California's charitable sector is a patchwork of national health societies, private family foundations, neighborhood service agencies, and cultural associations. This directory page helps you find them in cities from San Diego to Santa Rosa. The state has no single charity office where you can walk in and get help, so it pays to know which agency oversees what, and how to match a listing to the service you need.

Which California Agencies Oversee Charities and Nonprofits

Three public bodies handle most of the paperwork. The Secretary of State registers nonprofit corporations formed under California's Nonprofit Corporation Law. The Franchise Tax Board decides state income tax exemption, which is separate from the federal 501(c)(3) status granted by the Internal Revenue Service. The Registry of Charitable Trusts, a unit of the California Attorney General's office, supervises charities that hold or raise charitable assets in the state.

The Registry's authority comes from the Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act in the Government Code. Most charities register with the Registry and then file an annual report and renewal fee. The fee scales with the organization's revenue, so a small neighborhood group pays far less than a large health charity. Commercial fundraisers and fundraising counsel that solicit on a charity's behalf must register separately.

Larger organizations face stricter rules under the Nonprofit Integrity Act of 2004. Charities with gross annual revenue of $2 million or more must have their financial statements audited by an independent accountant and must keep an audit committee. Small family foundations, by contrast, often file much shorter reports.

Metro and Rural Patterns in California's Charity Listings

Charity offices follow population and money. Los Angeles County holds the largest share of our California listings, with 530 across its cities, and the City of Los Angeles alone accounts for 264. The listings mix very different organizations: the Andronicus Alumni Association on West 28th Street in Los Angeles, the Audrey Hepburn Childrens Fund on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, the Coleman Chamber Music Association on South Lake Avenue in Pasadena, and the Archstone Foundation on East Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach. For the full set, see Los Angeles County.

San Francisco is both a city and a county, so its 136 listings sit under one page, City and County of San Francisco County. Aids Life Cycle, at 995 Market Street, is one of them. Across the bay, Alameda County lists the American Cancer Society on Webster Street in Oakland and the Berkeley Media Studies Group on Center Street in Berkeley. Many Bay Area nonprofits serve several counties, so an Oakland address does not mean its programs stop at the county line.

Southern California beyond Los Angeles is just as active. San Diego has the Academic Foundation for International Cultural Exchange on La Jolla Boulevard. Orange County lists the Beauchamp Family Foundation in Irvine, the Roy E Crummer Foundation in Newport Beach, and the Armenian Cultural Foundation of Orange County in Santa Ana. Private foundations often cluster in business districts such as Newport Center Drive, while direct-service agencies sit closer to the neighborhoods they serve.

The Central Valley, the Inland Empire, and Rural Counties

Outside the coastal metros, the listings thin out but remain useful. Fresno has a Salvation Army office on Fulton Street, Modesto has the Stanislaus Community Foundation on 11th Street, and Bakersfield has an American Lung Association office on American Avenue. In San Bernardino County, the Family Service Association on North Arrowhead Avenue in San Bernardino and the High Desert Outreach Center in Adelanto serve communities spread across the largest county in the contiguous United States by area.

Our database covers 47 of California's 58 counties, and rural counties in the far north and the Sierra often have only one or two listed charities. In those places, regional offices and community foundations frequently cover several counties, so phone ahead to confirm that your address falls within the service area.

How to Check a California Charity Before You Give, Volunteer, or Apply

A listing tells you where an organization says it operates. It does not prove the organization is in good standing. Before donating or sharing personal information, run through a short check:

Always call before you travel. Listings are compiled from public records, and organizations move, merge, or change hours.

What to Bring When You Visit a Charity Office in California

Requirements vary by program, but a few documents come up repeatedly. Bring a government-issued photo ID, proof of your current address such as a utility bill or lease, and, for income-based programs, recent pay stubs or a benefits letter. Many programs serve only residents of a particular county or city, which is why the county pages on this site are a useful filter. Children's and family programs may ask for birth certificates or school records. Ask in advance whether the organization needs originals or accepts copies.

Volunteers face their own steps. Programs that work with children, seniors, or people in treatment commonly require a background check, and some require fingerprinting through Live Scan, the electronic system used across California. Ask the volunteer coordinator how long clearance takes before you plan your first shift.

Donors should expect a written acknowledgment. For single gifts of $250 or more, federal rules require a written receipt from the charity to support a tax deduction. Keep it with your tax records.

Grantmakers, Service Providers, and Associations: Know Which One You Are Calling

A common mistake is approaching the wrong kind of organization. If you need direct help, start with service-oriented listings such as the Family Service Association in San Bernardino or the Salvation Army in Fresno. Private and community foundations, including the Stanislaus Community Foundation, the Archstone Foundation, and the Arthur N Rupe Foundation in Santa Barbara, usually fund other nonprofits rather than serve individuals. Many accept applications only during set cycles or by invitation, so read the website before sending a request.

