Public Policy Institute of California
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $36.4 million
- Spending
- $24.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 94%
- Employees
- 107
- Volunteers
- 81
- Highest pay
- $626,583, president and 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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 88% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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 2516 of 17 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 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 (1)
- $18.1 million spent. PPIC IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AND FRAMING POLICY DEBATES TO SHAPE A BETTER FUTURE FOR CALIFORNIA. WE IDENTIFY PRACTICAL, FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACHES TO CALIFORNIA'S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES. OUR PUBLICATIONS RANGE FROM ONE-PAGE FACT SHEETS TO COMPREHENSIVE, IN-DEPTH REPORTS; ALL PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON PPIC'S WEBSITE - PPIC.ORG - FREE OF CHARGE. ON AVERAGE, PPIC PRODUCES 80 PUBLICATIONS PER YEAR. THE PPIC BLOG OFFERS TIMELY COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS. OUR BLOG PRODUCES CLOSE TO 175 POSTS ANNUALLY, WHICH ARE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED THROUGH OUR EMAIL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. WE REGULARLY BRING LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER AT PUBLIC EVENTS TO INSPIRE NEW THINKING AND FIND INNOVATIVE ANSWERS TO CRITICAL POLICY QUESTIONS. WE HOST APPROXIMATELY 30 HIGH-PROFILE EVENTS - BOTH IN-PERSON AND ONLINE - EACH YEAR, WITH HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS AT EACH CONVENING. WE ARE ROUTINELY CITED IN NATIONAL AND STATE MEDIA ARTICLES, AVERAGING 15,000 PER YEAR. AROUND 2.2 MILLION PAGES ARE VIEWED ON OUR WEBSITE. WE POST APPROXIMATELY 3,500 TIMES ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, RESULTING IN NEARLY 1,500,000 IMPRESSIONS ANNUALLY. OUR RESEARCHERS TESTIFY REGULARLY AT LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS AND PPIC RESEARCH IS CITED IN THE TEXT OF OVER 100 BILLS OR BILL ANALYSES PER TWO-YEAR LEGISLATIVE CYCLE. PPIC'S WORK IS DEFINED BY THREE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES: - IMPROVING OPPORTUNITY FOR CALIFORNIANS - WE ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES THAT IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF ALL CALIFORNIANS. AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE EDUCATION, THE SAFETY NET, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND WATER, LAND, AND AIR. - UNDERSTANDING CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE - WE ANALYZE KEY DEMOGRAPHIC, ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND POLITICAL TRENDS TO ANTICIPATE MAJOR CHALLENGES AND IDENTIFY PRACTICAL POLICY SOLUTIONS. - INFORMING CIVIC LIFE - OUR STATEWIDE SURVEY PROVIDES A VOICE FOR CALIFORNIANS ON CRITICAL ISSUES AND OUR PUBLIC EVENTS PROMOTE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE TO HELP REALIZE CALIFORNIA'S POTENTIAL. IN ADDITION, PPIC HOUSES FOUR POLICY CENTERS. THE PPIC ECONOMIC POLICY CENTER INSPIRES PRACTICAL POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT PROMOTE A ROBUST, RESILIENT ECONOMY, IMPROVING THE PROSPECTS OF WORKERS, FAMILIES, AND BUSINESSES STATEWIDE. THE PPIC HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER ADVANCES PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF CALIFORNIA'S STUDENTS - IMPROVING LIVES AND EXPANDING ECONOMIC GROWTH ACROSS THE STATE. THE PPIC STATEWIDE SURVEY PROVIDES A VOICE FOR THE PUBLIC ON CALIFORNIA'S KEY POLICY ISSUES. THE PPIC WATER POLICY CENTER SPURS INNOVATIVE WATER MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS THAT SUPPORT A HEALTHY ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, AND SOCIETY. OUR EXTENSIVE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES BRING PPIC'S WORK TO AN EVER-EXPANDING AUDIENCE IN SACRAMENTO AND BEYOND. OUR EVENTS FEATURE VIEWPOINTS ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, PROMOTING CONSTRUCTIVE, THOUGHTFUL, AND RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO CALIFORNIA. THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND PUBLIC EVENTS, PPIC AIMS TO BE AN INFORMATION RESOURCE FOR ENGAGED CALIFORNIANS ACROSS THE STATE. OUR CENTRAL AUDIENCES ARE CALIFORNIA'S ELECTED OFFICIALS AND POLICYMAKERS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. THESE LEADERS ROUTINELY DRAW ON PPIC RESEARCH TO MAKE VITAL POLICY CHOICES ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS. OUR WORK IS REGULARLY CITED IN BILL ANALYSES AND OUR EXPERTS ARE OFTEN INVITED TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES. PPIC RECEIVES GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS. OUR ENDOWMENT ALSO SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND OTHER CRITICAL ACTIVITIES. PPIC IS A 501(C)(3) PUBLIC CHARITY AND DOES NOT TAKE OR SUPPORT POSITIONS ON ANY BALLOT MEASURES OR ON ANY LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL LEGISLATION, NOR DOES IT ENDORSE, SUPPORT, OR OPPOSE ANY POLITICAL PARTIES OR CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. PPIC WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1994 WITH A GIFT FROM WILLIAM R. HEWLETT. TANI CANTIL-SAKAUYE IS PRESIDENT AND CEO AND OPHELIA BASGAL IS CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. PPIC HAS OFFICES IN SAN FRANCISCO AND SACRAMENTO.
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 October 13, 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 September 1994.
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 October 21, 2026.
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