Non-profit

Cesar Chavez Foundation

Website:

chavezfoundation.org/

Location:

KEENE, CA

Tax ID:

95-2466747

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2016):

Revenue: $30,434,518
Expenses: $20,683,982
Assets: $121,250,388

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The Cesar Chavez Foundation is a Keene, California-based nonprofit organization that grew out of left-of-center labor activist Cesar Chavez’s early work with the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers). The organization focuses principally on providing low-income housing, promoting left-of-center policy on the radio, and supporting the National Chavez Center in Keene, California.

The Foundation has a Spanish-language public radio network called Radio Campesina. The network has been fined numerous times by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for running politically biased commercial advertisements that public radio stations cannot air under federal law. The station has drawn criticism for using Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) grants to pay FCC and CPB fines and penalties. 1

Overview

In 1966, the National Farm Workers Service Center was established by supporters of left-of-center labor activist Cesar Chavez to build low-income housing units for the elderly and displaced farmworkers. The center later became the Cesar Chavez Foundation. 2

In addition to building and owning housing complexes and operating the Spanish-language public radio network Radio Campesina, the Foundation operates the National Chavez Center in Keene, California. The National Chavez Center was designated a national monument in 2012 by then-President Barack Obama. 3

Union Ties

The foundation continues to have strong ties to the United Farm Workers (UFW), a labor union that Cesar Chavez founded. Two people with ties to the UFW, including former UFW president Arturo Rodriguez, hold seats on the Foundation’s board of directors. 4

The Foundation also continues to share office space with the UFW. Both organizations work out of the La Paz compound that Chavez established in 1972. 5

Housing Program

The Cesar Chavez Foundation is known for its low-income housing complexes for senior citizens built around the southwestern United States. The Foundation has been criticized for its focus on senior citizens instead of farm workers. Most of the complexes it builds are in cities that are located far away from the rural areas typically inhabited by farm workers. 6

Radio Campesina

The Foundation runs a “communications fund” which supports a mostly Spanish-language public radio network called Radio Campesina. The network plays mostly Mexican music and public service announcements. 7

Radio Campesina has taken several political stances in the past, despite its being a public radio station. The station is known for its support for amnesty for illegal immigrants and other expansionist immigration policies. 8

In 2006, the radio network refused to air ads on May 1, focusing its coverage on pro-amnesty protests that were going on that day instead. 9

In 2018, the radio network became known as a voice opposed to immigration enforcement. The Yuma, Arizona affiliate of Radio Campensina is picked up by Mexicans living on the other side of the border who listen to the immigration-related coverage. The network also features illegal immigrants who have dealt with immigration authorities to give advice to listeners on what to do if they encountered law enforcement officials to avoid prosecution. 10

Radio Campesina has been sanctioned by the FCC and the CPB over its advertising practices. Radio Campesina is a public radio station, and by law, public radio stations are not allowed to run commercial advertisements. Public radio stations are only allowed to run public service announcements. Radio Campesina has been fined or warned by the FCC five times between 1997 and 2017 about running advertisements. 11

In 2013, Radio Campesina was forced to repay the CPB $400,000 in grants after the network was found to be noncompliant with the CPB’s grant terms on commercial advertising. Radio Campesina refunded CPB by returning money taken from future CPB grants. 12

In 2018, the FCC fined Radio Campesina $115,000 for violating the prohibition on commercial advertising on two of its stations. 13

Leadership

Paul Chavez sits as the Foundation’s president. He is the son of Cesar Chavez, and he previously worked for UFW. 14

Manuel Bernal is the chief operating officer of the Foundation. Prior to taking on the role in 2017, Bernal was the director of multi-family housing for Los Angeles. 15

Bill Barquin is the chief operating officer of Radio Campesina. He has been in that role since 2009. 16

Finances

According to the Foundation’s 2018 tax returns, the organization generated $31.2 million in revenue and spent $21.6 million in 2018. The Foundation also reported $129.6 million in assets. 17

