Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE JACOBS CENTER FOR NEIGHBORHOOD INNOVATION IS TO FOSTER A THRIVING COMMUNITY ENVISIONED AND REALIZED BY ITS RESIDENTS. THE VISION OF THE JACOBS CENTER IS TO BE PART OF A CARING COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO EACH OTHER, WHERE ALL CULTURES ARE EMBRACED, WHERE SUSTAINING RESOURCES ARE IN PLACE FOR A VIBRANT ECONOMY, AND WHERE RESIDENTS CREATE THE FUTURE THEY ENVISION.
- Income
- $-3.7 million
- Spending
- $4.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 46 months of spending
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $217,080, chief operating officer
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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 46.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 415% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 89% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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.
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)
- $2.8 million spent. ALL OF JCNI'S ACTIVITIES CONTRIBUTE TO THE FURTHERANCE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD INNOVATION DISTRICT WITHIN SAN DIEGO'S DIAMOND NEIGHBORHOODS. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) WORK RELATED TO PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PHYSICAL ASSETS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. (EXAMPLES INCLUDE: CONSTRUCTION OF THE TROLLEY PARK TERRACE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX, SECURING AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM GRANT TO EFFECT OVER $4 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS TO CREATE COMPLETE STREETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING MARKET STREET AND EUCLID AVENUE, AND COMPLETING A RIVER PARKWAY ADJOINING CHOLLAS CREEK); 2) WORK RELATED TO PROMOTING THE ARTS WITHIN THE DIAMOND NEIGHBORHOODS, AND USING ARTS AS A TOOL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY COHESION. (EXAMPLES INCLUDE: SECURING FUNDS FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, THE CITY ARTS COMMISSION, AS WELL AS FUNDS FROM PRIVATE AND CORPORATE DONORS TO SUPPORT AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, AND A POP-UP ART GALLERY FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO DISPLAY AND SELL THEIR WORK); 3) PROMOTING IMPROVEMENTS TO LOCAL EDUCATION, THROUGH ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH AN EDUCATION-SERVING MISSION LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE DIAMOND NEIGHBORHOODS. (EXAMPLES INCLUDE: SUPPORTING THE DIAMOND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE PARTNERSHIP; CREATING CURRICULA WHICH BENEFIT STUDENTS ATTENDING THE LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS; PARTNERSHIP WITH KIPP CHARTER SCHOOLS TO BRING ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO FAMILIES; OPERATING ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ON-SITE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL YMCA); 4) PROMOTION OF AN ECO-DISTRICT WITHIN JCNI'S SERVICE AREA. THIS INCLUDES NOT ONLY JCNI'S HISTORIC COMMITMENT TO LEED PRINCIPLES, BUT ALSO A PROJECT DESIGNED TO CONNECT LOW INCOME RESIDENTS WITH ENERGY-SAVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING UTILITY-RUN PROGRAMS, FOR WHICH THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE; THE ECO-DISTRICT WILL ALSO INCLUDE A CREEK STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RESTORATION WORK DONE ON CHOLLAS CREEK THROUGH RESIDENT VOLUNTEERISM 5) CREATION OF AN URBAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PARK, ALONG WITH PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND STARTUP FUNDING FOR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS. (COMPONENTS WILL INCLUDE OPERATION OF A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTER, OPERATION OF A BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM, SPONSORSHIP OF PERIODIC BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITIONS, AS WELL AS MENTORING ACTIVITIES); 6) CONTRIBUTING TO CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES AMONG NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS BY CONVENING AND NURTURING CROSS-SECTOR COALITIONS TO INCREASE INVESTMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TO DRIVE COMMUNITY CHANGE AROUND A SHARED VISION AND AGENDA.JCNI EMPLOYS A NEIGHBORHOOD INNOVATION DISTRICT (NID) METHODOLOGY, AS DESCRIBED BY THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION (SEE: HTTP://WWW.BROOKINGS.EDU/ABOUT/PROGRAMS/METRO/INNOVATION-DISTRICTS). THE NID FRAMEWORK PROMOTES INCLUSIVE INNOVATION, AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, COUPLED WITH INFORMATION SHARING AND ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, AS WELL AS THE STRENGTHENING OF LOCAL NONPROFITS. NIDS PROMOTE AN INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM AT THE INTERSECTION OF A REGION'S ECONOMIC ASSETS, PHYSICAL ASSETS, AND NETWORKING ASSETS. TO MAXIMIZE ITS EFFECTIVENESS, JCNI HAS FORGED A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, AND PARTNERS WITH OTHER ENTITIES SUCH AS THE SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM TO ACHIEVE ITS MISSION.
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 March 1996.
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.