Nonprofit · EIN 94-3214166
COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION
Tax-exempt · OAKLAND, CA 94612
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $51,414,712 | $126,096,528 | -$74,681,816 | $67,481,943 | $3,756,692 | $63,725,251 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $102,103,417 | $58,024,164 | $44,079,253 | $141,024,064 | $2,778,108 | $138,245,956 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $45,577,093
- Program service revenue
- $2,473,661
- Investment income
- $3,318,148
- Net gain from sales of assets
- -$614
- Other revenue
- $45,810
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $101,402,517
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $1,413,226
- Other salaries and wages
- $8,704,265
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $12,003,651
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $640,294
- Accounting fees
- $170,104
- Occupancy
- $303,901
- Travel
- $2,789,732
- Depreciation
- $12,234
- Program services (functional)
- $122,720,233
- Management and general (functional)
- $2,746,630
- Fundraising (functional)
- $629,665
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $141,024,064
- Total assets, end of year
- $67,481,943
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $3,756,692
- Net assets, end of year
- $63,725,251
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $39,623
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $18,485,735
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $45,239,516
- Gross receipts
- $68,641,134
- Employees
- 86
- Volunteers
- 5
- Year formed
- 1988
- State of legal domicile
- CA
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANGEETA CHOWDHRY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $306,300 | $33,367 |
| KARISSA LEWIS | INNOVATION LABS DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP Highest-paid employee | 40 | $239,991 | $27,698 |
| PHILIP SMITH | CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER Officer | 40 | $208,688 | $36,535 |
| SARAH GORT | MANAGING DIRECTOR- CCF Key employee | 40 | $208,688 | $31,911 |
| JAZMIN SEGURA MOCTEZUMA | DIRECTOR, FUND FOR AN INCLUSIVE CALIFORNIA Key employee | 40 | $200,275 | $16,865 |
| CHELSEA FULLER | INTERIM SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Highest-paid employee | 40 | $190,000 | $16,409 |
| RONNIE GOINES | DIRECTOR OF RESOURCE STRATEGY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $164,729 | $27,088 |
| AMARA ENYIA | INTERIM SR COMMUNICATIONS DIR Key employee | 40 | $174,000 | $17,492 |
| MARY HOOKS | NATIONAL FIELD SECRETARY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $150,000 | $41,036 |
| CHRISTEN LEE | DIRECTOR OF GRANT MGMT. AND LEARNING Key employee | 40 | $164,745 | $14,360 |
| CELESTE FAISON | POLIT. STRATEGY/CAMPAIGNS EXEC. LEAD Highest-paid employee | 40 | $158,092 | $20,848 |
| CHANDRA ALEXANDRE PHD | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GARRETT COLLINS | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ED SUNGKYU LEE | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CARLY BAD HEART BULL | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
1 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VANESSA MOSES | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 20 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M ADAMS | OPERATIONS/INFRASTRUCTURE EXEC. LEAD Key employee | 40 | $206,500 | $28,111 |
| PHILIP SMITH | CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER Officer | 40 | $198,855 | $33,765 |
| SARAH GORT | MANAGING DIRECTOR Key employee | 40 | $207,133 | $21,562 |
| KARISSA LEWIS | FIELD & ORGANIZING EXECUTIVE LEAD Key employee | 40 | $195,750 | $25,246 |
| JAZMIN SEGURA MOCTEZUMA | DIRECTOR, FUND FOR AN INCLUSIVE CA Key employee | 40 | $185,605 | $15,994 |
| ALLISTAIR MALLILLIN | DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY/ASSET BUILDING Key employee | 40 | $192,996 | $6,561 |
| CAROLINE LUZZE | DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE Highest-paid employee | 40 | $159,000 | $38,792 |
| MARY HOOK | NATIONAL FIELD SECRETARY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $148,747 | $37,146 |
| RONNIE GOINES | DIRECTOR OF RESOURCE STRATEGY Highest-paid employee | 40 | $162,567 | $15,679 |
| CARLA NUNN | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPERATIONS Highest-paid employee | 40 | $157,000 | $20,119 |
| CHRISTEN LEE | DIRECTOR OF GRANT MGMT. AND LEARNING Key employee | 40 | $157,031 | $13,182 |
| CELESTE FAISON | POLIT. STRATEGY/CAMPAIGNS EXEC. LEAD Highest-paid employee | 40 | $153,167 | $10,645 |
| SANGEETA CHOWDHRY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $126,154 | $11,592 |
| ALEX TOM | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CHINA CHING | VICE CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GARRETT COLLINS | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| VANESSA DANIEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ED LEE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DENIS QUIRIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CARLY HARE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1624 FRANKLIN ST 11TH FLOOR, OAKLAND, CA 94612-2824
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- SANGEETA CHOWDHRY, 1624 FRANKLIN STREET 11TH FLOOR, OAKLAND, CA 94612
- Signed the 990
- PHILIP SMITH, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
- Phone
- (510) 834-2995
- Website
- COMMONCOUNSEL.ORG
- Return prepared by
- BAKER TILLY ADVISORY GROUP LP
California records
California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 94-3214166 or by the name COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION.
- Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
- Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)
- Secretary of State, bizfile Online
- Corporation status, entity number, agent for service
- Franchise Tax Board
- Entity status letter (state tax exemption, good standing)
Mission
COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION 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.
Program accomplishments
- STRATEGIC AND VALUES-DRIVEN GRANTMAKING - IN 2024, COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION (COMMON COUNSEL) MADE JUST OVER $48 MILLION IN GRANTS TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ADVANCING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO LONGSTANDING SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUITIES, THROUGH ITS DIRECT GRANTMAKING. FOUNDED IN 1988, COMMON COUNSEL 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 TRAINING AND SUSTAINABILITY AND DONOR EDUCATION. COMMON COUNSEL PARTNERS WITH FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS TO EXPAND PHILANTHROPIC RESOURCES FOR GRASSROOTS GROUPS COMPOSED OF AND LED BY MEMBERS OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS. IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE SCALE OF PHILANTHROPIC RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY-LED GROUPS, COMMON COUNSEL UTILIZES TWO GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR ITS STRATEGIC GRANTMAKING. FIRST, COMMON COUNSEL INVESTS IN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TO ADVANCE MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS TO CRITICAL SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGES. SECOND, COMMON COUNSEL SUPPORTS INCREASED COLLABORATION THROUGH SHARED CAMPAIGNS AND LONG-TERM ALLIANCES THAT SERVE TO AMPLIFY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LOCAL EFFORTS. FOR DECADES, THESE TWO STRATEGIES HAVE ALLOWED GROUPS TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, TO ADVANCE SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS DEFINED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEMSELVES, AND TO ENSURE HEALTH AND EQUITY FOR EVERYONE.Expenses $101,417,517 · grants $101,402,517
- 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 2024, CCF ACTED AS FISCAL SPONSOR FOR THE MOVEMENT 4 BLACK LIVES, RISING MAJORITY, AND COLOR CONGRESS. THE MOVEMENT 4 BLACK LIVES WAS CREATED AS A SPACE FOR BLACK ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO DEBATE AND DISCUSS THE CURRENT POLITICAL CONDITIONS, DEVELOP SHARED ASSESSMENTS OF WHAT POLITICAL INTERVENTIONS WERE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE KEY POLICY, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL WINS, CONVENE ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN ORDER TO DEBATE AND COCREATE A SHARED MOVEMENT WIDE STRATEGY. THE RISING MAJORITY IS A COALITION THAT COMMITS TO DEVELOPING A COLLECTIVE STRATEGY AND SHARED PRACTICE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER LABOR, YOUTH, ABOLITION, IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, CLIMATE JUSTICE, FEMINIST, ANTI-WAR, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE FORCES TO AMPLIFY THEIR COLLECTIVE POWER. COLOR CONGRESS IS AN INTERMEDIARY AND A FUNDER THAT IS BUILDING A NATIONAL COLLECTIVE OF MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR (POC) AND POCLED ORGANIZATIONS AIMED AT CENTERING AND STRENGTHENING NONFICTION STORYTELLING BY, FOR AND ABOUT PEOPLE OF COLOR ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND TERRITORIES.Expenses $17,945,155 · revenue $2,288,861
- 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. IN ADDITION TO THE SERVICES ALREADY NOTED, CCF HELPS CLIENTS REFINE THEIR GRANTMAKING STRATEGY AND PROVIDES RESEARCH, DUE DILIGENCE, GRANT RECOMMENDATIONS, TRUSTEE SUPPORT, AND LEGAL COMPLIANCE. CCF TAPS COMMUNITY ADVISORS, EACH OF WHOM HAS DEEP CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS AND WHOSE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE ADDS TO THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE OF CCF'S STAFF. CCF'S COMMUNITY ADVISORS AND STAFF ENSURE THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS AWARE OF THE LATEST INNOVATIONS EMERGING FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND OF PIONEERING SOLUTIONS DEVELOPED BY LOCAL LEADERS. CCF'S STAFF AND ADVISORS ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO HAVE EXCITING VISION AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH PROMISING NEW MODELS AND APPROACHES.Expenses $3,357,561 · revenue $184,800
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | Not on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 94-3214166
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1995
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Community improvement and capacity building (S50)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $67,481,943
- Income (IRS master file)
- $68,641,134
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2024 | $51,414,712 | $126,096,528 | $67,481,943 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2023 | $102,103,417 | $58,024,164 | $141,024,064 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $54,978,381 | $54,119,812 | $97,359,062 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2017 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 94-3214166).
Questions about COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION
- What is the EIN of COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION is 94-3214166.
- Is COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1995.
- Are donations to COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
- Who is the principal officer of COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names SANGEETA CHOWDHRY.
- Who are the officers and directors of COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 16 people; 11 received compensation from the organization, the highest $306,300 (SANGEETA CHOWDHRY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR).
- How much revenue does COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $51,414,712, expenses of $126,096,528 and total assets of $67,481,943 at year end.
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All nonprofits in OAKLAND · California · Community improvement and capacity building