California Association of Food Banks
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF FOOD BANKS (CAFB) IS A NON-PROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION LOCATED IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. TOGETHER WITH ITS 41-MEMBER FOODBANKS, CAFB IS THE LARGEST CHARITABLE HUNGER-RELIEF AND ANTI-HUNGER LEADER IN THE STATE. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THE ORGANIZATION PURSUES ITS MISSION OF ENDING HUNGER IN CALIFORNIA THROUGH PROGRAMS FORTIFYING THE CHARITABLE AND PUBLIC NUTRITION SAFETY NETS AND SUPPORTING THE COLLECTIVE SUCCESS OF ITS MEMBERS.
- Income
- $108.9 million
- Spending
- $110.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- 1.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 75%
- Employees
- 46
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $317,284, chief executive officer
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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 38% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.
Results it reports
- Provided food banks with more than 274 million pounds of food.Work delivered
- Provided more than 269 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.Work delivered
- Provided almost 5 million pounds of proteins and pantry essentials.Work delivered
- Distributed more than 54 varieties of produce to more than 71 food banks.Work delivered
- Purchased produce from 600 local, small, and mid-sized farms.Work delivered
- Outreach partners assisted more than 28,000 households in applying for CalFresh.Work delivered
- Nearly 8,000 households retained benefits with partner support.Change achieved
Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $101.2 million spent. FOOD DISTRIBUTIONIN 2024, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED FOOD BANKS WITH MORE THAN 274 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS ACROSS THE STATE. THIS INCLUDED MORE THAN 269 MILLION POUNDS OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND ALMOST 5 MILLION POUNDS OF HIGH-QUALITY PROTEINS AND PANTRY ESSENTIALS TO KEEP FOOD BANKS STOCKED AT A TIME OF INCREASING NEED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.THE ORGANIZATION'S FARM TO FAMILY OPERATION IS THE STATE'S MOST EXTENSIVE CHARITABLE FOOD RECOVERY PROGRAM, WORKING WITH A NETWORK OF OVER 240 FARMS AND AGGREGATORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)LAST YEAR ALONE, THE PROGRAM DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 54 VARIETIES OF PRODUCE TO MORE THAN 71 FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.IN 2024, CAFB BEGAN IMPLEMENTING ITS STATE CONTRACT FOR THE USDA LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE PURCHASED $11 MILLION WORTH OF PRODUCE FROM 600 LOCAL, SMALL, AND MID-SIZED FARMS. THIS PRODUCE WAS THEN DELIVERED TO 30 FOOD BANKS AND 14 COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.THE CAFB FOOD PROCUREMENT PROGRAMS OPERATE ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS. THIS MEANS THE ORGANIZATION NEEDS TO HAVE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS IN WORKING CAPITAL TO COVER THE PACKAGING AND FREIGHT COSTS FOR OUR MEMBERS BEFORE RECEIVING REIMBURSEMENT FROM FOOD BANKS OR STATE CONTRACTS. AN IMPORTANT FINANCIAL SAFETY NET FOR OUR MEMBERS WHICH ENSURES THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN IS NOT INTERRUPTED, AND VITAL PRODUCE REACHES CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES IN NEED.
- $6.0 million spent. PROGRAMSCALFRESH (SNAP) IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAMS IN THE NATION. THE ORGANIZATION'S CALFRESH OUTREACH PROGRAM SUPPORTS OVER FIFTY COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THEIR EFFORTS INCLUDE ENROLLING ELIGIBLE CALIFORNIANS, HELPING THEM KEEP THEIR BENEFITS, AND EDUCATING THE OUTREACH AND STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY. OUR OUTREACH PARTNERS ASSISTED MORE THAN 28,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN APPLYING FOR CALFRESH, AND NEARLY 8,000+ HOUSEHOLDS RETAINED BENEFITS WITH PARTNER SUPPORT.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IN 2024, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED ITS OUTREACH EFFORTS TO SUPPORT CALFRESH FOR DISASTER RELIEF AND SUN BUCKS UNTIL THESE PROGRAMS CONCLUDED. ACTIVITIES INCLUDED TRAINING AND PROVIDING PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT, OFFERING UPDATES ON POLICIES THAT AFFECT CALFRESH ACCESS AND ELIGIBILITY, AND COLLABORATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO ENHANCE LANGUAGE ACCESS BY TRANSLATING AND REVIEWING MATERIALS.
