Common Counsel Foundation FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Oakland, CA501(c)(3)Since 1988Community DevelopmentEIN 94-3214166

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Ccf advances equity and environmental health through a combination of direct grant making and strategic philanthropic advising for client member funds and manages projects focused on organizational development, leadership sustainability and donor education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
97¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$2.3M 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

FY2023 · 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $10.4M a year · 15% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
97%
of spending
Looks good: 97% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.3M
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
26 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 25.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.8M
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$102.1M
+86% vs prior year
Spent
$58.0M
To programs
97%
Net assets
$138.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$102.1M
FY2023▲ +86%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$41.3M
FY2021$85.7M
FY2022$55.0M
FY2023$102.1M
FY2024$51.4M
Expenses
$58.0M
FY2023▲ +7%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$13.2M
FY2021$32.2M
FY2022$54.1M
FY2023$58.0M
FY2024$126.1M
Net assets
$138.2M
FY2023▲ +47%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$39.4M
FY2021$93.3M
FY2022$94.2M
FY2023$138.2M
FY2024$63.7M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Jul 1995.

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

Where the money goes

97 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 97% · $56.1M Management & general 3% · $1.7M Fundraising 0% · $213K

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

20 people listed on the 990; $2.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Managing Director
$207,133Pt VII · Sec A
Operations/Infrastructure Exec. Lead
$206,500Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Finance Officer
$198,855Pt VII · Sec A
Field & Organizing Executive Lead
$195,750Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Strategy/Asset Building
$192,996Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Fund for an Inclusive Ca
$185,605Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Resource Strategy
$162,567Pt VII · Sec A
Director of People and Culture
$159,000Pt VII · Sec A

Sangeeta Chowdhry’s $306K as Executive Director is at the 56th percentile of top reported officer pay among 572 $10–100M community development 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Sangeeta Chowdhry$306,300$126,154———
Karissa Lewis$239,991$195,750$188,428$133,660—
Peggy Saika——$214,583$179,023$150,000
Philip Smith$208,688$198,855$194,189$150,619—
Sarah Gort$208,688$207,133$194,672$149,027—
M Adams—$206,500$161,833——
Jazmin Segura Moctezuma$200,275$185,605———
Allistair Mallillin—$192,996$186,208——

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 Common Counsel Foundation 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

Advances equity and environmental health by providing strategic philanthropic advising, grants management, and administrative support to independent foundations and donor-advised funds.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $56.1M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Strategic and Values-Driven Grantmaking

In 2023, common counsel foundation (common counsel) made just over $36 million in grants to charitable organizations that are advancing effective solutions to longstanding social and environmental inequities, through its direct grantmaking.

$36.9Mprogram expense
02

Fiscal sponsorship-common counsel foundation's fiscal sponsorship program ensures the health and vitality of the sponsored community-led organizations, and promotes strategic coordination in the philanthropic sector. In 2023, CCF acted as fiscal sponsor for the windcall institute, roadmap, the movement 4 black lives, and color congress.

$15.6Mprogram expense
03

Philanthropic services -common counsel foundation provides strategic philanthropic advice, grants management and administration, and accounting support to independent foundations that share a commitment to equity and environmental health. CCF assists its clients in streamlining their grantmaking processes and deepening their impact.

