Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Northern California Land Trust Inc

EIN 23-7380534 · Berkeley, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak47 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

NCLT is dedicated to creating and preserving affordable housing for people with low to moderate incomes.

Income
$5.0 million
Spending
$3.2 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
-61.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 73%
Employees
26
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$165,657, executive dir.

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

Weak: 47 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 76% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 37% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 25

    8 of 8 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

    10 of 10

    Gave 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 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 (2)
  1. $2.4 million spent. The creation and operation of permanently affordable housing for diverse low income households in Northern California. NCLT provided, developed, stewarded and/or directly operated over 110 units of affordable housing for low and very low income households in Berkeley, Oakland, East Palo Alto, and San Francisco in the Community Land Trust model using limited equity condos, affordable rentals, and cooperatives.
  2. Technical assistance, outreach and education about affordable housing and communitydevelopment in the Community Land Trust model.NCLT Provided technical assistance, training and outreach to develop permanentlyaffordable community facilities and permanently affordable housing in the CommunityLand Trust model, including development and operation of the Community Co-OwnershipInitiative, staffing support for regional and statewide coalitions including theBay Area CLT Consortium and the California Community Land Trust Network, along withtechnical assistance,staffing support and training for resident and community ledgroups including the People of ColorSustainable Housing Network, and the CCOIprogram which provided education and technical assistance around CLT and cooperativedevelopment to several hundred low income households, individuals and residentgroups in 2024-2025.

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

  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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1974.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.