CharityBrief

EIN41-2024986

All organizations › California › Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on Internal Revenue Service records. Published by Humblebee.

Exempt under
501(c)(3)[1]
IRS ruling date
July 2002[2]
Publication 78 data
Listed (PC)[3]
Total revenue, period ending Dec 2024
$37,978,651[4]

Common Sense Media is an organization in San Francisco, California, that the IRS lists as exempt under section 501(c)(3)[5][1]. For the tax period ending December 2024, the IRS master file lists total revenue of $37,978,651[4].

IRS status

The IRS lists Common Sense Media as exempt under section 501(c)(3), classification: Charitable Organization[1]. The ruling date in the IRS master file is July 2002[2]. Its foundation code is 15: Organization that receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)[6]. It appears in IRS Publication 78 data with status code PC, a public charity[3].

Item IRS record
EIN[5] 41-2024986
Location in IRS records[5] San Francisco, California
Exempt under[1] Section 501(c)(3)
IRS classification[1] Charitable Organization
Ruling date[2] July 2002
Foundation code[6] 15: Organization that receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility code[7] 1: Contributions are deductible
Publication 78 data[3] Listed, status PC
NTEE code[8] A99: Arts, Culture and Humanities, Arts, Culture, and Humanities N.E.C
Filing requirement[9] 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal year ends[10] December
Latest e-filed return[11] Form 990, tax period ending December 2024

Finances as reported to the IRS

On its Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2023, Common Sense Media reported total revenue of $33,991,589, total expenses of $30,433,023 and net assets of $33,756,810[12]. Revenue included contributions, gifts and grants of $21,664,574 and program service revenue of $12,135,470 on that Form 990[13]. On its Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2022, it reported total revenue of $24,617,693 and total expenses of $31,200,278[14]. On its Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2021, it reported total revenue of $41,899,008 and total expenses of $28,133,055[15]. Total revenue on the December 2023 Form 990 was lower than on the December 2021 Form 990 and higher than on the December 2022 Form 990[15][14][12].

IRS master file, newer period. For the most recent return in the IRS master file, for the tax period ending December 2024, the IRS lists total revenue of $37,978,651 and total assets of $37,422,721.[4]

December 2021: total revenue $41.9M$41.9MDecember 2021: total expenses $28.1M$28.1MDec 2021December 2022: total revenue $24.6M$24.6MDecember 2022: total expenses $31.2M$31.2MDec 2022December 2023: total revenue $34.0M$34.0MDecember 2023: total expenses $30.4M$30.4MDec 2023
  • Total revenue
  • Total expenses
Amounts as reported on each return, rounded in the chart. Exact figures are in the table below[12].
Tax period ending Form Total revenue Total expenses Net assets at year end
December 2021[15]Form 990$41,899,008$28,133,055$36,780,437
December 2022[14]Form 990$24,617,693$31,200,278$30,198,236
December 2023[12]Form 990$33,991,589$30,433,023$33,756,810

Totals as reported on each return. The IRS publishes these extracts one to two years after filing.

Balance sheet, tax period ending December 2023

Line Amount
Total assets[16] $44,307,126
Total liabilities[16] $10,550,316
Net assets or fund balances[16] $33,756,810

Employees. Common Sense Media reported 176 employees on Form W-3 for calendar year ending with or within the tax period ending December 2023 (Form 990, Part V, line 2a).[17]

Compensation over $100,000. On the Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2023, Common Sense Media reported 82 individuals who received more than $100,000 of reportable compensation from the organization (Part VII, line 2).[18]

Form 990 checklist. In the Form 990 checklist (Part IV) for the tax period ending December 2023, Common Sense Media answered yes to: it engaged in lobbying activities.[19]

Questions people ask

What is the EIN of Common Sense Media?
The IRS master file lists Common Sense Media with EIN 41-2024986[5].
Is Common Sense Media a 501(c)(3)?
The IRS lists it as exempt under section 501(c)(3), classification: Charitable Organization[1]. It appears in Publication 78 data with status code PC[3].
Are contributions to Common Sense Media tax-deductible?
IRS deductibility code 1 for the organization reads: Contributions are deductible[7]. Publication 78 lists it as a public charity with deductibility limitation 50% (60% for cash contributions)[3].
Where is Common Sense Media located?
The IRS master file lists it in San Francisco, California[5].
What revenue did Common Sense Media report?
On its Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2023, it reported total revenue of $33,991,589[12]. The IRS master file lists total revenue of $37,978,651 for the tax period ending December 2024[4].

