California Alliance of Child and Family Services

What it reported doing in 2024

Member services, training & conferences accomplishments our memberswith 213 member organizations, including associate members, the ca alliance represents a statewide network that spans every county and every senate and assembly district. Our members include foster family agencies, strtps, behavioral health providers, nonpublic schools, and prevention and early intervention programs. Many have been part of the ca alliance since its inception, a reflection of the trust and long-standing partnership that define our work together.membership in the ca alliance gives organizations a strong, unified voice in policy and practice. Through strategic communications, advocacy campaigns, and capacitybuilding efforts, we ensure that members priorities are heard at the state level and that their missions are amplified. Our 14 committees and forums, including ceo-only and evolving ceo forums, bring leaders together to shape solutions, share best practices, and strengthen the systems that support children and families.members benefit from policy expertise, professional development opportunities, peer collaboration, and access to resources that help organizations navigate complex challenges. As the needs of our field evolve, our membership programs evolve with them. We remain committed to providing meaningful value, responsive support, and a strong foundation for collective impact across California.eventsevents are a cornerstone of how the ca alliance brings people together to learn, connect, and advance systems to change. This year, our conferences continued to grow as centers for collaboration, professional development, and advocacy, drawing record participation from leaders across child and family services. Our winter conference and advocacy days brought together more than 300 attendees for policy-focused sessions, ceu-accredited training, and direct engagement with legislators. Members shared their expertise and priorities in sacramento, strengthening relationships with policymakers and elevating the voices of youth and families.communicationcommunications are central to how the ca alliance informs, engages, and activates our members and the broader public. This year, our communications efforts played a crucial role in elevating issues, supporting member organizations, and strengthening the understanding of the needs of children, youth, and families across California. A focus in 2025 was the statewide insurance crisis, a challenge with implications for foster youth and the agencies that support them. Through targeted outreach and media coordination, the ca alliance placed more than a dozen stories in prominent outlets, including capradio, the san francisco standard, the sacramento bee, and the los angeles .times. These stories brought visibility to the crisis and amplified the voices of member organizations. To bring light to the issue, we created a dedicated insurance crisis webpage that houses media coverage, resources, and updates on our advocacy work. Alongside this media-focused work, we strengthened our overall communications tools for members. Our presence on x, facebook, linkedin, and instagram continued to grow, serving as effective channels for sharing updates, member news, and information relevant to the child and family services community. We enhanced the ca alliance website, updating key pages to be more userfriendly and content-rich for members seeking policy resources, training materials, and advocacy updates.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 47.5%; rating input score 47
• Program expense ratio: 52.5%; rating input score 53
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 10.6%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.19; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.47; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 39.7%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.4% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6.6% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings