Regional Parks Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237011877
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Castro Valley, CA, USA
Phone
5105442202
Rating
73
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,757,993
Expenses
$3,051,623
Assets
$26,943,560
Liabilities
$762,804

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JOHN MARTIN (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • LAUREN BERNSTEIN (Executive Dir.): $229,897 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The regional parks foundation's mission is to provide broader public access to the east bay regional park district's 73 regional parks, 1,250 miles of trails, and 55 miles of shoreline spanning alameda and contra costa counties. The regional parks foundation understands that connections with nature are critical for leading a healthy and balanced life, which is the driving force behind its steadfast commitment to increasing access to regional parks and trails for underserved and underrepresented communities in the east bay. Access for all is the overarching goal of the foundation, which it achieves through its key funding support areas of youth development; community engagement; health, wellness and safety; environmental stewardship; and the acquisition of parklands. In addition to fundraising on behalf of the east bay regional park district's programs, services and resource protection projects, the foundation also holds and invests funds for future use by the park district. Through a v

What it reported doing in 2025

Youth development: the foundation is committed to ensuring more young people can learn from and enjoy life-changing experiences in the parks. Through hands-on science education and outdoor skills, we inspire the next generation of environmental leaders. Our youth programs give local students the chance to learn about the environment and connect with nature in their own neighborhoods, helping them become the park stewards of tomorrowhealth, wellness & safety: spending time in nature boosts both our mental and physical well-being. The regional parks foundation supports healthier communities by helping people get outdoors and stay active. We provide everything from water safety programs and trail gear to rescue equipment, giving park visitors and staff the tools and confidence they need to safely enjoy our parks and recreational spaces. Environmental stewardship: as extreme weather events and industrial activities continue to shape our world, the foundation works to protect habitats and wildlife so they can not only survive but thrive. We invest in and support community engagement, education, and stewardship efforts to keep natural habitats and surrounding communities safe and accessible for all. Universal access: at the foundation, we believe parks must be accessible to everyone. Our goal is to remove barriers and create a welcoming space for all by supporting programs that reach historically underserved communities and reflect the east bays rich diversity. We provide transportation for school groups and translation services for park programs. We also offer activities for youth and adults with disabilities, collaborate with local libraries on the backpacks to parks initiative, and provide scholarships and free memberships to those in need. These efforts help make park visits more affordable and offer meaningful experiences that create lasting connections. Community engagement: show your love for the parks through one of the foundations many community engagement opportunities. Partner with us to keep parks accessible for all and to protect wildlife and open space for generations to come.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 94% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 71
  • Accountability: 92
  • Sustainability: 76
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.1%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 75.1%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.84 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 18.8%; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.83; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.6%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -12.4% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -2.2% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 16.9% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.1% of revenue deployed · 75.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 16 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $230K · 16 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2012 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 5 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 27/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.