The Book Club of California
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CLUB WORKS TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE ART AND CRAFT OF THE BOOK BY SUPPORTING BOOK MAKING, FINE PRINTING, DESIGN, TYPOGRAPHY, ILLUSTRATION, LITERATURE, AND SCHOLARSHIP (PLEASE SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DETAILS)
- Income
- $831,972
- Spending
- $775,845
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 113.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 76%
- Employees
- 4
- Highest pay
- $199,686, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 113.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 52% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 39 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2522 of 22 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
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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)
- $368,010 spent. THE BOOK CLUB OPERATES AND MAINTAINS A SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY, MOUNTS EXHIBITIONS, AND OFFERS LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. OVER 11,000 MONOGRAPHS, AS WELL AS PAMPHLETS AND EPHEMERA, FOCUSING ON THE TOPICS OF FINE PRINTING, THE BOOK ARTS, AND THE HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF CALIFORNIA CAN BE FOUND IN THE ALBERT SPERISEN LIBRARY. MORE THAN 50 EXHIBITIONS, LECTURES AND PRESENTATIONS ARE PRESENTED EACH YEAR.
- $78,622 spent. THE BOOK CLUB PUBLISHES LIMITED-EDITION, FINELY MADE BOOKS, A SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, AND OTHER ITEMS - ALL OF WHICH ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
- $113,036 spent. THE BOOK CLUB PROVIDES AWARDS AND GRANTS FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN WESTERN HISTORY AND THE BOOK ARTS. IT ALSO SPONSORS SPECIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC, AND MAKES GRANTS FOR RESEARCH FROM TIME TO TIME.
- FULL MISSION STATEMENT: THE BOOK CLUB OF CALIFORNIA IS A NON-PROFIT, MEMBER AND DONOR-SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1912 AND INCORPORATED IN 2013. THE CLUB'S MISSION IS TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE HISTORY OF THE BOOK AND THE BOOK ARTS, WITH A FOCUS ON THE LITERATURE AND HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA AND THE WEST. THE BOOK CLUB PUBLISHES LIMITED EDITION BOOKS, A SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, AND KEEPSAKES. IT MAINTAINS A SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY AND HOSTS A YEAR-ROUND SERIES OF EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS ON TOPICS INCLUDING FINE PRINTING, DESIGN, TYPOGRAPHY, BOOKBINDING, COLLECTING, AND MORE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 August 2025.
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 September 2013.
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.