Coalition of Asian American Leaders
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) is a network organization of Asian Minnesotan leaders harnessing our collective power to improve the lives of community.
- Income
- $3.9 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 30.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $169,299, 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 30.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 53% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 156% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (6)
- $165,751 spent. Partnership: Last year, all four LinkingLeaders partner organizations CAAL, AALF, LatinoLEAD, and Tiwahewelcomed four Managing Directors to help lead and strengthen our collective work. This strategic growth has significantly enhanced our capacity to build deeper, more meaningful relationships across our communities.This expansion also paved the way for a major milestone: the launch of our first-ever Cross-Racial Solidarity workshop. This event marked a powerful step forward in our shared commitment to advancing cross-cultural, racial, and ethnic engagement and solidarity. We are now poised to move beyond internal practices and relationships, bringing LinkingLeaders into new faces and spacesuplifting real-world examples of how community organizations like ours can support the spirit of solidarity.
- $301,861 spent. Policy and Advocy: CAAL worked on an appropriation bill and monitored previous bills that passed this legislative session. In addition to key legislative victories, CAAL remains a trusted voice at the Capitolbuilding bipartisan relationships and collaborating with elected officials who are committed to Asian American issues. Through cross-racial coalition work, CAAL partners with multiple organizations, and our systems change successes are a direct result of these collaborative efforts. We worked on ethnic studies, immigration, anti-Asian hate, economic development, voting rights, and access to healthcare.
- $357,853 spent. Movement Building: CAAL expanded its network from 5,500 to 5,800 over the past year, driven by our policy initiatives, civic engagement efforts, and leadership support programs. Participation in CAAL's programs continues to grow, particularly among youth and parents. We are actively expanding in seven major school districts: Centennial, St. Paul, Edina, Osseo, Dakota, Anoka-Hennepin, and South Washington.Parents and students from these districts are deeply engaged in our advocacy work on Ethnic Studies and Anti-Asian Hate, helping ensure that Asian American students feel seen, heard, andmost importantlysafe in their schools.We continue to work with educators, such as teachers, para-professionals, executive administrators, and school board members to educate and influence policy priorities and school safety for Asian Americans and academic achievement.
- $94,689 spent. Communication: CAAL brings together leaders across sectors, generations, and Asian ethnic communities by convening, facilitating, and nurturing collaborative spaces. Through intentional relationship-building, CAAL strengthens cross-sector partnerships and fosters collective leadership to drive systems change.
- $390,843 spent. Fiscal Sponsorships: CAAL continued to lead impactful work across education, civic engagement, legislative advocacy, and organizational growth in 2024:Education & Racial Solidarity: Continued the second cohort of the Education Racial Solidarity Program, funded by Saint Paul Public Schools, training 4 parents and 7 students. The cohort presented their projects to education leaders, including principals, teachers, school board members, district leaders, and the Superintendent, highlighting community-driven solutions and perspectives.Civic Engagement: CAAL partnered with civic engagement organizations to conduct door knocking, phone banking, and post-voter surveys aimed at monitoring policy implementation and analyzing the voting participation and experiences of Asian American communities.Additionally, CAAL collaborated with organizations in Greater Minnesota to engage Asian Americans in rural areas with limited access to resources. We hosted a Civic Engagement event in Worthington, Marshall, and Tracy, providing educational resources and emphasizing the importance of voting. The event was supported by bipartisan legislative leaders, reinforcing CAAL's commitment to inclusive and representative civic participation.Legislative Advocacy: Secured a $200,000 appropriation for the rebranded CAAL Ignite Program, originally launched in 2017 as the SPARK Leadership Fund. The program now provides financial support to individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses, with a focus on strengthening community leadership and economic resilience. This year's appropriation is specifically designated to support Asian women entrepreneurs, advancing equity and opportunity in underserved communities.CAAL hosted a highly successful Day at the Capitol with 200+ attendees, 20+ legislative visits, and participation from the Governor, Lt. Governor, and bipartisan legislative supporters.Convened a cross-generational group of volunteers to support civic engagement with post-voter surveys in high concentration voting districts. We advocated for and saw the results of increase inclusivity and welcomeness at voting polls to ensure all people were supported when voting, regardless of linguistic or cultural differences and challenges.
- $73,956 spent. General ProgramsOrganizational Growth: Expanded the team to 8 staff members, including a Senior Program Manager and a Senior Grantmaking Manager.Significantly increased grantmaking capacity to support larger and more impactful community initiatives. We supported over a dozen community events and nonprofits to ensure successful financial and participation.The Executive and Network Director presented and attended multiple national conferences and events to discuss the specific issues related to Asian Minnesotans and how those learnings can benefit the larger Asian American movement across the country. The CAAL team continues to expand their personal knowledge and skills through reading, meeting, and participating in conferences and special initiatives.
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 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 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 October 2017.
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.