OF THE WORKERS' CENTER IS TO HELP CHINESE WORKERS LEARN ABOUT AND ORGANIZE FOR THEIR RIGHTS, AND TO DEVELOP SOLIDARITY WITH WORKERS OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND NATIONALITIES. THE WORKERS' CENTER PROMOTES AWARENESS OF WORKERS' RIGHTS, PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION, ORGANIZES THE UNEMPLOYED AND THE UNORGANIZED, PROMOTES FULLER PARTICIPATION BY CHINESE WORKERS IN UNION ACTIVITY, ORGANIZES FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE, AND BUILDS THE LEADERSHIP ROLE OF CHINESE WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN SOCIETY.HENRY WONG AND YOU KING YEE MEMORIAL GALLERY:THE HENRY WONG AND YOU KING YEE ("W/Y") MEMORIAL GALLERY IS A 31-FOOT LONG DISPLAY SPACE WITHIN THE CHINESE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION FOR ARTISTIC EXHIBITS WHICH DOCUMENT AND EXPRESS COMMUNITY STRUGGLES. THE W/Y GALLERY WORKS TO BUILD CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND ARTISTS. COVID-19 PANDEMIC:BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE MOVED TO A REMOTE WORKING ENVIRONMENT BEGINNING IN MID-MARCH 2020. WE SHIFTED OUR WORK TO MEET MANY OF THE DIRECT NEEDS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC INCLUDING ADDRESSING CHALLENGES ACCESSING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND OTHER BENEFITS, ANTI-ASIAN RACISM AND WORKPLACE SAFETY. WE ESTABLISHED A PHONE SERVICE LINE, HELD VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS, ESTABLISHED THE ASIAN COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, DISTRIBUTED THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF PPE AND HIRED DOZENS OF WORKERS TO ASSIST WITH FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE BEGAN TRANSITIONING BACK TO IN-PERSON/HYBRID WORK MID-2023 AS THE PANDEMIC SLOWED DOWN. NOW, STAFF PRIMARILY WORK IN-PERSON IN THE OFFICE, AND WE CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO DIRECT NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
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
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.
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 November 6, 2026.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1987.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 2026.
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