To connect californians to share our heritage and diverse cultures and inspire civic participation.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$392K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $145K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$392K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $250K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.2M
56% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 56% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
26
of 26 voting members
Looks good: 26 of 26 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.1M
Spent
$4.8M
To programs
79%
Net assets
$921K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$4.1M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.1M
FY2021$6.9M
FY2022$3.7M
FY2023$3.2M
FY2024$3.4M
Expenses
$4.8M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.8M
FY2021$6.1M
FY2022$3.7M
FY2023$4.1M
FY2024$3.4M
Net assets
$921K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$921K
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$870K
FY2024$840K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jan 1985.

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

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $3.7M Management & general 17% · $797K Fundraising 5% · $222K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

29 people listed on the 990; $392K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President & CEO
$174,542Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Project & Eval
$109,583Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Development
$108,066Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rick Noguchi’s $179K as President & CEO is at the 78th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3925 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Julie Fry—$84,583$216,912$190,777$174,542
Rick Noguchi$179,496$111,774———
Felicia Kelley$130,577$124,549$119,390$114,221$109,583
John Lightfoot$128,389$115,884$109,061——
Brett Connor$124,336$108,160$104,146——
Sheri Kuehl——$114,080$110,545$108,066
Marika Garcia$108,666————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See California Humanities 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Funds and hosts cultural programs, equity initiatives, and student journalism fellowships to connect Californians, celebrate diverse heritages, and inspire active civic participation.

Questions for California Humanities

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Your first name shows with your question. California Humanities answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.4M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Ca cares humanities relief and recovery grants provided much-needed funds to assist the public humanities sector across california during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Relief grants provide general operating support, through the neh, to help organizations and practionioners continue their public humanities efforts.

$1.8Mprogram expense
02

Humanities for all is a grant program that supports locally-initiated public humanities projects that respond to the needs and interests of californians, encourage greater public participation in humanities programming, particularly by new AND/OR underserved audiences, and promotes understanding and empathy among all our state's peoples…

$548Kprogram expense
03

Library innovation lab (lil) program supports the design and delivery of responsive and relevant public humanities programming in california's public libraries by providing a nine-month practice-based professional development experience (and cash grants of up to $5,000) to participating library programmers.

$57Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$250K
Grants paid · 484 grants · $8.9M · 2020–2024
FjcNY · FY2024$50,000
Kartemquin Educational FilmsIL · FY2024$45,000
Visual Communications MediaCA · FY2024$40,000
Writing Downtown INCNV · FY2024$30,000
Bay Area Video Coalition INCCA · FY2024$30,000
Oakland Theater ProjectCA · FY2024$25,000
Mexicali Biennial INCCA · FY2024$25,000
Madera County LibraryFY2024$25,000
The Litquake FoundationCA · FY2024$25,000
Ecoarts of Lake CountyCA · FY2024$25,000
Chaffey CollegeFY2024$25,000
See all 484 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$132
Money outPt IX
$4.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.7M
Managementcol C$797K
Fundraisingcol D$222K
Owns and owesPt X
$921K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
29
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a26
IndependentVI 1b26
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$132
Total revenueLn 12$4.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$542K
SavingsLn 2$851K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$24K
Other assetsLn 15$7K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$921K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 512
VolunteersI 619
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M$1.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$32K$24K
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$1.6M$921K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$2.5M$2.5M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$335K$335K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$984K$518K$320K$147K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$69K$36K$22K$10K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$121K$64K$39K$18K
Payroll taxesLn 10$67K$35K$22K$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c$155K$155K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$174K$98K$74K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$10K$8$10K$93
Office expensesLn 13$41K$16K$21K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$26K$14K$8K$4K
OccupancyLn 16$122K$64K$39K$18K
TravelLn 17$30K$8K$21K$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$8K$2K$143$6K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$8K$4K$2K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$64K$1K$63K$301
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.8M$3.7M$797K$222K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $3.4M$3.4M−$30K$840K 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.2M$4.1M−$944K$870K 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.7M$3.7M$56K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $6.9M$6.1M$837K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $4.1M$4.8M−$643K$921K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,115,195 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,895,197$4,115,063
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $274$132
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,895,471$4,115,195
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,264,476$2,877,378
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,217,077$1,240,794
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $819,508$639,967
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,301,061$4,758,139
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $594,410−$642,944
Part VI · Governance 26 of 26 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body26
VI-1b Independent voting members26
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $4,115,195 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$3,882,510
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$232,553
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,115,063
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $132$132
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $132$4,115,195
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,758,139 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $2,542,378$2,542,378
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $335,000$335,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $517,552 · Management $319,571 · Fundraising $146,734$983,857
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $36,191 · Management $22,347 · Fundraising $10,261$68,799
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $63,923 · Management $38,947 · Fundraising $18,123$120,993
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $35,321 · Management $21,810 · Fundraising $10,014$67,145
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $154,592$154,592
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $98,292 · Management $74,264 · Fundraising $1,729$174,285
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $8 · Management $9,547 · Fundraising $93$9,648
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $16,184 · Management $20,884 · Fundraising $4,223$41,291
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $14,247 · Management $7,527 · Fundraising $4,039$25,813
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $64,488 · Management $39,079 · Fundraising $18,283$121,850
IX-17 TravelPrograms $7,599 · Management $21,028 · Fundraising $1,231$29,858
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,299 · Management $143 · Fundraising $5,987$8,429
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,178 · Management $2,208 · Fundraising $1,185$7,571
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,535$2,535
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,168 · Management $62,626 · Fundraising $301$64,095
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,738,828 · Management $797,108 · Fundraising $222,203$4,758,139
Part X · Balance sheet $2,080,041 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $667,270$541,699
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $850,617$850,740
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,151,145$651,822
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $8,330$3,960
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $31,928$24,357
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $6,938$7,463
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,716,228$2,080,041
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $128,326$133,487
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $1,024,183$1,025,779
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,152,509$1,159,266
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $646,083$632,495
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $917,636$288,280
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,563,719$920,775
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,716,228$2,080,041
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $920,775 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,115,195
XI-2 Total expenses$4,758,139
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$642,944
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,563,719
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$920,775

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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