Associations form a third group. The California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives, listed on 11th Street in Sacramento, represents treatment providers rather than treating patients. The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation in Walnut Creek supports charities with contributions from the insurance industry. If you need treatment, a statewide association can often point you toward member programs instead of providing care itself.

For help that is not tied to a single charity, dial 211 from most California locations to reach a local information and referral line covering housing, food, and health services.

Nonprofit organizations operating in California must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. California's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Charity Nonprofit locations are available in 344 cities across California. They are spread across 47 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, which typically host large concentrations of nonprofits serving regional populations across health, human services, education, and arts sectors.

Donors in California can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the California Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Charity Nonprofit by Counties

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Nonprofits seeking grant funding in California should explore state-level grant programs administered through the California Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many California foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Browse Charity Nonprofit by county across California to find the nearest location.

Giving, Volunteering, and Getting Help Across California's Charity Network

California's charitable landscape rewards a little homework. The state's size means the nearest office may be a county away, and the biggest concentrations of organizations sit in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, and Oakland. In the Inland Empire, San Bernardino County lists 64 offices, including the Family Service Association. Sacramento County lists 81, many with a statewide focus because the capital draws associations that work with legislators and state departments.

Start with the county page nearest you, confirm the organization's registration, and call before visiting. If you are comparing several groups doing similar work, check their most recent annual report or Form 990 for program spending and ask how donations are used. Small organizations often answer these questions in a phone call; larger ones post them online.

Local knowledge helps too. Libraries, city hall front desks, and county social services offices keep lists of nonprofits that take referrals, and staff at the Salvation Army or a community foundation often know which agencies have openings or waitlists. Ask for two or three names instead of one so you have a backup.

Nothing on this page replaces advice from an attorney, an accountant, or the agencies named above. Rules for registration, fees, and exemptions change, so check current forms at the agency itself before relying on a date or dollar amount.

Charity and Nonprofit Questions for California

Search the Registry of Charitable Trusts database, which is run by the California Attorney General's office. Enter the organization's name or registry number and review its status, which shows whether it is current or has fallen behind on filings. Then confirm the corporate record in the Secretary of State's business search and the federal status in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Some religious organizations and government entities are not required to register with the Registry, so a missing result is not always a warning sign. If a group is asking for money and cannot be found anywhere, ask for its registration number before giving.

Charities registered with the Registry file an annual Registration Renewal Fee Report, known as Form RRF-1, along with the renewal fee and a copy of their IRS Form 990 or a state short form if they are small. Tax-exempt organizations also file an annual information return with the Franchise Tax Board, commonly Form 199 or the shorter Form 199N for very small groups. Organizations with $2 million or more in gross revenue must also provide audited financial statements. These filings are public, so you can ask a charity for them or look them up before you donate.

Yes, in most cases. California allows qualified nonprofit organizations to run charitable raffles under Penal Code section 320.5. They must register with the Registry of Charitable Trusts before selling tickets and file a report afterward. At least 90 percent of the gross receipts must go to the charitable purpose, with the remainder covering costs. The raffle must be run by volunteers rather than paid staff or contractors. Because the rules are detailed, contact the Registry before you print tickets, and ask your city or county whether any local permit requirements also apply.

In San Bernardino County, the Family Service Association at 472 North Arrowhead Avenue in San Bernardino (909-888-2100) and the High Desert Outreach Center at 11744 Bartlett Avenue in Adelanto (760-246-7874) are listed. Sacramento County includes the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives at 1127 11th Street (916-329-7409), a statewide association in the capital. Riverside County, next door to San Bernardino, is also well represented in our database. These counties are large and spread out, so confirm the service area by phone and ask whether the office accepts walk-ins before you travel.

Possibly. The welfare exemption can reduce or eliminate property tax on property that a qualifying nonprofit owns and uses for charitable purposes. The organization first obtains an organizational clearance certificate from the State Board of Equalization, then files a claim with the county assessor where the property sits. The exemption is not automatic, and the deadlines and forms are set at the county level. Separately, a nonprofit seeking state income tax exemption applies to the Franchise Tax Board, generally submitting its IRS determination letter with Form 3500A. A newly formed group should talk to an attorney or accountant familiar with California nonprofits.

File a complaint with the Registry of Charitable Trusts at the Attorney General's office, which can look into misuse of charitable assets and fundraising violations. If you lost money to fraud, also contact your local police department or sheriff and your bank or card issuer right away, and consider reporting to the Federal Trade Commission. Keep receipts, emails, text messages, and the name of the caller or website. Warning signs include pressure to give immediately, requests for gift cards or wire transfers, and names that closely imitate well-known charities. Always call the number on an organization's official website, not one from an unsolicited message.