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Prevention Institute

EIN 94-3282858 · Oakland, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Prevention Institute's mission is to build prevention and equity into key policies and actions to ensure that the places where all people live, work, play and learn foster health, safety, and well-being.

Income
$7.1 million
Spending
$7.9 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
15.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 62%
Employees
37
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$295,424, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 52% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, 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 25

    8 of 9 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 September 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. $3.3 million spent. Community-centered Practice: We work with community collaboratives and networks of community collaboratives to coordinate communities of practice and learning communities; facilitate peer learning; provide coaching and mentoring; support community engagement, planning, and capacity building; build power with communities; and manage grants at the local, regional, state and national levels. Applying this strategy, we work to achieve: community-defined solutions; community-level change across sociocultural, physical and built, educational, and economic environments; shifts in power to communities; stronger upstream prevention efforts; and expanded community engagement.
  2. $1.7 million spent. Practitioner Knowledge and Skill Development: We partner with practitioners across sectors to provide training and technical assistance; develop actionable tools, guidance documents, and case studies; support framework development; and broadly share learnings and outcomes from community-centered practice and work. Applying this strategy, we work to achieve: applied knowledge and skills; the ability to operationalize equity objectives; a skilled and sustainable workforce; stronger capacity for upstream, community, and population level practice; the ability to partner and collaborate with community collaboratives; sustained stewardship for prevention and health equity; effective multisector collaboration; and community-centered approaches.
  3. $680,382 spent. Policy & Systems Transformation: We collaborate with policymakers, payers, system influencers, and advocacy partners to champion local, state, and federal policy and systems change rooted in a positive vision and hope for the future; align interconnected priorities across public health, health equity, and racial justice; and elevate community-centered practice and learnings. Applying this strategy, we work to achieve: systems of prevention, health equity, and racial justice; integration of contextual and experiential evidence; embedding and operationalizing equity objectives within systems; expanded definitions of a community health workforce; systems that further equity and resilience; investments in upstream community-level prevention; and strengthened political will.
  4. $525,059 spent. Momentum Building: We work across sector, philanthropy, and societal influencers to engage in field building; advance advocacy and policy change; emphasize narrative change; bridge building across sectors and issues; and develop partnership, networks, and ecosystems. Applying this strategy, we work to achieve norms rooted in connection, dignity, and interdependence; shifts in fields (e.g., language, funding, partners); asset-based narratives and narrative power; equitable, community-driven policies; maintained advocacy gains with minimal losses; diverse, resilient partnerships; and an ecosystem that advances prevention, health equity, and racial justice.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 November 6, 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 September 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 January 1998.

    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 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.