Pollen Initiative

Tax-deductible

Sacramento, CA501(c)(3)Arts & CultureEIN 92-2619177

Pollen Initiatives mission is to cultivate media centers inside prisons so that incarcerated people can tell their own stories and inform public understanding of the criminal justice system. Through programs such as the San Quentin News the CCWF Media Center and Paper Trail publication and in-prison film and journalism training Pollen equips incarcerated individuals with professional reporting and multimedia skills. These activities foster dialogue empower system-impacted voices and create sustainable platforms for humanizing and reforming how society views incarceration.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Fine: 75% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$26K
14% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 14% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$400K
Spent
$453K
To programs
75%
Net assets
$156K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2024.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $339K Management & general 9% · $41K Fundraising 16% · $73K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

3 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Jesse Vasquez Executive Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Editorial Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Communications Coordinator
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Pollen Initiative executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empowers incarcerated people to share their stories and inform public understanding through prison media centers.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Pollen Initiative claims this page.

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3 program services account for $339K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

San Quentin News the pioneering incarcerated-run news outlet operates within San Quentin State Prison offering a platform for individuals in custody to produce a wide array of journalistic content including a monthly newspaper video news and digital features.

$219Kprogram expense
02

In 2024 Pollen Initiative launched the first full media center inside a U.S. womens prison at the Central California Womens Facility CCWF. Through a 16-week journalism guild and ongoing editorial mentorship incarcerated women receive hands-on training in writing editing and ethical reporting.

$114Kprogram expense
03

Pollen Initiative supports Wall City a documentary arts magazine created by San Quentin News writers and operates an in-prison film training program. Participants learn storyboarding camera work editing and production ethics creating short films and multimedia projects that document life inside.

$6Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$400K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$358K
Other incomeLn 4–11$42K
Money outPt IX
$453K
Ln 25
Programscol B$339K
Managementcol C$41K
Fundraisingcol D$73K
Owns and owesPt X
$156K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$171K
Total assetsLn 16$182K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$358K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Other incomeLn 4–11$42K
Total revenueLn 12$400K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$170K
SavingsLn 2$2K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$171K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$182K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K
Net assetsLn 32$156K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$106K$171K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$232K$182K
LiabilitiesLn 26$23K$26K
Net assetsLn 32$209K$156K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$224K$144K$28K$52K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0$0$0$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0$0$0$0
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$9K$2K$8K$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$11K$11K
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$20K$20K$396$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$249$0$5K
Office expensesLn 13$134K$134K$726$0
Information technologyLn 14$10K$8K$1K$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$13K$9K$0$3K
TravelLn 17$16K$15K$0$1K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$7K$7K$0$0
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0$0$0$0
InsuranceLn 23$2K$0$2K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2K$87$2K$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$453K$339K$41K$73K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $400K$453K−$53K$156K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $399,669 across 13 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$80,886
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$276,620
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$357,506
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $42,163 · Excluded from tax $0$42,163
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $42,163 · Excluded from tax $0$399,669
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $452,639 across 26 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $143,657 · Management $27,897 · Fundraising $52,385$223,939
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $1,741 · Management $7,500 · Fundraising $0$9,241
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $10,800$10,800
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $19,686 · Management $396 · Fundraising $0$20,082
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $249 · Management $0 · Fundraising $4,792$5,041
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $133,769 · Management $726 · Fundraising $0$134,495
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $8,446 · Management $1,054 · Fundraising $0$9,500
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $9,468 · Management $0 · Fundraising $3,376$12,844
IX-17 TravelPrograms $14,558 · Management $0 · Fundraising $1,300$15,858
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $7,122 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$7,122
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $2,060 · Fundraising $0$2,060
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $87 · Management $1,570 · Fundraising $0$1,657
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $338,783 · Management $41,203 · Fundraising $72,653$452,639
Part X · Balance sheet $182,291 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $104,040$169,768
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,600$1,600
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $124,981$4,393
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,556$2,948
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$3,582
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $232,177$182,291
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $23,296$26,380
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $23,296$26,380
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $208,881$155,911
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $208,881$155,911
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $232,177$182,291
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $155,911 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$399,669
XI-2 Total expenses$452,639
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$52,970
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$155,911

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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