Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Council of Korean Americans Inc

EIN 27-3496925 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ASPIRE TO A WORLD IN WHICH KOREAN AMERICAN LEADERS SERVE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN SOCIETY.

Income
$2.5 million
Spending
$1.6 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
10.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
6
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$313,525, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% 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 62% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 20 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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 March 31, 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 (3)
  1. $267,930 spent. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING: PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE KOREAN AMERICAN LEADERS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, EDUCATION, AND MENTORING, AND THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE EXPLORING KOREAN AMERICAN ISSUES, CULTURE, IMPACT AND IDENTITY.
  2. $889,057 spent. MEMBERSHIP: PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO GROW THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL AND TO DEEPEN THE ENGAGEMENT OF MEMBERS IN THE COUNCIL'S MISSION. SINCE 2011, CKA HAS BEEN BUILDING A MOVEMENT. WE BEGAN AS AN ALL-VOLUNTEER GROUP OF KOREAN AMERICAN LEADERS IN SF, DC, AND LA WHO WANTED TO BUILD A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION TO STRENGTHEN THE VOICE, VISIBILITY, AND INFLUENCE OF OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY, CKA HAS THREE FULL-TIME STAFF, 17 BOARD MEMBERS, 400+ MEMBERS, AND A GLOBAL NETWORK OF PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORTERS.
  3. $68,420 spent. VOICE AND ADVOCACY: PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OF KOREAN AMERICANS AND ADVANCE OUR ADVOCACY POSITIONS ON ISSUES, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, NORTH KOREA, CIVIL RIGHTS, RACE RELATIONS. CKA IS THE LEADING INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN, NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION FOR KOREAN AMERICANS. WE ARE DEDICATED TO CONNECTING, INSPIRING, AND EQUIPPING MULTI-GENERATIONAL LEADERS FOR GREATER INFLUENCE AND IMPACT. WE ALSO BUILD COALITIONS ACROSS RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS SO THAT KOREAN AMERICANS CAN HAVE A BROADER IMPACT. AS KOREAN AMERICANS, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO RISE ABOVE CHALLENGES AND DEAL WITH ADVERSITY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 March 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 September 2011.

    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.