Welcome to your daily briefing on nonprofit developments in California. Today we're covering 8 key stories including updates on california nonprofit headlines, california nonprofit updates, background & context. Let's dive in.
4 stories
The Blue Shield of California Foundation's newsroom features the latest foundation news, grant announcements, and media coverage, with contact information available for press inquiries.
Nonprofit professionals in CA can monitor this page to stay informed about funding opportunities and foundation priorities that may support their work.
This checklist was developed by CalNonprofits in consultation with the California Attorney General’s Office and the CA Franchise Tax Board. Although we make every effort to identify errors and fix broken links, please help us keep….
Relevant to nonprofit professionals operating in CA.
The California Wellness Foundation will not accept letters of inquiry or unsolicited grant proposals in 2026, and has outlined new priorities in a blog post by Chief Strategy Officer Alex M. Johnson.
CA nonprofit professionals who rely on Cal Wellness funding must adjust their 2026 fundraising strategies and seek alternative revenue streams during this application pause.
The California Department of Justice provides an online database to verify charity registration status and view annual financial reports like Form 990.
California nonprofit professionals must ensure their organizations register and file required annual reports to maintain compliance with state supervision rules.
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1 story
In California, the Attorney General regulates charities, the professional fundraisers who solicit on their behalf, and other persons and entities that hold charitable assets or operate charitable f….
Relevant to nonprofit professionals operating in CA.
3 stories
Negligent-screening claims arise not from failing to have a screening policy, but from failing to follow the policy that exists. A documented policy with inconsistent enforcement is harder to defend than no policy at all, because the deviation is evidence of negligence.
Insurance carriers tighten coverage on organizations with screening-process gaps. The cost of consistent enforcement is small; the cost of a single uninvestigated incident can close the organization.
Unrelated business income tax applies when an activity is regularly carried on, is a trade or business, and is not substantially related to the exempt purpose. Common surprises: corporate-sponsored events with naming rights that look like advertising, affinity credit-card royalties that include co-marketing services, and gift-shop sales of items unrelated to the mission.
UBIT exposure can cost both tax and exempt status if the unrelated business becomes substantial. The line between sponsorship (excluded) and advertising (included) is narrow and case-specific.
Donor-restricted gifts must be tracked separately and used only for the restricted purpose; using them for general operations — even with intent to "pay back" later — is a fiduciary breach and an audit finding. The most-common fact pattern: cash-flow shortage in operations, restricted-grant balance available, transfer "borrowed" with no formal repayment plan.
State attorneys general have authority over restricted-gift compliance and have pursued individual board members and executives. Auditors are required to disclose restricted-fund violations in the management letter.
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