California Humanities
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CALIFORNIA HUMANITIES WAS FOUNDED IN 1975 WITH A DEFINED MISSION TO CONNECT CALIFORNIANS TO IDEAS AND ONE ANOTHER IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND OUR SHARED HERITAGE AND DIVERSE CULTURES, INSPIRE CIVIC PARTICIPATION, AND SHAPE OUR FUTURE.
- Income
- $3.4 million
- Spending
- $3.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 55%
- Reserves
- 2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 96%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $179,496, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 57% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1555% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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.
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 December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
- $550,221 spent. HUMANITIES FOR ALL IS A GRANT PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS LOCALLY-INITIATED PUBLIC HUMANITIES PROJECTS THAT RESPOND TO THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF CALIFORNIANS, ENCOURAGE GREATER PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN HUMANITIES PROGRAMMING, PARTICULARLY BY NEW AND/OR UNDERSERVED AUDIENCES, AND PROMOTES UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY AMONG ALL OUR STATE'S PEOPLES IN ORDER TO CULTIVATE A THRIVING DEMOCRACY. QUICK GRANTS (BETWEEN $1,000 AND $5,000) ARE AWARDED THREE TIMES A YEAR FOR SMALL-SCALE PUBLIC HUMANITIES ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE WITHIN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD FROM THE AWARD DATE. PROJECT GRANTS ($10,000 TO $20,000) ARE AWARDED TWICE A YEAR FOR LARGER PUBLIC HUMANITIES PROJECTS OF UP TO TWO-YEARS DURATION FROM THE AWARD DATE.
- $1.0 million spent. CALIFORNIA HUMANITIES SUPPORTS FOUR CORE GRANTMAKING PROGRAMS WHICH INCLUDE THE HUMANITIES FOR ALL PROJECT GRANTS AND QUICK GRANTS, PREVIOUSLY LISTED, AS WELL AS THE LIBRARY INNOVATION LAB (LIL) PROGRAM, THE CALIFORNIA DOCUMENTARY PROJECT (CDP), AND LITERATURE & MEDICINE. OCCASIONAL STATEWIDE INITIATIVES INCLUDE GRANT MAKING, DIRECT PROGRAMMING, AND PROGRAMMING PARTNERSHIPS. GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENSES SUPPORT PROGRAM-RELATED ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS PUT ON OR SUPPORTED BY CALIFORNIA HUMANITIES.
- $321,694 spent. CALIFORNIA HUMANITIES SUPPORTS PERIODIC INITIATIVES, INCLUDING EQUITY ALIGNMENT AND INFORMED CITIZEN PROGRAMS. THE EQUITY ALIGNMENT EFFORT BEGAN A FEW YEARS AGO AND CONTINUES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE INTENTIONAL, INFORMED, AND FAIR IN CENTERING EQUITY IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR WORK. THE INFORMED CITIZEN PROGRAM OR DEMOCRACY AND THE INFORMED CITIZEN EMERGING JOURNALIST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND AMPLIFY STUDENT JOURNALISTS' VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES WHO ARE ENROLLED AT CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 January 1985.
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.