Friends of the Palo Alto Parks
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Friends of the Palo Alto Parks works with the city of Palo Alto, private groups, other nonprofits, and citizen organizations to preserve, maintain, and beautify Palo Alto's parks and open spaces.
- Income
- $92,702
- Spending
- $28,699
- Reserves
- 88.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ 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)
- $604 spent. General Fund: Donations to the Friends of the Palo Alto Parks General Fund allow the Board of Directors the flexibility to act quickly to allocate money to a project most in need. Some money from this fund is also used for expenses that can't be avoided, such as the annual corporation fees paid to the state to continue as a non-profit corporation. If a donation is made, and a project is not specified, the money goes into the General Fund. In 2025 the general fund received significant donations and the Board of Directors is working to utilize these donations to increase our contributions to the improvement of the Palo Alto parks and open spaces in 2026 and beyond for the entire Palo Alto community.
- $9,633 spent. Foothills Park Nature Preserve and Friends of the Foothills Preserve: Donations to the Friends of the Palo Alto Parks are used to support the Foothills Nature Preserve and The Friends of Foothills Preserve to enhance and maintain Foothills Nature Preserve. In 2025 donations to Friends of the Palo Alto parks were used to begin design documents to improve aging park infrastructure and delayed maintenance for the entire Palo Alto community.
- $9,702 spent. Embarcadero Pollinator Corridor: Donations to the Friends of the Palo Alto Parks are used to support rehabilitation, new native planting, and maintenance of a pollinator friendly corridor throughout Palo Alto for the entire Palo Alto community.
- $7,937 spent. Others
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 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 November 6, 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 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 May 2004.
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 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.