National Civic League
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE IS TO ADVANCE INCLUSIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND PROMOTE INNOVATIONS IN DEMOCRACY TO MAKE DECISION-MAKING MORE PARTICIPATORY, EQUITABLE, AND EFFECTIVE.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 64%
- Reserves
- 5.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $175,000, director, deliberative democracy
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 62% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1564% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2526 of 26 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, 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)
- $514,923 spent. COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE FACILITATES STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TRAINING, AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ENGAGEMENT PLANS AND MATERIALS HELPING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND INSTITUTIONS ENGAGE AND INVOLVE RESIDENTS IN WAYS THAT LEAD TO TANGIBLE OUTCOMES. NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE'S COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PHILOSOPHY ENCOURAGES COMMUNITIES TO VIEW CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AS MORE THAN PRESENTING INFORMATION OR DISTRIBUTING QUESTIONNAIRES (THOUGH BOTH ARE IMPORTANT)? INSTEAD, WE PROMOTE LISTENING TO, AND LEARNING FROM, RESIDENTS CONSISTENTLY AND USING THOSE INSIGHTS TO SHAPE HOW PROGRAMS ARE ADMINISTERED, DESIGNED AND EXECUTED. WE SET A DIFFERENT EXPECTATION FOR ENGAGEMENT.
- $296,903 spent. ALL AMERICA CITY AWARD (SINCE 1949) THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE HAS RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED THE BEST IN AMERICAN CIVIC INNOVATION WITH THE PRESTIGIOUS ALLAMERICA CITY AWARD. THE AWARD, BESTOWED YEARLY ON 10 COMMUNITIES (MORE THAN 500 IN ALL) RECOGNIZES THE WORK OF COMMUNITIES IN USING INCLUSIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO ADDRESS CRITICAL ISSUES AND CREATE STRONGER CONNECTIONS AMONG RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS. THE ALLAMERICAN CITY AWARD SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON THE INCREDIBLE WORK TAKING PLACE IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BY CELEBRATING THE BEST IN LOCAL INNOVATION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND CROSSSECTOR COLLABORATION, THE ALLAMERICA CITY AWARDS REMIND US OF THE POTENTIAL WITHIN EVERY COMMUNITY TO TACKLE TOUGH ISSUES AND CREATE REAL CHANGE.
- $193,290 spent. MEMBERSHIP IN THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE PROVIDES ACCESS TO A BROAD NETWORK OF GOVERNMENT, CIVIC, AND BUSINESS LEADERS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 August 1994.
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.
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