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Berkeley Hillel

EIN 52-1758790 · Berkeley, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood80 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BERKELEY HILLEL WORKS ON ITS MISSION BY ENRICHING THE LIVES OF JEWISH STUDENTS SO THAT THEY MAY ENRICH THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND THE WORLD THROUGH: *WELCOMING STUDENTS INTO A PLURALISTIC COMMUNITY IN AN INCLUSIVE AND RESPECTFUL WAY. *FOSTERING THE GROWTH OF STUDENTS' JEWISH IDENTITY. *DEVELOPING STUDENTS' SENSE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY, AND SERVICE TO LOCAL, NATIONAL AND LARGER COMMUNITIES. *PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO EXAMINE THEIR JUDAISM AND SPIRITUALITY. *SERVING AS AN INTEGRAL AND INDISPENSABLE PARTNER TO THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY. *SUPPORTING ISRAEL AS A JEWISH AND DEMOCRATIC STATE. BERKELEY HILLEL WILL ADVOCATE FOR ITS MISSION TO THE GREATER CAMPUS COMMUNITY AND WILL MODEL IN ITS ACTIONS: EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND FUN.

Income
$1.6 million
Spending
$2.6 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
35.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
42
Volunteers
100
Highest pay
$125,313, chief operating officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 80 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 35.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 61% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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 June 30, 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. $630,858 spent. PROGRAMMING (ENGMT PPLHD) - BERKELEY HILLEL SERVES ROUGHLY 2,500 JEWISH STUDENTS AT UC BERKELEY. IN 2025, BERKELEY HILLEL SERVED 1,300 UNIQUE STUDENTS AND SERVED 4,500 KOSHER BBQ MEALS.
  2. $322,993 spent. SHABBAT - BERKELEY HILLEL PROVIDES WEEKLY SHABBAT RELIGIOUS SERVICE AND DINNER FOR FREE TO UC BERKELEY STUDENTS. IN 2025, WE SERVED 3,000 SHABBAT DINNERS.
  3. $294,077 spent. HOLIDAYS - BERKELEY HILLEL PUTS ON JEWISH RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR BERKELEY STUDENTS, FOLLOWING THE JEWISH CALENDAR. IN 2025, 171 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE JEWISH HIGH HOLIDAYS, AND 117 STUDENTS FOR PASSOVER.
  4. $616,814 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDES ISRAEL, COMMUNITY SERVICE, EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP AND STAFF FUNDS

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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? Worth knowing.

    Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, 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 June 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 December 1993.

    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.

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