Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Westside Community Improvement Association

EIN 27-4553664 · Eureka, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceFair53 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Combatting urban blight and restoring neighborhoods by acquiring and rehabilitating unused/underutilized properties and creating neighborhood community centers and providing a variety of educational, recreational, and vocational services where such facilities are lacking or insufficient.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$917,320
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
-48.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 78%
Employees
8
Volunteers
50

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

Financial health

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

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

Governance

Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 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 (4)
  1. $791,468 spent. Family Resource CenterThe Family Resource Center offers free parenting classes for Westside Families, space for supervised visitation and multi family visitation for families with CWS cases, playgroups for families with children 0-5, we have a clothing closet, emergency food pantry, connect people with resources including benefits eligibility, financial literacy and career counseling. We run job training programs working closely with CalWorks, the local workforce development board, and employment training division and job market to train and place people with barriers to employment into career track skilled trades. We host programs like Paso a Paso who offer parenting, support groups, mental health first aid, dance therapy and more. We host community work days, free produce distribution every Saturday and community workdays hosting over 1000 volunteers per year.
  2. SSEEDS: Environmental Stewardship Youth programs served over100 youth leading biker ides out into nature along the waterfront and coastal trails we also hosted a bicycle day. We hosted a 5 day environmental stewardship camp, SEEDS a week in the redwoods, teaching plant and wildlife identification, leave no trace camping, water safety and a week of fun in nature. Our youth and program participants are primarily neighbors from the most ethnically diverse lowest median income section of our community.
  3. Other Program Services: We teach culinary classes to youth including food security, gardening and food production, pastry and baking, cultural culinary experiences with local mmulti cultural guest chefs, kids get serve safe certified, older kids study for =food service managers certificates, learn barista skills in our teaching caf, even take a series in entrepreneurism completing a mini business plan. We also prepare and serve meals to headstart , early headstart, little learners and aldregrove charter school bringing culinary series graduates on as interns and employees. .
  4. Community Building Initative - Renovating a previous school building for use in Community Outreach programs

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 December 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 April 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 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.