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Bay Area Council Foundation

EIN 20-1826827 · San Francisco, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak22 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR VISION OF A STRONGER, INNOVATIVE, GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE AND MORE VIBRANT REGION IS EMPOWERED BY OUR MISSION TO SUPPORT THE BAY AREA COUNCIL AND INVEST PHILANTHROPIC RESOURCES TOWARD BUILDING STRONGER MORE VIBRANT COMMUNITIES (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)A HEALTHY ECONOMY AND A MORE INNOVATIVE AND GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE BAY AREA. BACKED BY THE BAY AREA COUNCIL A 501(C)(4) ORGANIZATION WITH OVER 60 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND A SUCESSFUL TRACK RECORD IN THE POLICY ARENA, WE PROVIDE A STRONG FRAMEWORK AND RESOURCE BASE FOR ADDRESSING THE INTERDEPENDENT FORCESTHAT GOVERN THE REGIONAL ECONOMY WITH AN EYE ON LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FACTORS. THE FOUNDATION WORK CAN BE SUMMARIZED IN THREE KEY WORDS: RESEARCHING; EDUCATING; IMPLEMENTING.

Income
$3.8 million
Spending
$5.9 million
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
-35.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 47%
Employees
0
Volunteers
40
Highest pay
$1.1 million, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 22 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 86% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 55% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    40 of 40 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
  1. $2.9 million spent. ECONOMIC INSTITUTE (EI) - VARIOUS SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS FOR WHICH ECONOMIC REPORTS AND ANALYSIS WERE PREPARED AND COMMUNICATED TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND BAC MEMBERS. THE EI REVENUE AND EXPENSE FIGURES REPRESENT THE AUDITED FINANCIALS FOR THE ECONOMIC INSTITUTE SEGMENT OF THE BAY AREA COUNCIL FOUNDATION BUSINESS. NOTE THERE ARE CONTRACTUAL TIMING DIFFERENCES RELATIVE TO REVENUE AND EXPENSES RECOGNITION WITH EACH SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROJECT.
  2. $810,831 spent. EDUCATION - WE BELIEVE IS ONE OF THE TOP COMPETITIVE FACTORS SHAPING THE BAY AREA. THEREFORE THE BACF HELPS DRIVE INITIATIVES TO HELP RAISE CALIFORNIA STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH DATA, TEACHER QUALITY. WE HAVE KEY INITIATIVES GEARED TOWARD IMPROVING THE OUTCOMES OF THE STATES P-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM. WE ALSO EXPLORE HOW TO INCREASE LOW-INCOME ACCESS TO EARLY CHILD CARE IN THE BAY AREA AND STATE.
  3. $769,502 spent. CALIFORNIA RESILIENCE PROGRAM - THE CALIFORNIA RESILIENCE CHALLENGE IS A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES GRANTS UP TO $200,000 TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE-RELATED THREATS SUCH AS WILDFIRE, DROUGHT, FLOOD, AND EXTREME HEAT EVENTS. THE INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO CREATE SCALABLE PLANS AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM CLIMATE ADAPTATION NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2005.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.