End Poverty in California (EPIC)

What End Poverty in California (EPIC) does

End Poverty in California (EPIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit policy advocacy organization founded in 2022 by Michael Tubbs, former Mayor of Stockton, and is fiscally sponsored by the Tides Center. The organization operates through a three-pillar strategy — narrative change, power building, and policy change — aimed at reducing poverty in California by centering the voices of people living in poverty in policy design. Its functional offerings include the 'Poverty and Power' documentary directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Jacob Kornbluth, the 'Upset the Setup' blog, the Statewide Listening Tour across 26+ California counties, and the #Listen2Workers campaign that connects workers with state legislators.

EPIC's products and assets are content-driven rather than technology-driven: a feature-length documentary, a media blog, video interview series, and convening events. There is no proprietary software, platform, or technical architecture described, and EPIC does not sell commercial products or services. Revenue is generated through individual donations processed via ActBlue, foundation grants channeled through Tides Center's 501(c)(3) infrastructure, and philanthropic partnerships.

The organization's core beneficiary is people experiencing poverty in California, with secondary stakeholders including California state legislators, the Governor's Office of Economic Mobility and Opportunity (where Michael Tubbs serves as Special Advisor), labor unions (notably SEIU California), community-based organizations, and academic institutions. EPIC's distribution is grassroots organizing rather than commercial sales channels, relying on listening sessions, documentary screenings, policy advocacy, and coalition work with SEIU, State Innovation Exchange (SiX), Caring Across Generations, BlackECE, and the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality. The organization has supported legislative wins including AB 12 (security deposits) and SB 525 (health care worker minimum wage), both signed by Governor Newsom in October 2023.

Name

End Poverty in California (EPIC)

Legal name

End Poverty in California (EPIC)

Website

https://endpovertyinca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

End Poverty in California (EPIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit policy advocacy organization founded in 2022 by Michael Tubbs that uses listening sessions, documentary storytelling, and legislative coalitions to advance poverty-reduction policy in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Policy Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Other Social Advocacy Organizations (813319)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonprofit & Cause Communications (BPAFADAK)

Keywords

• Poverty policy advocacy
• Nonprofit advocacy organization
• Community organizing services
• Narrative change campaigns
• Social policy reform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: EPIC accepts donations through ActBlue (secure online donation platform), supporting the organization's policy advocacy, listening sessions, and narrative change work.
2. Grants and Philanthropic Funding: EPIC is a fiscally sponsored project of the Tides Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, enabling it to receive grants from foundations and philanthropic organizations.
3. Policy Advocacy and Coalition Partnerships: EPIC generates impact through policy advocacy and legislative partnerships rather than direct revenue generation. Revenue sustains operations, listening tours, and coalition work.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

EPIC is a nonprofit policy advocacy organization that operates a statewide listening tour across California counties, produces narrative content including the "Poverty and Power" documentary and "Upset the Setup" blog, and advocates for antipoverty legislation. The organization centers the voices of people with lived experience of poverty in policy design through its three-pillar model of narrative change, power building, and policy change. Its deliverables include sponsored legislation, coalition-driven advocacy campaigns, and community storytelling platforms.

Product overview

EPIC (End Poverty in California) is a nonprofit advocacy organization that operates as a unified platform for poverty elimination efforts, not a traditional technology product company. The organization functions through an integrated portfolio of programs including the Upset the Setup blog/narrative platform, the Poverty and Power documentary film, the #Listen2Workers campaign, and the Statewide Listening Tour. These programs work together to advance EPIC's mission of ending poverty through narrative change, community power-building, and policy advocacy. EPIC also supports policy programs like HOPE Accounts for foster youth and Baby Bonds proposals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Poverty and Power: Documentary film directed by Jacob Kornbluth about elevating voices of people living in poverty and bringing them to the halls of power.
• #Listen2Workers
• Upset the Setup

Products and services

• Poverty and Power Documentary A feature documentary film directed by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Jacob Kornbluth, telling the story of bringing people with lived experience of poverty to the halls of power. The film is distributed through a national screening tour at colleges, universities, and community institutions to drive community education and engagement.
• Upset the Setup Blog A blog platform publishing personal stories by people living in poverty about their experiences and ideas, policy solution articles, legislative updates, and listening session reports. It serves as EPIC's primary narrative change content hub.
• #Listen2Workers Campaign A campaign focused on amplifying worker stories—their lives, struggles, hopes, and ideas for change—through video interviews, forums, and written pieces. It connects state legislators directly with workers and includes a pledge program for legislators to commit to worker engagement.
• Statewide Listening Tour A county-by-county community engagement initiative where EPIC visits communities to listen to people living in poverty and collaboratively crafts an agenda to create equal opportunity. The tour has covered 26+ California counties including Los Angeles, Fresno, Oakland, Antioch, Sacramento, and Solano County.
• HOPE Accounts Program California's trust account program for foster youth and children who lost a parent to COVID, establishing individual accounts with approximately $4,500 at age 18 for education, business, home, or wealth-generating endeavors. EPIC has supported this as the largest baby bonds program in the U.S., covering approximately 56,000 youth.

