Center for Community Change
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF COMMUNITY CHANGE IS TO BUILD THE POWER AND CAPACITY OF LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY LOW-INCOME PEOPLE OF COLOR, TO CHANGE THE POLICIES AND INSTITUTIONS THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES.
- Income
- $43.6 million
- Spending
- $33.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 4.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 147
- Volunteers
- 18
- Highest pay
- $348,683, co-president (see sched o)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 66% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 20 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 September 30, 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 (5)
- $10.0 million spent. STRENGTHEN KEY CAPACITIES: SUPPORTING EACH OF THE ORGANIZATION'S CORE STRATEGIES THROUGH KEY BODIES OF WORK: STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, DIGITAL MEDIA, POLICY AND ADVOCACY, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL JUSTICE FELLOWSHIPS, AND OTHER FORMS OF PROGRAM SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT.
- $8.4 million spent. INCUBATE MOVEMENT INNOVATION: ACTING AS A FISCAL SPONSOR FOR EMERGING INITIATIVES HOUSED AT COMMUNITY CHANGE. ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ALIGN WITH COMMUNITY CHANGE'S MISSION TO IMPROVE MATERIAL CONDITIONS, REDUCE INEQUITY, AND AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
- $5.1 million spent. ADVANCE A GOVERNING AGENDA: GENERATING BIG IDEAS TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC, RACIAL, AND IMMIGRANT JUSTICE AND BUILDING POWER TO IMPLEMENT THEM LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.
- $2.8 million spent. REINVENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO COLLECTIVELY RE-IMAGINE, EXPERIMENT WITH, AND CO-CREATE VIBRANT NEW MODELS OF ORGANIZING THAT CAN ACHIEVE SCALE AND SUSTAINABILITY IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHILE RETAINING THE REAL RELATIONSHIPS AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING.
- $492,782 spent. INCREASE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: BUILDING GRASSROOTS CAPACITY FOR LASTING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. STRENGTHENING BLACK, BROWN, AND IMMIGRANT ORGANIZING INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE GROUND SO THAT THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE SUBSTANTIAL POWER IN KEY GEOGRAPHIES, ARE NETWORKED NATIONALLY AND ACROSS COMMUNITIES AND PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN A BROADER MULTI-RACIAL MOVEMENT FOR ECONOMIC, RACIAL, AND IMMIGRANT JUSTICE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1968.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.