California Council on Science and Technology
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The primary purpose of the organization is to examine and report on public policy issues related to Science and Technology that affect the State of California. CCST is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that was established as an independent science advising body at the request of the state legislature in 1988. CCST's mission is to engage leading experts in science and technology to advise state policymakers to ensure that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation. CCST's vision for the Golden State is that California enhances its global leadership in science, technology, and innovation to guide the state, nation, and world towards a healthy economy, society, and environment.CALIFORNIA'S POLICIES ARE STRONGER WITH SCIENCE, AND CCST IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED AS AN ORGANIZATION CREATED VIA THE LEGISLATURE TO CONVENE A STATEWIDE NETWORK OF EXPERTS ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND INSTITUTIONS. AS THIS COORDINATING BODY, CCST CAN PROVIDE IMPARTI
- Income
- $4.2 million
- Spending
- $3.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 99.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 69%
- Employees
- 51
- Volunteers
- 29
- Highest pay
- $167,303, dir. of finance
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 99.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 68% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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 68% of charities in its peer group (science, $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 (2)
- $1.8 million spent. Our Science & Technology Policy Fellowship celebrated its 15th year in 2024. Our Fellows - embedded across the Legislative and Executive Branches of State government - are a driving force supporting evidence-based policymaking in California. The CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows program annually recruits, trains, and places a cohort of PhD scientists and engineers directly into policymakers' offices in the California State Legislature and Executive Branch in Sacramento. During their year of public service, CCST S&T Policy Fellows work with policymakers and their teams to evaluate and research complex scientific issues, interpret data, and tackle the day-to-day responsibilities of full-time policy staffers -- complemented by regular training, seminars with California policy leaders, support of a close-knit cohort, and career guidance from CCST that sets Fellows up for success. To date, 186 CCST S&T Policy Fellows have been trained to work directly with decision makers as trusted staff.
- $898,164 spent. In February 2024, CCST's 7th annual Science & Technology Week brought together policy leaders, science and technology experts, CCST champions, and network of Partner Institutions to discuss some of the state's biggest challenges and opportunities. The kickoff "Blue Sky" panel for Science & Technology Week convened together a diverse group of experts to explore the untapped potential of AI technologies to mitigate the impact of disasters, particularly in the context of California's unique challenges and the escalating impacts of climate change. CCST's Science in Public Service Award acknowledges public servants with clear track records of advancing science and technology issues. 2024 awardees included Asm. Eduardo Garcia, Sen. Anthony Portantino, and CA Department of Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw. A portion of the week was dedicated to a Science Translators Showcase, where trained graduate students and postdoctoral researchers had a chance to discuss their research with legislative staffers, agency managers, and senior policy leaders at the California State Capitol. Finally, an in-person Expert Briefing explored opportunities to build more robust connections between forest management and public health with the goal of making California's communities more smoke resilient.In April 2024, CCST released an updated edition of "Key Challenges for California's Energy Future", our foundational energy primer. With input from our expert Steering Committee, and in response to a request from the Governor's Office, we expanded our coverage of distributed energy resources and updated key sections to reflect recent legislation and current events. This work was brought to life at a special in-person briefing at the Capital, co-hosted with three partners: the California Latino Capital Association Foundation, the California Legislative Black Staff Association, and the Asian Pacific Islander Capitol Association.CCST launched the AI Policy Initiative in 2024 to help equip decision-makers with the latest scientific evidence needed to navigate the complexities and harness the potential of artificial intelligence and other emerging data technologies.In May 2024, CCST provided key support for a landmark event: the Joint California Summit on Generative AI. Responding to Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-12-23, the event brought this conversation to scale, highlighting the importance of collaboration across sectors and the impact of GenAI on California's workforce, educational institutions, and innovation ecosystem. The Summit led to the Governor convening the Joint California Policy Working Group on AI Frontier Models, whose report was released in June 2025.In October 2024, CCST and the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) brought together leaders in science and policy from CCST's Partner Institutions, nonprofits, and the State for our second annual Science Day. With more than 350 registrants in-person and online, panelists and attendees shared ideas to build partnerships addressing the many challenges facing California, particularly as we seek to decarbonize our economy in response to climate change. This annual event fosters collaboration and removes barriers to partnership between research institutions and the State. The 2024 event kicked off with opening remarks from Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and featured two panel discussions, brainstorming breakout sessions, a Science Translators session, and a networking mixer.In November 2024, CCST hosted a two-day, invitation-only workshop in Sacramento, "Aligning California's Hydrogen Research & Innovation Agenda" that included experts from national labs, labor unions, state agencies, academia, and the nonprofit sector. This event served to facilitate better connection between policymakers and scientists working in different sectors of California's hydrogen economy. CCST also doubled down on efforts to support science-informed solutions addressing both immediate fire risks and long-term resilience for communities, ecosystems, and public health. Much of the work built on our September 2023 peer-reviewed report, "The Human Health Benefits of Improving Forest Health in California". CCST partnered with Conservation X Labs to support their Grand Fire Challenge, a two-year collaboration focusing on scaling stewardship solutions and amplifying the voices of those who have cared for the landscapes across the Western U.S., Canada, and Mexico for generations.
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 March 1991.
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.