Humboldt Area Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FOUNDATION'S VISION IS A THRIVING, JUST, HEALTHY AND EQUITABLE REGION.
- Income
- $19.4 million
- Spending
- $20.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 74.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 59%
- Employees
- 55
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $257,611, chief innovation officer
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
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 74.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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 (4)
- $12.4 million spent. THE HUMBOLDT AREA FOUNDATION + WILD RIVERS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS FOUR YEARS INTO A DECADE-LONG STRATEGIC PLAN WITH THE VISION OF A THRIVING, JUST, HEALTHY, AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR ALL GENERATIONS AND COMMUNITIES IN OUR REMARKABLE REGION. THE FOUNDATION SERVES THE RESIDENTS OF HUMBOLDT, DEL NORTE AND TRINITY COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND CURRY COUNTY IN OREGON, INCLUDING THE REGION'S TRIBAL NATIONS AND HISTORICALLY INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES. OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE GENEROSITY, LEADERSHIP AND INCLUSION TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ARE SUPPORTED IN THIS WORK BY THE REMARKABLE COMMUNITY WE SERVE, AS WELL AS OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS, AND GENEROUS LOCAL DONORS.
- $2.4 million spent. THE CORE HUB HELPS CONVENE DIALOGUES AND DISTRIBUTE RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES AS THEY WORK TO REORGANIZE AND RELOCATE BUILT AND NATURAL SYSTEMS IN BETTER COOPERATION WITH HUMAN NEEDS, AND TO DOCUMENT THE PROCESSES SO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND OTHER RURAL REGIONS AND TRIBAL NATIONS HAVE A RECIPE FOR THEIR OWN DECARBONIZED RESILIENCE.
- $2.2 million spent. REMOVAL OF THE LOWER FOUR KLAMATH RIVER DAMS IS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST SALMON RESTORATION PROJECT. DESPITE THE ENORMOUS BENEFITS OF DAM REMOVAL, MANY MORE RESTORATION ACTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOVER FISHERIES, IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, AND BENEFIT THE BASIN'S DIVERSE RURAL COMMUNITIES. THE KLAMATH RIVER FUND, ESTABLISHED IN 2024, WAS CREATED TO SUPPORT THESE COMMUNITY-LEDEFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED.
- $455,667 spent. INITIATED AND LEAD BY NATIVE PEOPLES, THE NATIVE CULTURES FUND IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NATIVE NATIONS, THE HUMBOLDT AREA FOUNDATION, THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION, AND OTHER DONORS. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE TRANSMISSION OF KNOWLEDGE BETWEEN GENERATIONS THROUGH RENAISSANCE OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE ART CULTURE, SACRED SITES, AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT.
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 November 1993.
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.
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.