References

  1.       Schwarz, David. 2017. “This Public Radio Station Is Owned By The Cesar Chavez Foundation—And Illegally Sells Ads”. Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/this-public-radio-station-is-owned-by-the-cesar-chavez-foundation-mdash-and-illegally-sells-ads.   
  2.      “History”. 2021. Cesar Chavez Foundation. Accessed March 1. https://chavezfoundation.org/history/.
  3. “California: Cesar E. Chavez National Monument/ Nuestra Senora Reina De La Paz”. 2021. National Park Service. Accessed March 1. https://www.nps.gov/articles/chavez.htm.
  4. “Board Of Directors”. 2021. Cesar Chavez Foundation. Accessed March 1. https://chavezfoundation.org/who-we-are/board-of-directors/.
  5. “California: Cesar E. Chavez National Monument/ Nuestra Senora Reina De La Paz”. 2021. National Park Service. Accessed March 1. https://www.nps.gov/articles/chavez.htm.
  6. Pawel, Miriam. 2006. “Farmworkers Reap Little As Union Strays From Its Roots”. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jan-08-me-ufw8-story.html.
  7. De La Cruz, Alondra. 2018. “The Spanish-Language Voice Of Resistance”. POLITICO Magazine. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/09/09/hispanic-latino-immigrants-resist-trump-radio-campesina-219737/.
  8. De La Cruz, Alondra. 2018. “The Spanish-Language Voice Of Resistance”. POLITICO Magazine. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/09/09/hispanic-latino-immigrants-resist-trump-radio-campesina-219737/.
  9. “Eight-Station, Three-State Radio Campesina Network Drops Ads For All-Day Coverage Of Immigrant Rights Events Across U.S. & Mexico”. 2006. UFW. https://ufw.org/Eight-station-three-state-Radio-Campesina-Network-drops-ads-for-all-day-coverage-of-immigrant-rights-events-across-U-S-Mexico/.
  10.    De La Cruz, Alondra. 2018. “The Spanish-Language Voice Of Resistance”. POLITICO Magazine. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/09/09/hispanic-latino-immigrants-resist-trump-radio-campesina-219737/.
  11. Schwarz, David. 2017. “This Public Radio Station Is Owned By The Cesar Chavez Foundation—And Illegally Sells Ads”. Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/this-public-radio-station-is-owned-by-the-cesar-chavez-foundation-mdash-and-illegally-sells-ads.
  12. Schwarz, David. 2017. “This Public Radio Station Is Owned By The Cesar Chavez Foundation—And Illegally Sells Ads”. Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/this-public-radio-station-is-owned-by-the-cesar-chavez-foundation-mdash-and-illegally-sells-ads.
  13. “Radio Campesina’ Parent Fined Over Underwriting Violations”. 2018. Inside Radio. http://www.insideradio.com/free/radio-campesina-parent-fined-over-underwriting-violations/article_791a7a04-07e3-11e8-8617-2f3ca858c6c4.html.
  14. “Paul Chavez President”. 2021. Cesar Chavez Foundation. Accessed March 1. https://chavezfoundation.org/paul-chavez/.
  15. “Manuel Bernal  Chief Operating Officer”. 2021. Cesar Chavez Foundation. Accessed March 1. https://chavezfoundation.org/manuel-bernal/.
  16. “Bill Barquin Chief Operating Officer, Communications Fund”. 2021. Cesar Chavez Foundation. Accessed March 1. https://chavezfoundation.org/bill-barquin/.
  17. Form 990. 2018. Ebook. Guidestar. https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2018/952/466/2018-952466747-17146491-9.pdf?_gl=1*f0gfix*_ga*MTcyOTQwMTk5OC4xNTczNDQ5NDky*_ga_0H865XH5JK*MTYxNDYyNjg0MS4xNS4xLjE2MTQ2MjY4NzMuMA..*_ga_5W8PXYYGBX*MTYxNDYyNjg0MS4xNS4xLjE2MTQ2MjY4NzMuMA..&_ga=2.162297596.1998821003.1614626825-1729401998.1573449492.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 1967

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2016 Dec Form 990 $30,434,518 $20,683,982 $121,250,388 $10,524,691 Y $7,062,142 $21,145,251 $2,321,806 $1,124,280
    2015 Dec Form 990 $39,197,136 $28,763,958 $114,557,643 $11,271,130 Y $3,698,157 $33,513,769 $2,075,197 $1,089,853 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $31,969,627 $24,080,923 $106,292,117 $11,430,124 Y $5,820,800 $23,603,701 $2,626,457 $780,960 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $32,357,303 $18,971,783 $99,268,229 $12,454,701 Y $2,613,490 $23,393,795 $6,431,862 $780,320 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $27,542,793 $15,879,007 $84,984,179 $11,655,404 Y $10,360,862 $16,879,370 $364,350 $804,274 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $22,326,606 $19,308,202 $74,774,068 $12,856,369 Y $6,006,712 $14,927,055 $1,444,772 $300,943 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990 $19,113,069 $15,949,025 $72,354,317 $14,277,198 Y $4,872,678 $12,373,389 $1,924,520 $660,727 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Cesar Chavez Foundation

    PO BOX 62
    KEENE, CA 93531-0062