Fierce Advocates Families and Individuals Equitably Rooted in Co
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FIERCE Advcocates amplifies the voices of parents/caregivers of color and partners with them to advance equitable access and opportunities for all youth to have quality education and all families to achieve emotional and physical well-being.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 10.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $110,282, executive dir.
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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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
Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (human services, $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
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
0 of 5Reports that it does not keep 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 (5)
- $413,162 spent. FIERCE Advocates' CoCo Doula program provide doula services to Black birthing people in Contra Costa County. Seventy-four babies (74) were born in the program in 2024 and FIERCE Advocates hired five graduates of the 2023 training program as part-time doulas to support birthing families.
- $314,895 spent. FIERCE Advocates' Health and Wellness Program, hosted robust programming including our life coaching program, peer support groups that created community in a safe environment that cultivates wellness and emotional well-being. Additionally we hosted family wellness days, that included arts and crafts and wellness classes and outdoor activities such as community hikes. FIERCE Advocates launched a pilot project called Brilliance of Brotherhood that included a co-mentorship and learning environment for men and boys to learn from each other in an emotionally safe space.
- $253,791 spent. Leadership Development & General Program
- $246,994 spent. FIERCE Advocates Policy Advocacy and Organizing Program relaunched the Community Educational Leadership Institute (CELI) graduating 9 women of which 7 CELI graduates taking steps toward leadership, with 3 appointed to school committees and 4 applying for community advisory roles. The PAO team educated parents and multiple schools on how to best engage in their child's education and on policies and practices that support all students having a quality education.
- Partner Program
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 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 2024.
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 July 2022.
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.
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.