Facts and sources

  1. The IRS lists Common Sense Media as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, classification: Charitable Organization. IRS EO Business Master File
  2. The ruling date in the IRS master file (the month and year of the IRS letter recognizing the exemption) is July 2002. IRS EO Business Master File
  3. Common Sense Media (EIN 41-2024986) appears in the IRS Publication 78 data, the list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions, with status code PC (A public charity, deductibility limitation 50% (60% for cash contributions)). IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search data
  4. For the most recent return in the IRS master file, for the tax period ending December 2024, the IRS lists total revenue of $37,978,651 and total assets of $37,422,721. IRS EO Business Master File
  5. The IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File lists Common Sense Media with employer identification number (EIN) 41-2024986, located in San Francisco, California. IRS EO Business Master File
  6. IRS foundation code 15 for Common Sense Media: Organization that receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi). IRS EO Business Master File
  7. IRS deductibility code 1 for Common Sense Media: Contributions are deductible. IRS EO Business Master File
  8. The IRS master file assigns Common Sense Media the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) code A99: Arts, Culture and Humanities, Arts, Culture, and Humanities N.E.C. IRS EO Business Master File
  9. IRS filing requirement code 01 for Common Sense Media: 990 (all other) or 990EZ return. IRS EO Business Master File
  10. Common Sense Media's accounting period (fiscal year) ends in December, according to the IRS master file. IRS EO Business Master File
  11. The IRS Form 990 series e-file data released in 2025 includes a Form 990 from Common Sense Media for the tax period ending December 2024. IRS Form 990 e-file data
  12. On its Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2023, Common Sense Media reported total revenue $33,991,589, total expenses $30,433,023, net assets or fund balances at year end $33,756,810. IRS SOI Form 990 extracts
  13. Revenue lines on the Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2023: contributions, gifts and grants $21,664,574 (Part VIII, line 1h); program service revenue $12,135,470 (Part VIII, line 2g); investment income $743,184 (Part VIII, line 3); total revenue $33,991,589 (Part VIII, line 12). IRS SOI Form 990 extracts
  14. On its Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2022, Common Sense Media reported total revenue $24,617,693, total expenses $31,200,278, net assets or fund balances at year end $30,198,236. IRS SOI Form 990 extracts
  15. On its Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2021, Common Sense Media reported total revenue $41,899,008, total expenses $28,133,055, net assets or fund balances at year end $36,780,437. IRS SOI Form 990 extracts
  16. Balance sheet at the end of the tax period ending December 2023 (Form 990, Part X): total assets $44,307,126, total liabilities $10,550,316, net assets or fund balances $33,756,810. IRS SOI Form 990 extracts
  17. Common Sense Media reported 176 employees on Form W-3 for calendar year ending with or within the tax period ending December 2023 (Form 990, Part V, line 2a). IRS SOI Form 990 extracts
  18. On the Form 990 for the tax period ending December 2023, Common Sense Media reported 82 individuals who received more than $100,000 of reportable compensation from the organization (Part VII, line 2). IRS SOI Form 990 extracts
  19. In the Form 990 checklist (Part IV) for the tax period ending December 2023, Common Sense Media answered yes to: it engaged in lobbying activities. IRS SOI Form 990 extracts

All figures are as the organization reported them to the IRS for the stated tax period. Say the tax period with every figure. Finance figures come from the IRS SOI annual extracts, which lag filing by one to two years. The IRS master file can list a newer period: keep the two apart and name each period. To see an organization's own filings, use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.