$3.7Mprogram 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$15K
Grants paid · 2,369 grants · $195.9M · 2020–2024
ImpactassetsincMD · FY2024$37,233,011
Movement 4 Black Lives INCGA · FY2024$15,817,927
Native Land Conservancy INCMA · FY2024$4,000,000
The Accomplis Collective INCNY · FY2024$2,500,000
Neo Philanthropy INCNY · FY2024$1,500,000
Resist INCMA · FY2024$1,100,000
Social Good Fund INCCA · FY2024$1,000,000
Lighthouse HolyokeMA · FY2024$1,000,000
Freedom OrgNC · FY2024$1,000,000
Ekvnv YefolecvlkeAL · FY2024$1,000,000
Ndn Collective INCSD · FY2024$750,000
Haymarket Peoples Fund INCMA · FY2024$500,000
See all 2,369 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$102.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$97.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$2.0M
Money outPt IX
$58.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$56.1M
Managementcol C$1.7M
Fundraisingcol D$213K
Owns and owesPt X
$138.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$125.5M
Total assetsLn 16$141.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
20
listed · VII A
PaidVII A13
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$97.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$2.0M
Gains on assetsLn 7$1K
Total revenueLn 12$102.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$33.5M
SavingsLn 2$92.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$125.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$601K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$52K
Other assetsLn 15$87K
Total assetsLn 16$141.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.8M
Net assetsLn 32$138.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 565
VolunteersI 68
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$71.2M$125.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$687K$601K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$65K$52K
Total assetsLn 16$97.4M$141.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.2M$2.8M
Net assetsLn 32$94.2M$138.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$36.9M$36.9M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$31K$31K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.6M$926K$686K$14K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$7.1M$6.8M$208K$113K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$199K$186K$9K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.4M$1.2M$119K$24K
Payroll taxesLn 10$671K$602K$59K$9K
Legal feesLn 11b$171K$162K$8K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$228K$228K
Investment management feesLn 11f$20K$20K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5.0M$4.9M$150K$19K
Office expensesLn 13$857K$829K$26K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$145K$144K$603$92
OccupancyLn 16$168K$112K$48K$7K
TravelLn 17$2.3M$2.2M$24K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$911K$895K$15K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$13K$8K$4K$643
InsuranceLn 23$113K$59K$47K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$205K$165K$35K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$58.0M$56.1M$1.7M$213K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $51.4M$126.1M−$74.7M$63.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $102.1M$58.0M$44.1M$138.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $55.0M$54.1M$859K$94.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $85.7M$32.2M$53.5M$93.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 $41.3M$13.2M$28.1M$39.4M 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 FY2023 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $102,103,417 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$97,086,798
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$97,086,798
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,998,675$2,998,675
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,016,604$2,016,604
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $1,340$1,340
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,998,675 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,017,944$102,103,417
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $58,024,164 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $36,865,181$36,865,181
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $30,970$30,970
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $926,477 · Management $685,785 · Fundraising $13,775$1,626,037
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $6,815,168 · Management $208,482 · Fundraising $113,005$7,136,655
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $186,194 · Management $9,170 · Fundraising $3,793$199,157
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,219,012 · Management $119,395 · Fundraising $24,353$1,362,760
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $602,375 · Management $59,284 · Fundraising $9,054$670,713
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $161,800 · Management $8,246 · Fundraising $1,259$171,305
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $227,573$227,573
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $20,000$20,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,879,925 · Management $149,656 · Fundraising $19,089$5,048,670
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $829,067 · Management $25,590 · Fundraising $2,070$856,727
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $144,154 · Management $603 · Fundraising $92$144,849
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $112,204 · Management $48,183 · Fundraising $7,359$167,746
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,225,880 · Management $23,869 · Fundraising $3,633$2,253,382
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $894,679 · Management $14,584 · Fundraising $2,227$911,490
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,937 · Management $4,212 · Fundraising $643$12,792
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $59,190 · Management $47,016 · Fundraising $7,181$113,387
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $164,954 · Management $34,555 · Fundraising $5,261$204,770
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $56,125,167 · Management $1,686,203 · Fundraising $212,794$58,024,164
Part X · Balance sheet $141,024,064 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $23,858,867$33,494,133
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $47,293,067$91,976,896
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $24,338,525$13,658,547
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $632,728$687,630
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $329,015$467,434
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $64,649$51,858
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $687,218$600,652
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $154,993$86,914
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $97,359,062$141,024,064
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,114,772$1,895,439
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $578,000$769,000
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $368,648$38,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $142,254$75,669
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,203,674$2,778,108
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $15,172,931$67,687,974
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $78,982,457$70,557,982
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $94,155,388$138,245,956
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $97,359,062$141,024,064
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $138,245,956 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$102,103,417
XI-2 Total expenses$58,024,164
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$44,079,253
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$94,155,388
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$11,315
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$138,245,956

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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