Disable all preview features
There was a problem enabling Giving Basket donations for this page. If you're looking to donate you can try refreshing the page.
If the problem perisists you can contact us or email: helpandsupport@charitynavigator.org.
You can include the Cart ID: Not assigned

Community Development : Community Foundations

Common Counsel Foundation

Expanding philanthropic resources for progressive social movements

84.04

1624 Franklin Street #1022
Oakland, CA 94612
tel: (510) 834-2995   Web Site
EIN: 94-3214166

Board Leadership
Dennis Quirin
President

Charity Navigator

Error attempting donation

You're too fast!

Your donation attempt encountered a problem. Please refresh the page to try again.

You're faster than our page! Give the page a little longer to finish loading and try your donation again.

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 84.04
  Financial 95.00
  Accountability & Transparency 78.00
This rating was published 04/01/2021 and includes data from FY2019, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Common Counsel Foundation partners with families and individual donors to expand philanthropic resources for progressive social movements. Through our strategic philanthropic services, we prioritize support for community-based organizations building the leadership of low-income people, women, youth, people of color and others working for justice, equity, and a healthy, sustainable environment.

Common Counsel Foundation partners with families and individual donors to expand philanthropic resources for progressive social movements. Through our strategic philanthropic services, we prioritize support for community-based organizations building the leadership of low-income people, women, youth, people of color and others working for justice, equity, and a healthy, sustainable environment.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

95.00

Accountability & Transparency

78.00

This rating was published 04/01/2021 and includes data from FY2019, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 96.1%
  Administrative Expenses 2.8%
  Fundraising Expenses 0.9%
  Fundraising Efficiency < $0.01
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.28
  Program Expenses Growth 64.3%
  Liabilities to Assets 1.1%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Common Counsel Foundation on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Common Counsel Foundation on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $7,169,987
   Federated Campaigns $0
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $0
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $0
Total Contributions $7,169,987
   Program Service Revenue $1,571,473
Total Primary Revenue $8,741,460
   Other Revenue $111,102
TOTAL REVENUE $8,852,562
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $15,981,004
   Administrative Expenses $307,350
   Fundraising Expenses $78,320
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $16,366,674
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $-7,514,112
   
Net Assets $12,256,510

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
Strategic Grantmaking $6,606,790 41.3%
Fund Close-Out $6,057,312 37.9%
Fiscal Sponsorship $2,938,698 18.4%

Ratings History

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2019-12 04/01/2021 84.04
2018-12 03/01/2020 92.02
2017-12 06/01/2019 91.41
2016-12 06/01/2018 85.93
2015-12 06/01/2017 81.81

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 94-3214166
Name in IRS Master File COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION
NTEE Code S50
NTEE Classification Nonprofit Management
NTEE Type Community Improvement, Capacity Building
Classification Charitable Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities (994) Described in section 170(b)1)(a)(vi) of the Code
(602) Gifts, grants, or loans to other organizations
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
Affiliation Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date July, 1995
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End December
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • December, 2018
  • December, 2017
  • December, 2016
  • December, 2015
  • December, 2014
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
None reported -- This organization did not report a CEO

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Common Counsel Foundation (CA) 84.04
Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation (NV) 100.00
Miami Foundation (FL) 96.62
Erie Community Foundation (PA) 99.45
The Oregon Community Foundation (OR) 96.41

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

Are you the representative for this organization? If so, click here to access the application form. As an official representative you will have the ability to update some of the information on this page.

Charity Contact Info

Common Counsel Foundation
1624 Franklin Street
#1022
Oakland, CA 94612
tel: (510) 834-2995
fax: (510) 834-2998
EIN: 94-3214166

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Dennis Quirin
President

please wait...

    • I want to donate to Common Counsel Foundation

      $
      next

    • Frequency

      back
      next

    • Would you like us to email someone and CC you?

      This email identifies you as the donor but does not specify the amount of your gift.
      back
    A donation of to has been added to your Giving Basket!

    Basket Total:
    Check Out Now or Continue Researching

Join Our Mailing List

Join over 400,000 other informed givers and get updates on charity ratings, new features, hot topics, and tips for donating.

As seen on