Berkeley Student Food Collective
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Berkeley Student Food Collective works to provide healthy, sustainable, and affordable food for the East Bay community. At our volunteer-run grocery collective, the Food Collective acts as a local hub for leadership development and food-related education for members and patrons alike.
- Income
- $169,358
- Spending
- $128,323
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 4.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 42%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $66,456, secretary, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 49% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (3)
- $63,047 spent. The Berkeley Student Food Collective operated a volunteer-run, SNAP-authorized nonprofit grocery storefront in Berkeley's Southside neighborhood, preserving affordable access to healthy, culturally relevant, and regionally sourced staple and perishable foods in a low-income, transit-dependent neighborhood with limited full-service grocery options. During the year, the Collective served thousands of community members through its storefront, with a substantial share of patrons using EBT and SNAP benefits to purchase California-grown produce, prepared foods, and grocery staples. The organization continued sourcing from small, farmer-centered, and local food producers, including Veritable Vegetable and Mandela Partners, helping meet community food access needs while strengthening local food economies.
- $9,699 spent. The Collective provided hands-on leadership development, democratic governance experience, food systems education, and project management experience for members who participated in programming related to food justice, local sourcing, grocery operations, and community food access. Weekly meetings give young people direct responsibility for food procurement, storefront operations, community engagement, and organizational stewardship. The Collective's member-led model supported both practical workforce development and civic education while maintaining a dynamic community grocery resource for Southside residents, students, faculty, and staff.
- $24,249 spent. The Collective provided cooperative education, facilitation, leadership development, and program support under a fee-for-service contract with the Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives. This work trained and supported students, community members, and cooperative participants in democratic governance, cooperative management, sustainable business practices, food systems education, and community-centered cooperative enterprise. By applying the Collective's educational and democratic-governance model beyond the storefront, the program furthered BSFC's mission of leadership development, sustainable-business training, community-building, and socially and environmentally responsible cooperative practice.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2011.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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.