Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO RETAIN, ATTRACT AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES IN SIX COUNTIES.
- Income
- $12.0 million
- Spending
- $6.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 18.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $959,487, president & ceo
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 50% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 350% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2595 of 95 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
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 (1)
- $4.8 million spent. THE GREATER SACRAMENTO ECONOMIC COUNCIL (GSEC) WAS HONORED AS EDO OF THE YEAR BY THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (IEDC), WINNING THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY. THIS YEAR, GSEC FURTHER EXPANDED ITS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT WITH A HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATION TO SOUTH KOREA, ADVANCING ITS GLOBALIZING GREATER SACRAMENTO INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN GLOBAL BUSINESS RECRUITMENT. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO LAUNCHED A NEW REGIONAL BRAND AND REPOSITIONED ITS OWN BRANDING, WEBSITE AND LOGO TO CELEBRATE ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY. IN ADDITION TO THE EDO OF THE YEAR AWARD, GSEC RECEIVED NUMEROUS OTHER ACCOLADES, INCLUDING AN IEDC GOLD AWARD FOR THE REGIONAL BRAND CAMPAIGN, PLACING #3 IN REGIONAL BEST PLACES TO WORK FOR ITS SIZE CATEGORY AND THE CHIEF PERFORMANCE OFFICER NAMED A REGIONAL C-SUITE AWARD HONOREE. GSEC CONTINUES TO LEAD WITH INNOVATION AND IMPACT, SOLIDIFYING GREATER SACRAMENTO'S POSITION AS A GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE REGION.
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 September 2014.
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.