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California Competes

EIN 88-2393598 · Oakland, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ESTABLISHED IN 2011, OUR MISSION IS TO HELP TRANSFORM THE STATE'S HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM INTO AN ENGINE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THAT EMPOWERS ALL CALIFORNIANS, PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

Income
$2.8 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
7.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 88%
Employees
13
Volunteers
14
Highest pay
$284,817, ceo

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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 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 (1)
  1. $2.0 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OCALIFORNIA COMPETES ADVANCES EQUITABLE POSTSECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES AND A JUST AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY BY INFLUENCING SYSTEMS-LEVEL CHANGE FOR UNDERSERVED CALIFORNIANS. IN FY24, CALIFORNIA COMPETES MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS BY PURSUING A RANGE OF STRATEGIES, FROM PROMOTING ACCESS AND SUCCESS FOR ADULT LEARNERS TO ALIGNING HIGHER EDUCATION WITH WORKFORCE NEEDS, ADVANCING A MORE AGILE AND INNOVATIVE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND CONTRIBUTING TO COORDINATED POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION. IN OUR WORK TO ADVANCE COLLEGE ACCESS AND SUCCESS FOR ADULTS, WE CO-LED THE CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR STUDENT PARENT SUCCESS, A STATEWIDE COALITION TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN. THROUGH THIS COALITION, WE SPONSORED OUR FIRST BILL, THE GAINS FOR STUDENT PARENTS ACT (AB 2458) (AND SECURED ITS PASSAGE IN SEPTEMBER 2024) TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL AID ACCESS FOR STUDENT PARENTS AND DATA COLLECTION PRACTICES SO COLLEGES CAN BETTER IDENTIFY THE STUDENT PARENTS THEY SERVE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CALIFORNIAATTAIN!'S NETWORK OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, WE ALSO CONDUCTED RESEARCH THAT FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING AND REMOVING BARRIERS TO RE-ENROLLMENT FOR CALIFORNIANS WITH SOME COLLEGE BUT NO CREDENTIAL, ENSURING THEY CAN ACCESS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. TO STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE ALIGNMENT, WE FACILITATED STRATEGIC COLLABORATION AMONG COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, FOSTERING A CROSS-SECTOR CULTURE TO BOOST CAREER READINESS. OUR EFFORTS IN PROMOTING A MORE AGILE AND INNOVATIVE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE STATE ADVANCED THROUGH OUR CALIFORNIA HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE STAFF AND A SERIES OF EVENTS DURING THE WORLD'S LARGEST EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE. THROUGH THESE ACTIVITIES, WE PROVIDED RESEARCH-BASED INSIGHTS AND CREATED SPACES FOR POLICYMAKERS, LEADERS, AND THEIR STAFF TO THINK CRITICALLY ON THE KEY ISSUES FACING THE STATE'S HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE SYSTEMS AND SHARE IDEAS FOR REFORM. THROUGH EVENTS LIKE THIS, WE AIM TO CONTRIBUTE TO INFORMED DECISION-MAKING TOWARDS RESHAPING SYSTEMS TO BETTER SERVE CALIFORNIANS. IN THE REALM OF COORDINATED POLICY SETTING AND IMPLEMENTATION, WE ADVISED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON STRENGTHENING STRUCTURES TO PROMOTE COHESIVE AND EFFECTIVE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION. ADDITIONALLY, WE PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE AS LEAD ADVOCATE FOR AND ADVISOR TO THE CALIFORNIA CRADLE-TO-CAREER DATA SYSTEM (C2C). WITH CALIFORNIA COMPETES CEO ACTIVELY SERVING ON THE C2C GOVERNING BOARD AS A LEGISLATIVE APPOINTEE, WE'VE PROVIDED THOUGHT LEADERSHIP TO SHAPE DISCUSSIONS FOR PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS AND ADVANCED C2C'S DEVELOPMENT. WE ALSO IMPROVED HOLISTIC STUDENT SUPPORT THROUGH THE REFINEMENT OF STUDENT HOUSING POLICIES AND THE LAUNCH OF THE PUBLIC BENEFIT FINDER FOR CALIFORNIA STUDENTS, OUR NEW USER-FRIENDLY TOOL WHICH HELPS STUDENTS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS FIND THE RESOURCES TO WHICH THEY'RE ENTITLED.

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

  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 June 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 January 2023.

    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.