Asia Society Northern California
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 41% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
ASIA SOCIETY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF 16 GLOBAL CENTERS WITH A PURPOSE OF NAVIGATING SHARED FUTURES FOR ASIA AND THE WORLD ACROSS POLICY, ARTS AND CULTURE, EDUCATION, SUSTAINABILITY, BUSINESS, AND TECHNOLOGY. OUR MISSION IS TO FOSTER INSIGHT, ENCOURAGE ENGAGEMENT, ELEVATE REGIONAL VOICES, INFORM AND EDUCATE NEW AUDIENCES, ADDRESS COMPLEX - AND WHERE NECESSARY - CONTENTIOUS CHALLENGES, ENGAGE IN CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING, AND HELP DELIVER REAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL. ASIA SOCIETY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IS NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT, AND IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED ON THE EDGE OF THE PACIFIC AND AT THE ENTRANCE TO SILICON VALLEY. THE CENTER PROVIDES ITS MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME PART OF OUR GLOBAL NETWORK TO HELP SHAPE A PROSPEROUS, SUSTAINABLE, AND SECURE FUTURE FOR US ALL.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 41%
- Reserves
- 9.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 80
- Highest pay
- $291,912, exec. dir. / sec. / treas.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 58% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1541% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 16 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 June 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 (4)
- $394,119 spent. PUBLIC PROGRAMS - PROGRAM SERVICES - ASIA SOCIETY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & SEATTLE CONNECT THEIR DIVERSE LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITH A WIDE NETWORK OF GLOBAL LEADERS AND VISIONARIES IN THE FIELDS OF POLICY, BUSINESS, ARTS & CULTURE, EDUCATION, AND TECHNOLOGY/INNOVATION. THROUGH LARGE CONFERENCES, PUBLIC EVENTS, BRIEFINGS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, CULTURAL PROGRAMS, AND NETWORKING EVENTS AND DINNERS, ASIA SOCIETY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & SEATTLE PRESENT TIMELY AND RELEVANT FORUMS FOR EDUCATING AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE CRITICAL ISSUES FACING THE UNITED STATES, ASIA, AND THE WORLD.
- $170,417 spent. SIGNATURE PROGRAM FUTURE US CHINA CONFERENCE - FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS, ASIA SOCIETY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MEMBERS, VIPS, AND GUESTS HAVE COME TOGETHER FOR A FULL DAY OF LIVE PROGRAMMING FOR OUR ANNUAL FUTURE OF U.S. & CHINA CONFERENCE, PART OF OUR SEEKING TRUTH THROUGH FACTS U.S.-CHINA PROGRAM SERIES. THIS CONFERENCE CONSISTS OF MULTIPLE PANELS FEATURING APPROX. 20 TOP LEADING VOICES ACROSS THE FIELDS OF BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, TECHNOLOGY, ACADEMIA, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO DISCUSS, ANALYZE AND DEBATE THE PRESSING ISSUES FACING THE WORLD INCLUDING GENERATIVE AI, TRADE, THE ECONOMY, GEOPOLITICS, AND MORE. THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL POST-CONFERENCE ROUNDTABLE DEBRIEF EVENT IN SEATTLE.
- $90,564 spent. EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLES - ASIA SOCIETY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & SEATTLE HOST PRIVATE EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLES EVERY MONTH WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS IN SAN FRANCISCO, SILICON VALLEY, SEATTLE AND ONLINE. PROGRAM TOPICS ARE AROUND HEADLINE NEWS, BUSINESS ANALYSIS, AND CRITICAL ISSUES COMING OUT OF ASIA. LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER 2017, THESE MONTHLY BRIEFINGS HAVE GROWN IN POPULARITY TO GENERATE WAIT-LISTS. MOST EVENTS ARE OFF-THE-RECORD TO ENCOURAGE OPEN DEBATE AND DISCUSSION.
- $136,053 spent. SIGNATURE HALF-DAY INDIA CONFERENCE - FOR FOUR YEARS, ASIA SOCIETY NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS HOSTED A HALF-DAY CONFERENCE ON EXAMINING U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS. LAUNCHED IN APRIL 2022, THIS SERIES PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE LEGACY OF OUR LONG-TIME AND BELOVED ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER, NAREN GUPTA (1948-2021) AND ADDRESSES THE TOPICS CLOSEST TO HIS HEART: BUSINESS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATIVE LEADERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HAILING FROM INDIA. OUR 2025 CONFERENCE AGENDA INCLUDED SESSIONS ON INDIA'S FOREIGN POLICY, ITS PROGRESSIVE SPACE TRAJECTORY, FUTURE OF U.S.-INDIA VENTURE COLLABORATION, AND A KEYNOTE BY JUSTICE SURYA KANT, SUPREME COURT OF INDIA.SAM TALKS: SEATTLE SPEAKER SERIES. THIS WAS THE INAUGURAL YEAR OF THE PROGRAM SERIES THAT OUR SEATTLE CENTER DEVELOPED WITH THE SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM DESIGNED AND DEDICATED TO PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING OF ASIA AND THE ASIA DIASPORA. WITH THREE EVENTS EACH YEAR, WE HOST SPEAKERS, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, AND LIVE PERFORMERS FOR AN AUDIENCE OF 200 PEOPLE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 2025.
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 March 2022.
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.