Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Canal Alliance

EIN 94-2832648 · San Rafael, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CANAL ALLIANCE HAS BEEN THE LEADING SERVICE PROVIDER AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATE FOR MARIN'S EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY FOR 39 YEARS. EACH YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION COLLABORATES WITH OVER 60 AGENCIES AND ENGAGES HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE MORE THAN 4,000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. CANAL ALLIANCE EXISTS TO BREAK THE GENERATIONAL CYCLE OF POVERTY FOR LATINO IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY LIFTING BARRIERS TO THEIR SUCCESS. BECAUSE BREAKING THE GENERATIONAL CYCLE OF POVERTY IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX, OUR PROGRAM MODEL OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE AND MULTIFACETED APPROACHES THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY STABILITY AND WELL-BEING, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT. OUR PRIMARY STRATEGY IS TO HELP CLIENTS ACCESS EDUCATION AND IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME, AND COMBINED, HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON IMPROVING ECONOMIC OUTCOMES FOR IMMIGRANTS.

Income
$18.5 million
Spending
$16.8 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
5.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 70%
Employees
152
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$452,249, 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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 54% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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 56% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 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 (7)
  1. $3.7 million spent. THE SOCIAL SERVICES TEAM PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN HELPING FAMILIES ACCESS SAFETY NET SERVICES TO ADDRESS ANY URGENT NEEDS, ACCESS OUR WEEKLY FOOD PANTRY, AND GET REFERRALS TO OUR LICENSED CLINICIANS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, THIS TEAM HAS BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF OUR RESPONSE HELPING CLIENTS ACCESS FINANCIAL AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, AND OTHER RESOURCES.
  2. $2.4 million spent. OUR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS THE ONLY PROVIDER OF COMPREHENSIVE AND AFFORDABLE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES IN MARIN COUNTY. ILS HELPS CLIENTS SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS BY PROVIDING LEGAL CONSULTATIONS, REFERRALS, AND REPRESENTATION AND CONDUCTING LEGAL OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, OFFERING A KEY PATHWAY OUT OF POVERTY BY HELPING CLIENTS GAIN LEGAL WORK AUTHORIZATION AND NATURALIZATION/CITIZENSHIP.
  3. $1.8 million spent. YOUTH EDUCATION - AFTER SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR STUDENTS THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE.
  4. $1.7 million spent. PACE - PROGRAM TO DISSEMINATE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL POLICY INFORMATION TO CANAL RESIDENTS.
  5. $1.2 million spent. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES TRAINING THAT PREPARES AND SUPPORTS CLIENTS TO GAIN QUALITY JOBS THAT OFFER CAREER-TRACK EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THE PROGRAM ENSURES CLIENT SUCCESS BY PROVIDING WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT AND TWO YEARS OF FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. THE PROGRAM HAS A HIGH ONE-YEAR JOB RETENTION RATE OF 87% AND INCOME INCREASES THAT AVERAGE 41%. WE ALSO OFFER SMALL BUSINESS CLASSES IN SPANISH TO HELP LATINOS LAUNCH AND MANAGE THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESSES.
  6. $783,369 spent. ESL - EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR ADULT CLIENTS.
  7. $509,616 spent. CANAL HOUSING PROVIDED HOUSING FOR 12 FAMILIES IN THREE APARTMENT BUILDINGS. WE HAVE RENOVATED ALL THREE BUILDINGS, UPGRADING AND REPAIRING EACH APARTMENT AND INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF OF EACH SOLAR POWER HAS SUBSTANTIALLY LOWERED EACH TENANTS MONTHLY PG&E BILL.

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 September 1982.

    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.