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Center for Community Change

CharityWatch rating issued
March 2026

 
CharityWatch Rating
risk WARNING: See Analysts’ Notes
 
Ratings & Metrics

Contact Information

Center for Community Change
1536 U Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Website

www.communitychange.org

Stated Mission

To build the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to change their communities and public policies for the better.

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Ratings & Metrics

Learn more about Ratings & Metrics
Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 09/30/2024

*Why a Question Mark Rating?

CharityWatch currently has concerns about this organization and/or is unable to provide complete rating information due to the organization's nondisclosure of financial information. Please see the Analysts' Notes section for a more detailed explanation.

Governance & Transparency

Learn more about Governance & Transparency
CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
Center for Community Change
does not meet governance benchmarks.
 
Center for Community Change
does not meet transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy

Top Salaries

Learn more about Top Salaries
  Name Title Compensation
1 Lorella Praeli Co-President $348,683
2 Dorian Warren Co-President $291,803
3 Julia Foster Chief of Staff $231,358
1
Name: Lorella Praeli
Title: Co-President
Compensation: $348,683
2
Name: Dorian Warren
Title: Co-President
Compensation: $291,803
3
Name: Julia Foster
Title: Chief of Staff
Compensation: $231,358

Analysts' Notes

Learn more about Analysts' Notes
CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

CharityWatch is unable to provide a letter grade rating for Center for Community Change (CCC) at this time due to our specific concerns about the charity's financial reporting. For this reason we have assigned it a "?" rating for its 2024 fiscal year based on our analysis of the organization's IRS Tax Form 990 and audited financial statements for that period. Specifically, CharityWatch is concerned that the charity could be including certain fundraising expenses in its reported program expenses. 

CharityWatch contacted CCC on December 8, 2025, via email with questions about its financial reporting for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. 

CharityWatch requested clarification regarding the "Other" expenses per IRS Form 990, Part IX, Statement of Functional Expenses, line 11g. CharityWatch's inquiry was as follows:

"...We noted the following allocated to the Program Expense portion of line 11g when examining the provided breakouts on Schedule O of CCC’s FY2024 IRS Form 990:

  • $650,785 related to 'Supporting Capacities'
  • $673,784 related to 'Reinventing Comm Organizing'
  • $4,078,557 related to 'Special Projects'
  • $518,563 related to 'Advancing A Governing Agenda'..."


"...For all of the above, please provide:

  • The types of services provided (e.g., legal, communications, research, IT, campaign support, etc.)
  • Whether any services rendered include any fundraising, advertising, or marketing activity that includes a request for donations; and
  • Whether any payments were made to professional fundraising companies or third-party development vendors, even if not reported under 'Professional Fundraising Services'
  • An indication of whether any of these expenses included any joint costs or fundraising components..."


CCC reached out on December 10, 2025, and December 12, 2025, to confirm receipt of our inquiry and inform us that they are working on providing a response. As of the date of this note, March 30, 2026, we have not received a response. 

If CCC provides an adequate response to the above questions in the future, CharityWatch may update CCC's fiscal 2024 rating at that time.