United Way of Northern California

Analysis

United Way of Northern California is a registered charity in United States, based in Redding, CA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in July 1957, 69 years ago. Its declared purposes cover philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations, which this site groups under grant-making and general purposes. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, United Way of Northern California reported income of $3.1m and spending of $4.9m, spending 159% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $5.8m to $3.1m (-47%), an average of -15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income dropped by 39%. Over the whole period it spent 127% of the income it received.

Among 19,413 United States charities whose main cause is grant-making and general purposes and that reported income, United Way of Northern California sits at the 90th percentile: it is larger than about 90% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 89th percentile, and in the 90th percentile within CA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include United Way of Collier and the Keys Inc ($3.1m), Greyston Foundation Inc ($3.1m) and United Way of Fort Smith Area Inc ($3.1m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 97% and program service revenue 0.7% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $133k (2.7% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $1.8m. At year end it held assets of $2.2m against liabilities of $1.2m, net assets of $949k. It reported 40 employees.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.