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California Tribal Families Coalition

EIN 82-0941192 · Sacramento, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF TRIBAL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, WHICH ARE INHERENT TRIBAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS AND ARE AT THE CORE OF TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AND TRIBAL GOVERNANCE.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
6.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 78%
Employees
12
Volunteers
16
Highest pay
$185,955, legal director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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

    0 of 15

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

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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)
  1. $597,411 spent. CALIFORNIA TRIBAL FAMILIES COALITION (CTFC) ASSISTS CALIFORNIA TRIBES TO INCREASE SOCIAL SERVICES CAPACITY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRIBAL CODES, POLICIES, STRATEGIC PLANS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THIS YEAR WE CONTINUED THIS PROGRAM ASSISTING SEVERAL TRIBES IN BUILDING ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THAT WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SERVICES FOR FAMILIES TO PREVENT CHILD ENTRY INTO FOSTER CARE, TO SUPPORT RELATIVES IN BEING PLACEMENT FOR THOSE CHILDREN THAT DO NEED TO ENTER FOSTER CARE, AND TO SUPPORT STAFF IN BEST PRACTICES AS ADVOCATES FOR FAMILIES. THIS YEAR, CTFC INCREASED THE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRIBAL STAFF BY DEVELOPING A NEW TRIBAL ADVOCATE TRAINING PROGRAM AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO BUILD PEER-TO-PEER FORUMS FOR SUPPORT AND LEARNING. ADDITIONALLY, CTFC SUPPORTED TRIBES IN DEVELOPING ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS THAT CAN IMPROVE DATA COLLECTION AND GUIDE BETTER PRACTICE IN SUPPORT OF TRIBAL SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS.
  2. $836,375 spent. CTFC CONTINUED ITS WORK TO INCREASE COMPLIANCE WITH THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT (ICWA) THROUGH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY MEETINGS AND BY PROVIDING DIRECT LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO TRIBES IN STATE DEPENDENCY CASES. CTFC PARTICIPATED IN STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO DISCUSS AND ADVOCATE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL LAW AND ITS CODIFICATION IN CALIFORNIA LAW. CTFC PARTICIPATED IN AT LEAST ONE FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SEVEN STATE WORKGROUPS REGARDING CHILD WELFARE PRACTICE AND CONSULTED ON BEHALF OF MEMBER TRIBES AT LEAST SIX TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. CTFC ALSO PROVIDED SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN THE REVIEW AND COMMENT ON STATE AND FEDERAL GUIDANCE ON CHILD WELFARE PRACTICE. CTFC ALSO CONTINUED THE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR TRIBES (LC4T) PROJECT THIS YEAR, WHICH AIMS TO PROVIDE AN ATTORNEY TO EVERY TRIBE IN CALIFORNIA IN EVERY CHILD WELFARE CASE INVOLVING THEIR TRIBAL MEMBER CHILDREN. LC4T PROVIDES LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO TRIBES IN TWO REGIONS, COVERING FOUR CALIFORNIA COUNTIES.
  3. $59,741 spent. CTFC WORKS TO IMPROVE THE PRACTICE OF ALL ATTORNEYS AND AGENCY SOCIAL WORKERS IN CALIFORNIA INVOLVED IN CHILD DEPENDENCY CASES GOVERNED BY THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT. THIS YEAR, CTFC CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPED PRACTICE MODEL FOR TRIBAL ATTORNEYS THROUGH ONGOING TRAINING PROGRAMS INCLUDING FOCUSED FELLOWSHIPS FOR NEWLY GRADUATED LAW STUDENTS. CTFC CONTINUED A TRAINING INITIATIVE AIMED AT INCREASING ACCESS TO CULTURALLY BASED SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR TRIBAL YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEM. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, CTFC ASSISTS JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENTS AND TRIBES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR TRIBAL FAMILIES BY PROVIDING TRAINING, HOSTING COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENTS, AND CREATING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE RESOURCES. FINALLY, CTFC CONTINUED PROVIDING TRAINING TO COUNTY SOCIAL WORKERS AND FOSTER PARENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING AND SKILLS IN IMPLEMENTING THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT IN DAILY PRACTICE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, 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 September 2025.

    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 August 2025.

    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.