Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

California Invasive Plant Council

EIN 68-0289333 · Berkeley, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceStrong94 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CAL-IPC PROTECTS CALIFORNIA'S ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMY FROM INVASIVE PLANTS. WE RUN SCIENCE-BASED PROGRAMS TO TRAIN LAND MANAGERS, COORDINATE REGIONAL LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS, AND ADVOCATE FOR SOUND LAND MANAGEMENT POLICY.

Income
$5.2 million
Spending
$5.3 million
Spent on programs
93%
Reserves
1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 92%
Employees
9
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$146,613, executive director/coo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 70% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    93% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 17 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

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (3)
  1. $4.2 million spent. CONSERVATION SCIENCE: CAL-IPC SUPPORTS THE STATE'S LAND MANAGERS IN EFFECTIVE STEWARDSHIP. WE MAINTAIN TOOLS, SUCH AS THE INVENTORY OF INVASIVE PLANTS IN CALIFORNIA, CALWEEDMAPPER, AND WEEDCUT THAT PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE RISKS AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES. WE RESEARCH THE IMPACTS OF INVASIVE PLANTS TO RARE NATIVE PLANTS TO HELP LAND MANAGERS SET PRIORITIES. WE LEAD AN EFFORT WITH COLLEAGUES IN ARIZONA, OREGON, NEVADA, AND WASHINGTON TO PROACTIVELY EVALUATE THE RISK OF PLANTS BECOMING INVASIVE IN THE FUTURE. WHERE WE CAN ADD VALUE, WE STEP IN TO PROVIDE COORDINATION FOR REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE INVASIVE SPARTINA PROJECT IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY.
  2. $630,983 spent. EDUCATION: CAL-IPC SUPPORTS THE STATE'S LAND MANAGERS IN EFFECTIVE STEWARDSHIP AND SEEKS TO EXPAND ENGAGEMENT IN THE CONSERVATION FIELD. WE PROVIDE TRAININGS FOR CONSERVATION CORPS MEMBERS AND PARTICIPATE IN AN ECOLOGICAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT AS PART OF THE CALIFORNIA BIODIVERSITY NETWORK. OVER 600 PEOPLE ATTENDED OUR 2024 SYMPOSIUM, WITH THREE DAYS OF PRESENTATIONS, TRAININGS, AND DISCUSSION GROUPS.
  3. $35,859 spent. POLICY: CAL-IPC WORKS IN SACRAMENTO TO STRENGTHEN STATE INVASIVE PLANT PROGRAMS. ONE FOCUS IS SECURING FUNDING FOR COLLABORATIVE INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT PERFORMED BY COUNTY WEED MANAGEMENT AREAS (WMAS). WE ALSO TRACK BILLS IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT ARE RELEVANT TO EFFECTIVE LAND STEWARDSHIP, WORKING WITH AUTHORS AND COMMITTEES TO AMEND LANGUAGE AS NEEDED. THE STATE'S INTERAGENCY INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL AND ITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE WERE CREATED VIA LEGISLATION SPONSORED BY CAL-IPC, AND WE ACTIVELY TRACK AND SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS. AT THE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL, CAL-IPC WORKS WITH OTHER STATES ON ISSUES OF COMMON INTEREST, SUCH AS FEDERAL FUNDING AND INVASIVE PLANT ASSESSMENT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.