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Sierra Commons

EIN 26-4158129 · Nevada City, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceGood79 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 15% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO EDUCATE AND SUPPORT UNDERSERVED AND ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH NEW ENTREPRENEUR TRAINING, INCUBATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WITH A SECTOR FOCUS ON FOOD AND FOREST ENTERPRISES.

Income
$248,309
Spending
$200,679
Spent on programs
15%
Reserves
2.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
4

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 102% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    15% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $9,391 spent. THE FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM STRENGTHENS THE LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY BY PROVIDING TARGETED EDUCATION AND ADVISING TO FOOD BUSINESS OWNERS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. IN 2025, THE PROGRAM SERVED 19 FOOD ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS 2 FOOD ACCELERATOR TRACKS, WITH SUPPORT FROM CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST ENABLING DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION FOR PARTICIPANTS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF READINESS. FOUR NEW FOOD BUSINESSES WERE LAUNCHED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, AND 8 SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO EXPAND ACCESS. PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTED PACKAGED GOODS, RESTAURANTS, PREPARED FOODS, CATERING, AND EARLY-STAGE RETAIL. THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERED VIRTUAL FOOD FOUNDRY SESSIONS CONNECTING ENTREPRENEURS WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTISE AND PEER LEARNING BEYOND IN-PERSON EVENTS. THESE ACTIVITIES FURTHER THE ORGANIZATIONS EXEMPT PURPOSE BY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL FOOD ENTREPRENEURS, STRENGTHENING THE REGIONAL FOOD ECOSYSTEM AND CREATING PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVELIHOODS.
  2. $9,254 spent. THE FOREST ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDED EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO BUSINESSES OPERATING AT THE INTERSECTION OF FOREST HEALTH, WILDFIRE RESILIENCE, AND RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IN 2025, THE PROGRAM TRAINED 95 FOREST ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS 7 BOOTCAMPS IN NEVADA CITY, AUBURN, SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, ARCATA, SONORA, AND SANTA CRUZ, EXTENDING THE ORGANIZATIONS REACH ACROSS 6 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNTIES. BOTH INTRODUCTORY AND ADVANCED CURRICULUM TRACKS WERE OFFERED, ADAPTED TO LOCAL CONDITIONS WHILE MAINTAINING CONSISTENT INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY. PARTICIPANTS GAINED PRACTICAL SKILLS IN BUSINESS PLANNING, REGULATORY AND LAND-MANAGEMENT CONTEXTS, FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL READINESS, AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING. THE PROGRAM SERVED 13 TOTAL COHORTS ACROSS ALL SIERRA COMMONS PROGRAMS IN 2025. THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORT RURAL BUSINESSES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION, AND REGIOAL ECONOMIC VITALITY.
  3. $8,383 spent. SIERRA COMMONS LAUNCHED A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE SIERRA COMMONS LEARNING HUB, TO EXPAND ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND REDUCE GEOGRAPHIC BARRIERS FOR RURAL ENTREPRENEURS. THE LEARNING HUB ENABLED STUDENTS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO ACCESS COURSE MATERIALS, RESOURCES, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS ACROSS PROGRAMS AND REGIONS OUTSIDE OF IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION. THE PLATFORM SUPPORTED COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING PARTICIPANT INTERACTION, RESOURCE ORGANIZATION, AND CONSISTENT ENGAGEMENT ACROSS SIERRA COMMONS DIGITAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THIS SUPPORTED 137 TOTAL STUDENTS SERVED ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS IN 2025 AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE ORGANIZATIONS ABILITY TO DELIVER 180 ADVISING HOURS AND 193 INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS DURING THE YEAR. THESE ACTIVITIES FURTHER OUR EXEMPT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE BY INCREASING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION FOR RURAL RESIDENTS WHO FACE GEOGRAPHIC, LOGISTICAL, OR FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION.
  4. $2,652 spent. THE BUSINESS IGNITOR COURSE IS OUR FOUNDATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM, SERVING AS THE PRIMARY ENTRY POINT FOR EARLY-STAGE ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS SECTORS. IN 2025, THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERED 2 COHORTS SERVING 23 PARTICIPANTS FROM THE GREATER NEVADA COUNTY REGION. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED STRUCTURED INSTRUCTION IN BUSINESS PLANNING, FINANCIAL READINESS, AND OPERATIONAL DECISION-MAKING, WITH 193 TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS DELIVERED ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS. OF THE 23 PARTICIPANTS, 18 LAUNCHED OR STABILIZED BUSINESSES, AND 14 RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS TO REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO ACCESS. PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, CREATIVE BUSINESSES, FOOD, HEALTH, AND EARLY-STAGE PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY VENTURES. THESE ACTIVITIES FURTHER THE ORGANIZATIONS EXEMPT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE BY EQUIPPING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO START AND SUSTAIN VIABLE BUSINESSES, CONTRIBUTING TO RURAL ECONOMIC RESILIENCE.
  5. PART III LINE 4D: THE BUSINESS IGNITOR COURSE IS OUR FOUNDATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM, SERVING AS THE PRIMARY ENTRY POINT FOR EARLY-STAGE ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS SECTORS. IN 2025, THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERED 2 COHORTS SERVING 23 PARTICIPANTS FROM THE GREATER NEVADA COUNTY REGION. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED STRUCTURED INSTRUCTION IN BUSINESS PLANNING, FINANCIAL READINESS, AND OPERATIONAL DECISION-MAKING, WITH 193 TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS DELIVERED ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS. OF THE 23 PARTICIPANTS, 18 LAUNCHED OR STABILIZED BUSINESSES, AND 14 RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS TO REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO ACCESS. PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, CREATIVE BUSINESSES, FOOD, HEALTH, AND EARLY-STAGE PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY VENTURES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2011.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.