Blue Sky Sustainable Living Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BLUE SKY CENTER IS A RURAL, PLACE-BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH THE MISSION TO STRENGTHEN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE CUYAMA VALLEY BY SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS AND BUILDING OUR REGIONAL CREATIVE & ECONOMIC RESOURCES.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $864,364
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 5.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 56%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $77,808, executive dir.
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 23% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 109% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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.
Independent check of accounts
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $280,548 spent. Community research and development:This past summer, two major wildfires swept through the region, burning more than 212,000 acres and putting our community directly at risk. Families faced evacuations, air quality reached hazardous levels, and local ranches endured substantial losses. In response, we collaborated closely with the U.S. Forest Service, CalFire Team 8, and Bureau of Land Management fire crews to support frontline efforts. We opened the L88 Airstrip to emergency response teams and mobilized our campus as a dedicated operations hub. The fires underscored how crucial our work is and proved that our ability to respond to climate crises is essential for the safety of our community. Our resiliency initiative Resilient Cuyama Valley addresses longstanding barriers to education, employment, and climate resilience. Resilient Cuyama brings together diverse partners committed to rural regeneration and community resilience to connect Cuyama families with practical resources that strengthen individual and community well-being.
- $211,258 spent. Economic Development through various programs including:"Explore Cuyama" - With our partners at the Cuyama Buckhorn, we are continuing to lay the groundwork to establish the Cuyama Valley as a treasured regional tourist destination through shared efforts and the Visit Cuyama campaign. At our 267-acre property, we have expanded our capacity for the types of events and gatherings that we can host. Made in Cuyama is our motto that runs throughout the organization. Economic development is the umbrella for our work, with three specific arenas: creative community engagement, food security, and community research. These are our strategies for supporting entrepreneurs and building our regional creative and economic resources, so that life for all Cuyama residents is resilient, thriving, and inclusive. At the Blue Sky Center property, we continue to host local craftspeople in the Blue Sky Shops. We provide space to work and one-on-one technical assistance for sustaining and growing their unique businesses
- $75,671 spent. Creative Community Engagement:In 2025, we hosted six visiting artists who engaged the 1,100 people of the Cuyama Valley on the priorities and issues Cuyama faces. We discussed water stewardship and resiliency, and we celebrated with food and music. We created art as economic development by employing artists and community creators. We hosted the Cuyama Water Justice Fellowships, funded by a larger California Environmental Protection Agency grant. Rae Garringer created a podcast with Cuyama residents in both English and Spanish about the Valley's water crisis. Documentary filmmakers Alex Brown and Sean Huntley collaborated with the community on The Dry Horizon. Ash Hanson and Alex Barreto Hathaway of PlaceBase Productions led the puppet-filled Celebrate Agua parade, singing and drumming with the River Saint and Thirsty Monster to respect this precious resource for Cuyama. Amplify Artist Al Oard taught students to build music electronics and supported our tenth annual Da de los Muertos Festival. In partnership with PlaceBase Productions and Cuyama Valley Recreation District, we received an Arts in California Parks grant for Resilient Cuyama Drama, a program of free, community-focused theater. We celebrated with the performance of the Cuyama Holidrama play. This year, we brought Yue Nakayama into a new role as Arts Director to build on our decade of Creative Community Engagement work.
- $47,257 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS
- $26,039 spent. Food and Agriculture:Blue Sky Center has made significant strides in advancing food security in the Cuyama Valley over the last decade. Throughout this time, our work has focused on overcoming the deep-rooted challenges of access to affordable, healthy food in a region defined by its rural isolation and agricultural abundance that paradoxically lacks the infrastructure to serve its own community's food needs.
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
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.