Nonprofit · EIN 45-3594189
FRIENDS OF ROOTS
Tax-exempt · SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990-EZ | $69,247 | $65,240 | $4,007 | $279,517 | – | $279,517 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990-EZ | $75,743 | $67,406 | $8,337 | $275,510 | – | $275,510 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990-EZ | $91,395 | $29,674 | $61,721 | $267,173 | – | $267,173 |
Financial details: 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $9,753
- Program service revenue
- $48,927
- Investment income
- $10,567
Expenses
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $0
- Professional fees and payments to contractors
- $783
- Occupancy
- $4,492
- Printing, publications and postage
- $16
- Other expenses
- $59,949
- Program services (functional)
- $36,210
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $275,510
- Total assets, end of year
- $279,517
- Total liabilities, end of year
- –
- Net assets, end of year
- $279,517
- Cash, savings and investments
- $275,871
- Gross receipts
- $69,247
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIAN YEE | President | 5 | $0 |
| ELSIE LAM | Vice President | 5 | $0 |
| ANDY FONG | Secretary | 1 | $0 |
| LINDA CHEU | DEVELOPMENT DIR | 1 | $0 |
| JANE CHIN | Director | 1 | $0 |
| FRANCES KWONG | Treasurer | 5 | $0 |
| STEFANIE LEE | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| CHERYL TIEN | Director | 0 | $0 |
990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2024: 8 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIAN YEE | President | 5 | $0 |
| ELSIE LAM | Vice President | 5 | $0 |
| ANDY FONG | Secretary | 1 | $0 |
| LINDA CHEU | DEVELOPMENT DIR | 1 | $0 |
| JANE CHIN | Director | 1 | $0 |
| FRANCES KWONG | Treasurer | 5 | $0 |
| STEFANIE LEE | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| CHERYL TIEN | Director | 0 | $0 |
990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2023: 8 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIAN YEE | President | 1 | $0 |
| ELSIE LAM | Vice President | 1 | $0 |
| ANDY FONG | Secretary | 1 | $0 |
| LINDA CHEU | DEVELOPMENT DIR | 0.5 | $0 |
| JANE CHIN | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| FRANCES KWONG | Treasurer | 0.5 | $0 |
| STEFANIE LEE | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| CHERYL TIEN | Director | 0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1559 B SLOAT BLVD 266, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132-1222
- In care of
- % ALAN LIU
- Signed the 990-EZ
- BRIAN YEE, President
- Phone
- (415) 322-9338
- Website
- www.friendsofroots.org
- Return prepared by
- Stern & Associates
California records
California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 45-3594189 or by the name FRIENDS OF ROOTS.
- Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
- Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)
- Secretary of State, bizfile Online
- Corporation status, entity number, agent for service
- Franchise Tax Board
- Entity status letter (state tax exemption, good standing)
Mission
FRIENDS OF ROOTS OFFERS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER THE ROOTS THAT LINK THEM TO ANCESTRAL BEGINNINGS IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE, CHINA. IT FURTHERS EDUCATION, RESEARCH, DOCUMENTATION AND ARCHIVING OF ASIAN AMERICAN GENEALOGY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE. THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CLOSE AND COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OVERSEAS CHINESE AFFAIRS OFFICE OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE.
Program accomplishments
- ROOTS SUMMER IS A YEAR-LONG PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18 TO 30. IN 2017, 11 ROOTS INTERNS WERE SELECTED IN JANUARY. IN FEBRUARY, AN INFORMAL MEETING WAS HELD SO THAT THE YEARS INTERNS COULD MEET EACH OTHER. A SERIES OF SATURDAY SEMINARS AND ACTIVITIES WERE CONDUCTED FROM MARCH THROUGH JUNE. INTERNS TOURED SAN FRANCISCO CHINATOWN, CONDUCTED RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, AND TOURED ANGEL ISLAND IMMIGRATION STATION. INTERNS ATTENDED SEMINARS ON CHINAS HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY AND THE CHINESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY. SCHOLARS AND WRITERS SUCH AS JUDY YOUNG AND RUTHANNE LUM MCCUNN SERVED AS GUEST SPEAKERS. THE FINAL PRE-TRIP SEMINAR WAS HELD IN JUNE AND INCLUDED FINAL PREPARATIONS AND A BRIEFING FOR THE TRIP TO CHINA. AFTER EXPLORING THEIR CHINESE ROOTS IN AMERICA THROUGH THE ACTIVITIES PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, PARTICIPANTS EXPLORED THEIR ROOTS IN CHINA THROUGH VISITS TO THEIR ANCESTRAL VILLAGES AND OTHER HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SITES IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE. UPON THEIR RETURN FROM CHINA, THE INTERNS CONTINUED OUR MISSION AND VALUES. PAULA MADISON, RETIRED NBC EXECUTIVE, WAS THE 2017 KEYNOTE GUEST SPEAKER. SHE WROTE A BOOK, FINDING SAMUEL LOWE: FROM HARLEM TO CHINA, AND MADE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HER SEARCH FOR HER HAKKA CHINESE GRANDFATHERS FAMILY. SHE IS OF JAMAICAN BLACK AND CHINESE ANCESTRY AND GREW UP IN HARLEM.Expenses $36,210
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990-EZ on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990-EZ on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990-EZ on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 45-3594189
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2014
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A20)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $279,517
- Income (IRS master file)
- $69,247
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990-EZ | December 2025 | $69,247 | $65,240 | $279,517 | XML |
| 990-EZ | December 2024 | $75,743 | $67,406 | $275,510 | XML |
| 990-EZ | December 2023 | $91,395 | $29,674 | $267,173 | XML |
| 990-EZ | December 2022 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-EZ | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2017 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 45-3594189).
Questions about FRIENDS OF ROOTS
- What is the EIN of FRIENDS OF ROOTS?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of FRIENDS OF ROOTS is 45-3594189.
- Is FRIENDS OF ROOTS tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2014.
- Are donations to FRIENDS OF ROOTS tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does FRIENDS OF ROOTS file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of FRIENDS OF ROOTS due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did FRIENDS OF ROOTS last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990-EZ for the year ended December 2025.
- Who are the officers and directors of FRIENDS OF ROOTS?
- The 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 8 people; 0 received compensation from the organization.
- How much revenue does FRIENDS OF ROOTS have?
- On its 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $69,247, expenses of $65,240 and total assets of $279,517 at year end.
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