Institute for Cacao and Chocolate Research Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
WE DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR CONSUMERS, CHOCOLATE PROFESSIONALS, SPECIALTY RETAILERS AND FOODSERVICE PROFESSIONALS. WE CONDUCT RESEARCH AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON FINE CACAO AND CHOCOLATE ORIGIN, PROCESSING, PRODUCTION, QUALITY AND ETHICS. WE BUILD COMMUNITY BY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FORKNOWLEDGE SHARING AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING THROUGHOUT THE CACAO-CHOCOLATE SUPPLY CHAIN.
- Income
- $141,944
- Spending
- $126,102
- Reserves
- -6.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 21 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (international, under $250k).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 263% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 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)
- $125,232 spent. FCCI PROVIDES RIGOROUS TRAINING IN CACAO SAMPLING AND CALIBRATION FOR PROFESSIONALS WHO SEEK TO CONSISTENTLY AND ACCURATELY EVALUATE CACAO QUALITY WORLDWIDE. OUR GOAL IN THIS TRAINING IS TO CREATE A COMMON LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION TOOL FOR CACAO QUALITY, GIVING ALL SUPPLY CHAIN STAKEHOLDERS A MORE ACCESSIBLE, OBJECTIVE WAY OF PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO ONE ANOTHER. OUR CURRICULUM WAS DESIGNED FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH WITH CACAO PRODUCERS, CHOCOLATE PROFESSIONALS AND SCHOLARLY EXPERTS. THE COURSE IS SUITABLE FOR CACAO PRODUCERS, QUALITY MANAGERS, TECHNICAL ADVISORS, IMPORTERS, EXPORTERS, CHOCOLATE MAKERS, MANUFACTURERS, CHOCOLATIERS AND RETAIL PROFESSIONALS. THE COURSE TEACHES PARTICIPANTS HOW TO EVALUATE CACAO AND CHOCOLATE USING A VARIETY OF TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES, WHILE FOCUSING ON FCCI'S INNOVATIVE CACAO SAMPLING PROTOCOL. THE FCCI PROTOCOL IS UNIQUE DUE TO ITS SIMPLICITY, REPEATABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, OPENING PARTICIPATION IN QUALITY CONVERSATIONS TO ALL SUPPLY CHAIN STAKEHOLDERS IN AN UNPRECEDENTED MANNER. IT THEREFORE SERVES AS A CRITICAL COMPLEMENT TO TRADITIONAL CHOCOLATE LIQUOR AND FINISHED CHOCOLATE SAMPLING PROTOCOLS USED IN MANY CHOCOLATE COMPANIES. FCCI IS COLLECTING DATA FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS THROUGHOUT THE CACAO-CHOCOLATE SUPPLY CHAIN TO FURTHER REFINE ITS CACAO EVALUATION SYSTEM. NUMBER OF PERSONS BENEFITED THE CACAO GRADER INTENSIVE CLASS HAS BEEN TAUGHT DIRECTLY TO 75 STUDENTS TO DATE. ADDITIONALLY, FCCI TEAM MEMBERS AND COLLABORATORS HAVE LED SHORTER FORM WORKSHOPS ON THE CACAO SAMPLING PROTOCOL IN AT LEAST 23 COUNTRIES: AUSTRALIA, BELIZE, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, ESTONIA, FRANCE, GRENADA, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, JAPAN, MEXICO, NICARAGUA, PERU, SOLOMON ISLANDS, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES (INCLUDING HAWAII), VANUATU AND VENEZUELA. AS A RESULT, THE FCCI CACAO SAMPLING PROTOCOL IS NOW BEING USED BY COOPERATIVES, ESTATES, PRIVATE FERMENTARIES, EXPORTERS, IMPORTERS, CHOCOLATE MAKERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN EACH OF THESE COUNTRIES.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 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 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 November 6, 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 September 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 February 2017.
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 November 4, 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.