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Library Foundation of Los Angeles

EIN 95-4368250 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood72 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$9.3 million
Spending
$9.9 million
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
32.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 62%
Employees
49
Volunteers
37
Highest pay
$337,950, president & 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: 72 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 32.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 32 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    36 of 36 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 (3)
  1. $2.1 million spent. HELPING STUDENTS SUCCEED:LFLA HELPS LAPL PROVIDE A RANGE OF SERVICES, PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT HELP CHILDREN AND TEENS THRIVE. FOR CHILDREN AGES 0-10, LAPL'S WE READ TOGETHER INITIATIVE ENGAGES EARLY AND EMERGING READERS AND THEIR PARENTS WITH STORY TIMES TO MODEL EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY PRACTICES, PARENT WORKSHOPS TO HELP FAMILIES INTEGRATE LITERACY PRACTICES INTO THEIR DAILY ROUTINES, AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS. THESE OFFERINGS PROMOTE SCHOOL-READINESS, LITERACY, LEARNING, PLAY, CURIOSITY, AND COMMUNITY. FOR SCHOOL-AGE YOUTH, LFLA HELPS LAPL DELIVER EXPERT ONLINE PRIVATE TUTORING TO ALL K-12 YOUTH AND COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH A LIBRARY CARD BETWEEN 11 AM AND 11 PM EVERY DAY, STUDENT ZONES THAT PROVIDE DEDICATED AND DIRECT ACCESS TO COMPUTERS AND IN-PERSON HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE AT 38 LOCAL LIBRARIES IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, AND COLLEGE-PREP SERVICES TO HELP YOUTH AND FAMILIES PREPARE FOR COLLEGE. THE TEENS LEADING CHANGE PROGRAM PROVIDES LFLA-FUNDED MINI-GRANTS TO GROUPS OF YOUTH AND LIBRARIANS TO RESEARCH AND PILOT STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS LOCAL SOCIAL ISSUES.
  2. $2.1 million spent. INVESTING IN LIFELONG LEARNING:LFLA SUPPORTS ADULTS WHO WANT TO IMPROVE ESSENTIAL LITERACIES. THE ADULT LITERACY INITIATIVE OFFERS ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING FOR ADULTS READING BELOW THE SIXTH-GRADE LEVEL. THE PROGRAM'S FAMILY LITERACY SERVICES PROVIDE COACHING FOR ADULT LITERACY LEARNERS TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S EARLY LITERACY DEVELOPMENT. ADDITIONAL ADULT LITERACY COMPONENTS INCLUDE DROP-IN TUTORING, CLASSES, AND ESL SERVICES. CAREER ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL GIVES ADULTS ANOTHER CHANCE TO EARN AN ACCREDITED HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. LAPL'S CYBERNAUT DIGITAL NAVIGATORS, STATIONED AT 37 LIBRARIES AND VIA A REMOTE SERVICE, PROMOTE DIGITAL INCLUSION BY PROVIDING ON-DEMAND TECH SUPPORT AND TRAINING AND LEADING DIGITAL LITERACY WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES FOR SMALL GROUPS. LAPL'S FULL STEAM AHEAD INITIATIVE PROMOTES SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY BY OFFERING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS, AND KITS THAT FOSTER NEIGHBORHOOD SCIENCE, CREATIVITY, AND INQUIRY-BASED PROBLEM-SOLVING FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES.
  3. $2.0 million spent. ENGAGING THE IMAGINATION:THROUGH ITS ACCLAIMED ALOUD CULTURAL PROGRAMMING SERIES, LFLA BRINGS RENOWNED AND EMERGING LITERARY ARTISTS, FILMMAKERS, SCIENTISTS, MUSICIANS, POLICYMAKERS, AND OTHER LUMINOUS MINDS INTO DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH THE LIBRARY'S PATRONS. LFLA ALSO SUPPORTS LAPL'S L.A. MADE SERIES, WHICH DELIVERS HUMANITIES-BASED PROGRAMMING ACROSS THE CITY'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. LFLA AND LAPL EXHIBITION PROJECTS HIGHLIGHT LAPL'S HISTORIC COLLECTIONS AND SERVICES, THE DIVERSE STORIES AND PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF L.A., AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. IN 2024-2025, LFLA AND LAPL LAUNCHED THE THIRD COHORT OF THE LAPL CREATORS IN RESIDENCE INITIATIVE. THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ENGAGED TWO CREATIVE PRACTITIONERS, FASHION DESIGNER AND ENTREPRENEUR ASHLEY WALKER AND FOOD WRITER AND AUTHOR TIEN NGUYEN, WHO ARE PRODUCING UNIQUE NEW WORK INFORMED BY LAPL'S COLLECTION AND SERVICES. THEIR PROJECTS, INCLUDING DISPLAYS OF MENUS FROM THE LIBRARY'S SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND NEWLY DESIGNED OUTFITS INSPIRED BY LA HISTORY AT BRANCH LIBRARIES ACROSS THE CITY, WILL LAUNCH PUBLICLY IN DECEMBER 2025. OUR MOST RECENT MAJOR EXHIBITION, NO PRIOR ART: ILLUSTRATIONS OF INVENTION, WAS ON VIEW FROM SEPTEMBER 2024 THROUGH MAY 2025 AND WELCOMED MORE THAN 43,000 VISITORS THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDED 81 FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS AT 23 LIBRARY LOCATIONS. LFLA ALSO SUPPORTS DIGITIZATION PROJECTS AT LAPL THAT ARCHIVE AND PRESERVE COLLECTIONS OF PHOTOS, EPHEMERAL, MAPS, AND OTHER ITEMS SO THEY CAN BE ACCESSED ONLINE BY RESEARCHERS, STUDENTS, AND OTHER CURIOUS MINDS. WITH LIBRARY FOUNDATION SUPPORT, LAPL COMPLETED THE PLANNING PHASE OF "COMMUNITY: MEMORY AND BELONGING IN L.A." THE FIVE-YEAR PROJECT FUNDED BY A MELLON FOUNDATION GRANT WILL CULTIVATE COMMUNITY ARCHIVING PRACTICES AND HELP LAPL ENHANCE ITS DIGITAL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS RELATED TO L.A.'S BLACK, LGBT+ LATINX, AND SKID ROW COMMUNITIES. LFLA ALSO SUPPORTED LAPL CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT 2024-2025, INCLUDING THE L.A. LIBROS FESTIVAL, THE AAPI JOY FESTIVAL, AND THE JUNE JUBILEE IN HONOR OF BLACK EXCELLENCE.

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 June 1992.

    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.