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California State Parks Foundation

EIN 94-1707583 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION IS AN INDEPENDENT, MEMBER-SUPPORTED NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARK SYSTEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.

Income
$10.6 million
Spending
$8.5 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
14.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
26
Volunteers
3,144
Highest pay
$210,804, executive director

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 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 46% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 22 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 (4)
  1. $998,387 spent. ACCESS AND EXPERIENCES: WHILE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS ARE PUBLIC SPACES, MANY PEOPLE CANNOT ACCESS OR EXPERIENCE THEM. BARRIERS TO PARK ACCESS INCLUDE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, COST OF VISITING, LACK OF AWARENESS OF PARKS OR THE ACTIVITIES THEY OFFER, CLOSURES, AND MORE. THOUGH WE ARE WORKING TO REDUCE THESE BARRIERS, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CALIFORNIAN FEELS WELCOME IN AND CAN ENJOY STATE PARKS. THIS FISCAL YEAR WE PROVIDED GRANTS DIRECTLY TO PARKS AND PARK PARTNERS VIA OUR PARK IMPROVEMENT AND TRAILS FOR ALL GRANTS, GRANTS FOR PARK PARTICIPATION IN CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS WEEK, AND FOR MAINTENANCE AT SILVER STRAND STATE BEACH AND CHINO HILLS STATE PARK.
  2. $984,512 spent. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION'S PARK STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM ORGANIZES VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS YEAR-ROUND TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE STATE PARKS ACROSS CALIFORNIA BY ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEMANDS ON NATURAL RESOURCES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS, OUR PROGRAM GENERATES HIGH-QUALITY WORKDAY SERVICE PROJECTS TO ATTEND TO UNMET NEEDS AND ENGAGE CALIFORNIANS WITH THEIR LOCAL PARKS, INCLUDING SIGNATURE EARTH DAY CLIMATE ACTION WORKDAY EVENTS IN APRIL. BY EXPANDING PARK STAFF'S CAPACITY, VOLUNTEERS HELP OVERCOME RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS AND CARRY OUT ESSENTIAL TASKS SUCH AS TRAIL MAINTENANCE, HABITAT RESTORATION, PLANTING, AND MORE. THEIR INVOLVEMENT FOSTERS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONNECTION, SPREADING AWARENESS AND INSPIRING OTHERS TO APPRECIATE AND PROTECT THESE NATURAL AND CULTURAL TREASURES. OVERALL, OUR VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY PROVIDED 11,041 HOURS OF SERVICE EQUATING TO 9,695 NATIVE PLANTS INSTALLED, 2.94 MILES OF TRAIL RESTORED, 532 FEET OF FENCING REPAIRED, 13,800 SQUARE FEET OF FIRE BUFFER ZONES CREATED, AND OVER 110 BAGS OF TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTED. OUR EARTH DAY CLIMATE ACTION 2025 GRANTED A TOTAL OF $52,943 TO 12 STATE PARKS AND PARK PARTNERS TO SUPPORT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT NEEDS AS WELL AS ONGOING MAINTENANCE NEEDS, INCLUDING TRAILS AND FENCING.
  3. $574,887 spent. CLIMATE RESILIENCE: WE ARE USING THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND RESEARCH TO LEARN DEEPLY ABOUT CLIMATE THREATS AND SOLUTIONS, EDUCATE CALIFORNIANS AND THE LEGISLATURE, INSPIRE PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION, AND ULTIMATELY INFLUENCE POLICY AND LEGISLATION THAT PRIORITIZES THE COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS FISCAL YEAR WE PROVIDED GRANTS DIRECTLY TO PARKS AND PARK PARTNERS FOR WILDFIRE RESILIENCY, HABITAT CONSERVATION, MONARCH CONSERVATION, AND TO ANO NUEVO STATE PARK DOCENT PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, WE HELPED SUPPORT WILL ROGERS STATE HISTORIC PARK DURING THEIR RECOVERY FROM THE PALISADES FIRE IN JANUARY 2025 THROUGH PURCHASE OF NEEDED EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND MATERIALS AS IN-KIND GIFTS TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
  4. $3.1 million spent. THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION IS A SUPPORTER OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHO PARTNER WITH CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS IN THEIR AREA ACROSS THE STATE. THE FOUNDATION MADE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THESE GROUP, INCLUDING FUNDRAISING, FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, CAPACITY-BUILDING AND OTHER KEY ELEMENTS OF ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT. THE FOUNDATION ALSO PROVIDES ONGOING SUPPORT FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FOR SEVERAL OTHER PARKS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1969.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.