Organic Seed Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ORGANIC SEED ALLIANCE PUTS THE POWER OF SEED INTO THE HANDS OF GROWERS. OUR WORK PROMOTES AN ABUNDANT AND DIVERSE SUPPLY OF ORGANIC SEED, TENDED IN PERPETUITY BY SKILLED, DIVERSE AND INTERCONNECTED COMMUNITIES OF SEED STEWARDS.
- Income
- $955,121
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 0.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 71%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $99,519, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 49 out of 100.
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100.
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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 31, 2024, 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)
- $806,533 spent. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO MEET NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIC NEEDS:ORGANIC SEED ALLIANCE (OSA) PARTNERED IN PARTICIPATORY ON-FARM BREEDING AND TRIALS WITH FARMERS, SEED COMPANIES, 8 UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO IDENTIFY AND IMPROVE VARIETIES FOR ORGANIC AND ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE. COLLABORATIVE TRIALS AND BREEDING PROJECTS INCLUDED OVER 100 VARIETIES AND BREEDING LINES OF MORE THAN A DOZEN CROPS TESTED AT OVER 223 FARMS ACROSS THE U.S. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OSA RESEARCH PROGRAMS VISIT: HTTPS://SEEDALLIANCE.ORG/RESEARCH/
- TRAINING ORGANIC SEED PRODUCERS TO BUILD CAPACITY AND RESILIENCY IN THE SEED SYSTEM:OSA TAUGHT A 6-MONTH, IN DEPTH COURSE TO TRAIN NEW SEED PRODUCERS THROUGH AN ONLINE COURSE, FACILITATED PEER-TO-PEER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE, AND HANDS-ON SEED GROWING EXPERIENCE WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH SEED PRODUCER MENTORS. IN ADDITION, OSA DISTRIBUTED MINI-GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE SEED PRODUCTION EFFORTS OF BEGINNING SEED PRODUCERS AND SEED PRODUCERS OF COLOR. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE HTTPS://SEEDALLIANCE.ORG/SEED-INTERNSHIP-PROGRAM-ORGANIC-SEED-PRODUCTION-COURSE.
- CONFERENCES, TRAINING AND NETWORKING PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF SEED PRODUCERS:ORGANIC SEED ALLIANCE'S ORGANIC SEED COMMONS (OSC) ONLINE PLATFORM, NETWORKED MORE THAN 2,000 STAKEHOLDERS AND HOSTED OVER 1,200 REGISTRANTS FROM 49 STATES AND 47 COUNTRIES IN THE VIRTUAL 11TH BIENNIAL ORGANIC SEED GROWER'S CONFERENCE. REVENUE RETAINED FROM 2021 WAS UTILIZED TO HOST THE CONFERENCE. AN IN-DEPTH TRAINING PROGRAM, DELIVERED THROUGH OSC, ADVANCED 35 BEGINNING FARMERS' SEED SKILLS THROUGH EXPERT INSTRUCTION, PEER TO PEER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND APPLIED, HANDS-ON SEED GROWING AND ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP. VISIT WWW.ORGANICSEEDCOMMONS.ORG TO LEARN MORE OR JOIN THE NETWORK.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 December 1975.
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.