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Passes our checks

Epoch Media Bay Area

EIN 83-4650177 · Santa Clara, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceFair56 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THIS CORPORATION IS TO PROMOTE TRADITIONAL JOURNALISM, CULTURE, AND ARTS. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CREDIBLE, QUALITY NEWS THAT IS HONEST AND UNBIASED, NEVER SLANTING FROM THE INFLUENCE OF OUTSIDE INTERESTS. THE CORPORATION SHALL NOT BE CONDUCTED OR OPERATED FOR PROFIT AND NO PART OF THE NET EARNINGS OF THE CORPORATION SHALL INURE TO THE BENEFIT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL, NOR SHALL ANY OF THE PROFITS OR ASSETS OF THE CORPORATION BE USED OTHER THAN FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE CORPORATION.

Income
$917,019
Spending
$843,114
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
1.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 98%
Employees
10
Volunteers
18
Highest pay
$47,000, secretary

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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 44% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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 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 (1)
  1. $759,544 spent. NEWSPAPER WILL BE DELIVERED TO LOCAL SUPERMARKET, CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTERS, RESTAURANTS, BUSINESS OFFICES, ETC. BASED ON THE REPORT1 PUBLISHED ON NOV. 29, 2018 FROM HOOVER INSTITUTION, MOST CHINESE-LANGUAGE MEDIA ARE UNDER BEIJINGS CONTROL OR POSSESS A PRO-BEIJING EDITORIAL STANCE. CHINAS ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE AND INFILTRATE U.S. SOCIETY BY PROVIDING MISLEADING INFORMATION FROM THESE CHINESE MEDIA IN THE US. ACCORDING TO THE 2012 CENSUS ESTIMATES, THERE ARE OVER 600,000 CHINESE- AMERICAN IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE CREDIBLE, QUALITY NEWS BY PRINTED NEWSPAPER AND ONLINE TO THESE CHINESE IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. IT IS NO EASY FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS TO ADAPT THEIR NEW LIVES IN THE US DUE TO LANGUAGE ISSUE AND UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT. OUR ORGANIZATION WILL PROVIDE LIVING INFORMATION, WHICH COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF LOCAL EVENTS AND ISSUES FROM HOUSING, EDUCATION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT TO HEALTH. EPOCH MEDIA BAY AREA WILL PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH POPULAR CULTURAL EVENTS AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS, WHICH FOSTER STRONGER TIES BETWEEN COMMUNITY GROUPS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS, TO ADDRESS THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. EPOCH MEDIA BAY AREA PROVIDES A BRIDGE BETWEEN CHINESE POPULATION AND MAINSTREAM SOCIETY. NEWSPAPER WILL BE DELIVERED TO LOCAL SUPERMARKET, CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTERS, RESTAURANTS, BUSINESS OFFICES, ETC. BASED ON THE REPORT1 PUBLISHED ON NOV. 29, 2018 FROM HOOVER INSTITUTION, MOST CHINESE-LANGUAGE MEDIA ARE UNDER BEIJINGS CONTROL OR POSSESS A PRO-BEIJING EDITORIAL STANCE. CHINAS ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE AND INFILTRATE U.S. SOCIETY BY PROVIDING MISLEADING INFORMATION FROM THESE CHINESE MEDIA IN THE US. ACCORDING TO THE 2012 CENSUS ESTIMATES, THERE ARE OVER 600,000 CHINESE- AMERICAN IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE CREDIBLE, QUALITY NEWS BY PRINTED NEWSPAPER AND ONLINE TO THESE CHINESE IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. IT IS NO EASY FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS TO ADAPT THEIR NEW LIVES IN THE US DUE TO LANGUAGE ISSUE AND UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT. OUR ORGANIZATION WILL PROVIDE LIVING INFORMATION, WHICH COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF LOCAL EVENTS AND ISSUES FROM HOUSING, EDUCATION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT TO HEALTH. EPOCH MEDIA BAY AREA WILL PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH POPULAR CULTURAL EVENTS AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS, WHICH FOSTER STRONGER TIES BETWEEN COMMUNITY GROUPS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS, TO ADDRESS THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. EPOCH MEDIA BAY AREA PROVIDES A BRIDGE BETWEEN CHINESE POPULATION AND MAINSTREAM SOCIETY.

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 October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2022 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2022.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2023.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.