Breathe California of the Bay Area Golden Gate and Central Coast
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AS THE LOCAL CLEAN AIR AND HEALTHY LUNGs LEADER, BREATHE CALIFORNIA OF THE BAY AREA FIGHTS LUNG DISEASE IN ALL ITS FORMS AND WORKS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE LUNG HEALTH.
- Income
- $1.6 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 8.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 50%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 250
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: 89 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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.
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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.
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 (5)
- $511,139 spent. Environmental Health: Breathe California provides education on both indoor and outdoor air pollution, sponsors clean air campaigns, including those for secondhand smoke protection (most recently in outdoor dining and multi-unit housing), and staffs a Secondhand Smoke Helpline to assist people who are impacted by this toxic pollution. As the coordinator for the Silicon Valley Clean Cities coalition, it convenes and coordinates activities for 259 stakeholders such as corporate fleet managers, school and elected officials, consumers, transportation programs, truck drivers, etc., education on electric vehicles and alternative fuels. Its Ride and Drive provides an opportunity to try out electric vehicles. Its Youth for Cool Earth program provided 14 education/training sessions to 174 students and teachers on climate change and environmental stewardship, with trainees reaching an additional 2,500 people through their projects. The Secondhand Smoke Helpline assisted 131 families, and 100% of 2,505 people trained in 15 presentations on the issue increased their knowledge of the subject. The agency worked in 11 jurisdictions to get 6 ordinances passed to protect against secondhand smoke! The agency reached a total of 7,186 individuals directly through environmental programs, even during the pandemic, and it reached 315,899 through social media (Twitter, You Tube, Instagram, and Facebook) mass media, including through the Breathe California TV show on local community television channels that is focused on the environment and has a viewership of 50,000, and our website.
- $407,539 spent. Lung health-education and services: Lung health programs serve those with lung disease or at high risk, such as children with asthma and seniors at risk for COPD. Programs included provision of sleep apnea (CPAP) and other respiratory therapy equipment for 453, tuberculosis education for 502, asthma services including Camp Superstuff summer camp for 12 children with asthma and asthma home visits for education and hazard assessment for 170 individuals, education for 284 clients and caregivers and 256 reports back to physicians, parent education for general public for 300, and senior services reaching 997 (health education, home assessments for respiratory and fall hazards, breathing exercises, and health screening including blood pressure, oximetry, and spirometry). Staff and volunteers quickly pivoted away from face-to-face services during the pandemic and embraced, Zoom webinars, telephone consultations, drive through health fairs, and other innovations in order to reach those who were most vulnerable. Virtual presentations and on-line video offerings became the norm, and the agency was busy creating educational offerings on its newest lung threat- -COVID. Seniors were offered Ask the Doctor sessions by Zoom and telephone. Its CPAP program had new protocols and was conducted entirely by mail. Despite the pandemic, the agency served 3,352 individuals directly and 89,452 with social and mass media.
- $299,166 spent. Anti-tobacco programs: This agency was one of the vendors that provided the Tobacco Control Community Action Model (CAM) project services for Alameda County. The services included conducting presentations, training emerging community leaders, collecting surveys, presenting at public hearings, and working in multiple jurisdictions. In this period, which included a contactless pandemic period, the project was able to reach 613 individuals. The agency worked in other counties, also, winning/implementing four ordinances to ban Flavored Tobacco and adopt Tobacco Retail Licenses for tobacco use prevention and assisted 237 smokers to quit with its Ash Kickers 6-session program, phone consultation, and quit kits. 58 facilitators were trained to assist others to quit, and 372 received assistance at a Great American Smoke-Out. 1,848 middle and high school students received anti-vaping presentations and 30 parents. The agency reached a total of 7,365 with direct services and 478,090 through social and mass media.
- $25,046 spent. Community health services: Every year Breathe California trains volunteers and formal interns as fierce advocates of lung health in their communities; it worked with 25 interns and 200 volunteers this year. These volunteers help the organization outreach to its diverse communities in many languages, use social media, and advocate for ordinances that promote healthy lung environments for everyone. Even during the pandemic, they were able to deliver information and referral at t 45 health fairs and wellness events, reaching 37,095
- Community health services: Every year Breathe California trains volunteers and formal interns as fierce 25046. 0. 18109.
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 February 1948.
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.
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