Equality California
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
TO CREATE A WORLD THAT IS HEALTHY, JUST AND FULLY EQUAL FOR ALL LGBTQ+ PEOPLE.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $313,441, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)
- $1.0 million spent. EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ENDORSED 216 PRO-EQUALITY CANDIDATES IN THE NOVEMBER 2024 GENERAL ELECTION INCLUDING 88 OUT-LGBTQ+ CANDIDATES. 78% OF EQUALITY CALIFORNIA'S ENDORSED CANDIDATES WON THEIR ELECTIONS, LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION IN CALIFORNIA'S LEGISLATURE CONTINUED TO GROW TO HISTORIC LEVELS, WITH THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ+ CAUCUS INCREASING FROM 12 TO 15 MEMBERS AND TOTAL LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION RISING FROM 10 TO 12 PERCENT. CALIFORNIA JOINED COLORADO AND HAWAII IN PASSING BALLOT INITIATIVES TO SAFEGUARD MARRIAGE EQUALITY, WITH PROPOSITION 3 PASSING OVERWHELMINGLY, EVEN IN COUNTIES THAT HAD SUPPORTED PROP 8 IN 2008--MARKING A MORE THAN 30% SHIFT IN VOTER OPINION ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN JUST 16 YEARS.
- $328,058 spent. IN 2024, GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNED A TOTAL OF 7 EQUALITY CALIFORNIA-SPONSORED BILLS, INCLUDING LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE CAMPUS CLIMATE FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION, ENHANCE LGBTQ+ DATA COLLECTION EFFORTS, PROTECT AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO PREP FOR HIV PREVENTION, AND CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PROGRAMS. IN A MAJOR WIN FOR LGBTQ+ FAMILIES, GOV. NEWSOM SIGNED SB 729 BY SEN. MENJIVAR TO EXPAND HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR FERTILITY SERVICES, INCLUDING IVF, TO ROUGHLY 10 MILLION CALIFORNIANS. CALIFORNIA ALSO BECAME THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO BAN DANGEROUS 'FORCED OUTING' POLICIES WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE SAFETY ACT, BY ASM. WARD. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE LGBTQ CAUCUS AND OUR LEGISLATIVE ALLIES, WE SUCCESSFULLY STOPPED SEVERAL BILLS THAT THREATENED THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, INCLUDING EFFORTS TO BAN TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE FOR YOUTH AND BAN BOOKS WITH LGBTQ+ CONTENT FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
- $205,497 spent. IN 2024, EQUALITY CALIFORNIA HOSTED THE FIRST DC ADVOCACY DAY, BRINGING STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS TO CAPITOL HILL TO MEET WITH KEY MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND ELEVATE THE PRIORITIES OF LGBTQ+ CALIFORNIANS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. IN WASHINGTON, DC, EQUALITY CALIFORNIA WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATIONS AND ALLIED PARTNERS TO DEFEAT DOZENS OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ BILLS AND HARMFUL APPROPRIATIONS RIDERS INTRODUCED BY EXTREMIST HOUSE MEMBERS. EQUALITY CALIFORNIA ALSO WORKED ALONGSIDE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ON THE APPOINTMENT OF MORE THAN 220 SENATE-CONFIRMED JUDGES--MANY WITH STRONG CIVIL RIGHTS RECORDS-- WHICH WILL LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY IN THE FIGHT FOR LGBTQ+ EQUALITY ACROSS THE JUDICIARY.
- $371,091 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDING - SILVER STATE EQUALITY ENDORSED A DIVERSE SLATE OF 45 PRO-EQUALITY CANDIDATES, AND MOBILIZED VOTERS THROUGH EDUCATION AND THE GET-OUT-THE-VOTE CAMPAIGN. IN NORTHERN NEVADA, SILVER STATE EQUALITY LED THE CHARGE AGAINST COORDINATED EFFORTS TO BAN LGBTQ+ BOOKS AND SHUT DOWN DRAG QUEEN STORY HOURS--DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO INCLUSIVE EXPRESSION AND VISIBILITY.SILVER STATE EQUALITY ALSO RELEASED A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT BY THE LGBTQ+ STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH PRESENTED FINDINGS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON A STATEWIDE ONLINE SURVEY AND LISTENING SESSIONS WITH LGBTQ+ STUDENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)(4) social welfare 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? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(4) social welfare organization as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, 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 May 1999.
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.