- $1.4 million spent. RESEARCH & PUBLIC POLICYCAFB RESEARCH AND PUBLIC POLICY WORK LEADS THE FIGHT TO ERADICATE FOOD INSECURITY IN CALIFORNIA BY RESEARCHING HUNGER IN ITS COMMUNITIES, ADVANCING LEGISLATIVE AND BUDGET INITIATIVES, AND CONDUCTING ADMINISTRATIVE ADVOCACY AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS TO STRENGTHEN CHARITABLE NUTRITION SAFETY NETS.IN 2024, OUR ADVOCACY & POLICY TEAM ADVOCATED FOR ROBUST INVESTMENTS IN FOOD BANKS AND PUBLIC BENEFIT ADEQUACY IMPROVEMENTS. SPECIFICALLY, THE (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)ORGANIZATION WORKED TO INCREASE STATE BASELINE FUNDING FOR THE CALFOOD PROGRAM WHICH ENABLES FOOD BANKS TO PURCHASE CALIFORNIA GROWN AND MANUFACTURED FOODS, PROTECTING FUNDING FOR A CALFRESH MINIMUM NUTRITION BENEFIT PILOT PROGRAM TO RAISE THE CALFRESH MONTHLY BENEFIT TO $60 FROM THE CURRENT MINIMUM OF $23, AND WORKED WITH THE STATE TO ENSURE ROBUST IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE NEW SUNBUCKS, SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM.CAFB RESEARCH AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES CONTINUED ITS WORK TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF FOOD INSECURITY IN CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING CONVENING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD TO INFORM THE ORGANIZATION ON BARRIERS TO ACCESSING CHARITABLE FOOD. WE ALSO RELEASED A MIXED-METHODS REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF EMERGENCY ALLOTMENTS IN CALIFORNIA, AND AN UPDATED ANALYSIS AND DASHBOARD ON THE EXPANSION OF CALFRESH BENEFITS TO SSI RECIPIENTS. IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO PROVIDE RELEVANT TIME-SENSITIVE RESEARCH AND DATA THROUGH SEVERAL NEW DASHBOARDS TO TRACK ECONOMIC INDICATORS IN CALIFORNIA RELATED TO FOOD SECURITY, AND A SUITE OF RESOURCES TO INFORM THE EXPANSION OF MEDICALLY SUPPORTIVE FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS AMONG MEMBER FOOD BANKS..
- $896,937 spent. COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBER ENGAGEMENTCAFB IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING THE UNDERSTANDING OF HUNGER AND ITS SOCIAL AND HEALTH-RELATED IMPACTS. OUR WORK INCLUDES UPLIFTING THE ESSENTIAL WORK OF FOOD BANKS, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT BARRIERS TO ACCESSING FOOD, CALFRESH, AND OTHER PUBLIC NUTRITION BENEFITS, AND POLICY PRIORITIES TO END HUNGER IN CALIFORNIA PERMANENTLY. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES DIRECT SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO ITS MEMBER FOOD BANKS THROUGH TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKITS, AND AD HOC SUPPORT. ITS MEMBER ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AIM TO INCREASE THE RESILIENCE AND CAPACITY OF ITS MEMBER FOOD BANKS THROUGH WEBINARS AND IN-PERSON CONVENING, AS WELL AS DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC, CROSS-NETWORK DISCUSSION GROUPS AND COHORTS TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES FACED BY FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE STATE.
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 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 2024.
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 January 1997.
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.
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