Quantifiable outcome

• EPIC-sponsored legislation SB 333 (SOAR Guaranteed Income Program) would provide $1,000/month for 4 months to homeless high school students
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SEIU CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEIU California is a key coalition partner in the #Listen2Workers campaign, providing worker membership, organizing infrastructure, and legislative advocacy support. SEIU President April Verrett also serves on EPIC's Advisory Board.
• State Innovation Exchange (SiX)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerState Innovation Exchange (SiX) co-leads the #Listen2Workers campaign with EPIC, providing state legislator engagement infrastructure and policy expertise to support the campaign's goal of connecting workers with state legislators.
• Caring Across GenerationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaring Across Generations is a partner in the #Listen2Workers coalition, focused on amplifying care worker voices and advocating for care economy policies.
• Southern Economic Advancement ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) partners with EPIC on the #Listen2Workers campaign to expand worker voice campaigns beyond California into Southern states. Greg Kaufmann, EPIC's Head of Storytelling, previously worked as narrative advisor to Stacey Abrams at SEAP.
• BlackECEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlackECE is a coalition partner in the #Listen2Workers campaign, representing early childhood educators and care workers, contributing to the campaign's focus on care economy issues.
• Stanford Center on Poverty and InequalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPIC co-authored a policy paper with the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality titled 'A Roadmap to An Inclusive Economy,' providing data-driven policy analysis on California's poverty challenges and solutions.
• Solano County (Local Government)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPIC developed a continuing partnership with Solano County following its 26-county statewide listening tour. Working with newly elected Supervisor Cassandra James and Vallejo City Councilmember Dr. Tonia Lediju, EPIC is co-developing a county-level poverty action agenda including renter protections, financial literacy programs, and career pathways initiatives.
• Back to the StartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBack to the Start is a nonprofit program whose participants share stories of incarceration and childhood hardship. EPIC's blog featured their legislative priorities (AB 1230, SB 411, AB 1376, AB 1195, SB 48) for the 2025 legislative cycle.
• California Budget & Policy CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChris Hoene, Executive Director of the California Budget & Policy Center, serves on EPIC's Advisory Board, contributing budget and policy expertise to EPIC's agenda.
• GRACE / End Child Poverty CAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShimica Gaskins, President & CEO of GRACE/End Child Poverty CA, serves on EPIC's Advisory Board, providing expertise on child poverty issues in California.
• PICO CaliforniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoseph Tomas McKellar, Director of PICO California, serves on EPIC's Advisory Board, contributing community organizing and faith-based coalition expertise.
• Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPIC is the primary data source cited on EPIC's statistics page and represents a key research partner providing poverty data and analysis for EPIC's policy work.
• California Governor's Office (Office of Economic Mobility and Opportunity)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichael Tubbs serves as Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Economic Mobility and Opportunity, creating a direct channel for EPIC's policy recommendations to reach the Governor's office. EPIC's listening tour findings inform the Governor's economic mobility agenda.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: Large, established civil rights and antipoverty organization with California affiliates; shares EPIC's focus on racial equity, economic mobility, and workforce policy at national scale.
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: One of the largest national antipoverty research and policy organizations; broader portfolio than EPIC but overlapping focus on poverty, hunger, housing, and economic security policy.

Direct peers

• Economic Security Project: National advocacy organization championing guaranteed income, cash assistance, and economic mobility — directly aligned with EPIC's SB 333 SOAR proposal and Tubbs's prior guaranteed income pilot.
• PICO California: Faith-based community organizing network in California focused on poverty, housing, and racial equity. EPIC advisory board member Joseph Tomas McKellar serves as Director, evidencing direct overlap on California community organizing.
• GRACE / End Child Poverty CA: California child poverty advocacy nonprofit. EPIC advisory board member Shimica Gaskins serves as President & CEO, evidencing direct alignment on child poverty policy in California.
• California Budget & Policy Center: California-focused research and advocacy organization on poverty, budget, and economic equity. EPIC advisory board member Chris Hoene serves as its Executive Director, evidencing direct overlap in mission and California scope.
• State Innovation Exchange (SiX): State legislator engagement organization co-leading EPIC's #Listen2Workers campaign, with shared focus on connecting state policymakers directly to worker and community voices.

Regional players

• Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP): Regional antipoverty advocacy organization focused on Southern U.S. states; EPIC's Head of Storytelling Greg Kaufmann previously worked as narrative advisor to Stacey Abrams at SEAP, evidencing shared methodology and adjacent geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@endpovertyinca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/endpovertyinca
• Instagraminstagram.com/endpovertyca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about End Poverty in California (EPIC)