California Budget & Policy Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE BUDGET CENTER PROVIDES DEPENDABLE, TIMELY, POLICY GUIDANCE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION THROUGH OUR INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, PUBLIC EDUCATION, STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS, AND COMMUNICATIONS TO EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND PROMOTE WELL-BEING FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS.
- Income
- $4.8 million
- Spending
- $5.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 6.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $273,646, executive director
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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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 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)
- $3.5 million spent. THE BUDGET CENTER DISTRIBUTES RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS BY PRODUCING BOTH LONG- AND SHORT-FORM PUBLICATIONS. THE BUDGET CENTER PRODUCED 53 ANALYSES IN 2024 THAT WERE PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE AND DISTRIBUTED TO OUR EMAIL SUBSCRIBER LIST WHICH AVERAGED 10,440 SUBSCRIBERS. OUR WEBSITE HAD A TOTAL OF 513,726 VISITORS. THE BUDGET CENTER IS A TRUSTED SOURCE OF RELIABLE INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA, FEATURED IN 420 UNIQUE ARTICLES AND 106 BROADCAST SPOTS IN 2024. WE ALSO DISTRIBUTE OUR PUBLICATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE WE MAINTAINED AN AVERAGE OF 10,000 FOLLOWERS AND HAD AN AVERAGE OF 17,500 IMPRESSIONS PER MONTH.
- $180,649 spent. THE BUDGET CENTER ALSO ENGAGES WITH ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE BY PARTICIPATING IN SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, SERVING ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. OUR STAFF SERVED ON 33 BOARDS OR COMMITTEES AT ANY GIVEN TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, PARTICIPATED IN 108 SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, AND FULFILLED 351 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTS FROM STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND POLICYMAKERS AND THEIR STAFF. THESE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES HELP MAXIMIZE OUR IMPACT TO IMPROVE POLICY FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS.THE BUDGET CENTER HOSTED 16 VIRTUAL EVENTS IN 2024 WITH 4,369 REGISTRANTS AND ONE IN-PERSON EVENT WITH 355 REGISTRANTS.
- $1.1 million spent. THE BUDGET CENTER ALSO SERVES AS A PARTNER AND CO-HOST IN THE BUDGET POWER PROJECT, A PARTNERSHIP TO BUILD LOCAL AND STATE BUDGET ADVOCACY CAPACITY TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES IN LOCAL BUDGET DECISIONS THROUGH EDUCATION, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND PEER LEARNING.
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
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 December 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 March 1995.
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.