Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PARCA'S MISSION IS TO HELP ALABAMA'S GOVERNMENTS, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITIES FUNCTION WELL AND MAKE SOUND DECISIONS THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ALL PEOPLE. IT PURSUES THIS MISSION THROUGH TRUSTED, HONEST, OBJECTIVE, AND INDEPENDENT RESEARCH- INFORMING LEADERS AND CITIZENS RATHER THAN ADVOCATING FOR ANY POSITION OR INTEREST.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 5.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 63%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 41
- Highest pay
- $196,392, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 66% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 33 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2541 of 41 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
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 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 (3)
- $468,183 spent. POLICY AND DATA:PARCA CONDUCTS INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN, NON-IDEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND TRANSFORMS COMPLEX PUBLIC DATA INTO ACCESSIBLE, USABLE INFORMATION FOR STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS, SCHOOL SYSTEMS, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND THE PUBLIC. THIS WORK INCLUDES LONG-FORM COMPARATIVE POLICY RESEARCH, DATA JOURNALISM, AND INTERACTIVE DATA TOOLS AND DASHBOARDS. A CENTRAL FOCUS IS PUBLIC EDUCATION, FOR WHICH PARCA PRODUCES HIGH-LEVEL ANALYSES OF STATEWIDE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE DATA AND DETAILED ANALYSES OF INDIVIDUAL LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS. OTHER WORK DURING THE YEAR INCLUDED ANALYSIS OF ALABAMA TAXES AND PUBLIC FINANCES, AS WELL AS RESEARCH ON THE STATE CONSTITUTION. PARCA'S PUBLIC-FINANCE RESEARCH SUPPORTS INFORMED BUDGETING AND FISCAL STABILITY AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS, AND ITS INDEPENDENT FISCAL ANALYSIS IS RELIED UPON TO PROVIDE POLICYMAKERS ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM WITH A SHARED, FACTUAL BASELINE.
- $526,706 spent. PROGRAM EVALUATION:PARCA CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION FOR GOVERNMENTS, AGENCIES, AND NONPROFITS, PROVIDING END-TO-END SUPPORT FROM RESEARCH DESIGN AND INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DATA COLLECTION, QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS, AND REPORTING. DURING THE YEAR, THIS WORK INCLUDED EVALUATION OF ALABAMA'S 2019 LITERACY ACT, EVALUATION OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE A+ EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP, AND EVALUATION OF INTENSIVE TUTORING PROGRAMS IN BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS PROVIDED BY THE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA.
- $175,569 spent. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:PARCA PROVIDES HANDS-ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT HELPS GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFITS MAKE AND CARRY OUT DECISIONS, INCLUDING CUSTOM DASHBOARDS AND DATA TOOLS, DATABASE DESIGN, SURVEY DESIGN AND ADMINISTRATION, PROGRAM DESIGN, AND STAFF TRAINING IN RESEARCH AND EVALUATION METHODS.
Source: Form 990 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 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 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 October 1988.
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.