Acce Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the ACCE Institute is to improve the lives of California's traditionally underserved residents, including communities of color, low-income and working families, and the undocumented population, by carrying out work that fosters deep, indigenous leadership development, policy creation, robust civic participation, and broad community empowerment.
- Income
- $4.5 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 6.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 132
- Volunteers
- 2,500
- Highest pay
- $111,872, executive director
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
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 51% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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 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 (1)
- $5.1 million spent. ACCE held dozens of training programs for both members and organizers, with over 400 ACCE members and 25 organizers participating in them. Across the state, ACCE worked with several legal aid organizations, including one of our core partners - the California Center for Movement Legal Services - to host over 200 Know Your Rights tenant clinics and served over 5000 tenants! ACCE, in partnership with Public Counsel, also began hosting a monthly legal clinic for homeowners serving 100 homeowners this year! Our organizers canvassed impacted neighborhoods to educate community members about the negative impact of gas stoves and appliances on the health of users, and discussedopportunities for Richmond to achieve clean, affordable, green energy through electrification and leveraging funds available through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).2024 was a year of significant victory and experimentation for ACCE. We made major strides toward protecting tenants in the cities where we organize, and dipped our toes into the worlds of climate and transit justice - re-establishing ACCE as a multi-issue organization nimble enough to take on campaigns on a myriad of topics. We made progress in aligning our work to our organizing north stars, and built out our organizing capacities with stronger communications, data, and finance teams. Volunteers: 2500
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
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 October 13, 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 December 2024.
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 October 2010.
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 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.