Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Living Cities Inc the National Community Development Initiative

EIN 26-0003950 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak22 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

LIVING CITIES HARNESSES THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF PHILANTHROPY AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF LOW-INCOME PEOPLE AND THE CITIES WHERE THEY LIVE.

Income
$4.3 million
Spending
$22.6 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
-0.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 71%
Employees
47
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$438,630, president & ceo

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: 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 89% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 429% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 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 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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 (4)
  1. $10.9 million spent. CITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: LIVING CITIES PROGRAMMATIC AREA FOCUSED ON ADVANCING INITIATIVES THAT SHIFT SOCIAL, KNOWLEDGE AND FINANCIAL CAPITAL SO MORE PEOPLE ON U.S. CITIES HAVE ACCESS TO OWNERSHIP AND WEALTH BUILDING PATHWAYS. THIS AREA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND PHILANTHROPIC LEADERS AND CAPITAL DECISION MAKERS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN ADDRESSING LONG STANDING RACIAL INCOME AND WEALTH GAPS. THROUGH PLACE-BASED, CITY-FACING AND FIELD BUILDING INITIATIVES, LIVING CITIES TESTS INNOVATIONS THAT INCREASE THE EQUITABLE FLOW OF CAPITAL LOCALLY AND LEVERAGES LESSONS TO PROMOTE REPLICATION AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE ACROSS THE NATION.
  2. $2.3 million spent. MEMBER COLLECTIVE ACTION: LIVING CITIES MEMBERS WORK TOGETHER WITH STAFF TO SHAPE THE CENTER FOR WEALTH EQUITY, A SHARED PLATFORM FOR ADVANCING INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND LONG-TERM RESILIENCE. THROUGH THE CENTER, MEMBERS HELP GENERATE KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL, INCLUDING STORIES OF POSSIBILITY THAT INFLUENCE HOW CAPITAL DECISION-MAKERS INVEST IN COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES, ALONGSIDE PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES THAT BROADEN PARTICIPATION IN THE ECONOMY. THIS WORK EXPANDS ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND STRENGTHENS THE FOUNDATION FOR A MORE DURABLE, OPPORTUNITY-RICH ECONOMY.
  3. $3.5 million spent. CNC: LIVING CITIES ADVANCES PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CAPITAL, POLICY, AND LOCAL LEADERSHIP CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD STRONGER LOCAL ECONOMIES AND EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. THROUGH STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, STORYTELLING, RESEARCH DISSEMINATION, WEBINARS, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, LIVING CITIES SHARES LESSONS AND INSIGHTS FROM ITS WORK WITH CITIES, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, PHILANTHROPY, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS NATIONWIDE. THIS WORK HELPS ACCELERATE THE ADOPTION OF APPROACHES THAT IMPROVE CAPITAL ACCESS, STRENGTHEN LOCAL ECONOMIC SYSTEMS, AND PROMOTE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AND SHARED PROSPERITY.
  4. $1.2 million spent. OTHER

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 November 6, 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 March 2002.

    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 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.