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Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project Inc

EIN 54-1055050 · Roanoke, VA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair57 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SOUTHEAST RURAL COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. (SERCAP) WAS ORGANIZED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING AND ASSISTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER AND WASTEWATER FACILITIES IN MARYLAND, DELAWARE, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA. THE PRIMARY CONCERN IS FOR LOW-INCOME PERSONS WHO LACK THE RESOURCES, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND POLITICALLY, TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE WATER AND WASTEWATER FACILITIES. SINCE 1969, SOUTHEAST RURAL COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROJECT, INC. HAS ALSO ASSISTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FACILITIES IN LOW-INCOME RURAL AREAS BY: ORGANIZING PEOPLE, HELPING APPLY FOR FINANCING, COORDINATING SYSTEM DESIGN OF INDIVIDUAL WELL SITES, AND PROVIDING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE OF WATER AND WASTEWATER FACILITIES.

Income
$9.9 million
Spending
$9.8 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
1.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 90%
Employees
81
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$180,978, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 74% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 (5)
  1. $2.7 million spent. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: THE EPA NPA 1 GRANT PROGRAM ALLOWS SERCAP TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) FOR SMALL, RURAL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS. EPA NPA 1 SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES ON PROVIDING CLEAN, SAFE DRINKING WATER TO THESE SMALL, RURAL COMMUNITIES. THE TRAINING AND TA PROVIDED UNDER THIS GRANT PROGRAM FREQUENTLY SUPPORTS COMPLIANCE, AND HELPS SMALL WATER SYSTEMS TO GAIN AND/OR MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL WATER REGULATIONS. HOWEVER, THESE FUNDS DO NOT COVER ANY FINES/FEES ASSOCIATED WITH SYSTEMS BEING OUT OF COMPLIANCE. 458 PROJECTS AND 124 TRAININGS COMPLETED.
  2. $1.9 million spent. ENVIRONMENTAL: THE ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER PROVIDES TRAINING AND APPLICATION ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES TO HELP THEM GAIN ACCESS TO GRANTS AND LOANS FOR CRITICAL WATER, WASTEWATER, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS. FURTHERMORE, THE EFC'S ASSISTANCE WILL CENTER ON HELPING COMMUNITIES ACCESS SRF (STATE REVOLVED FUNDS) AND OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS AND LOANS.
  3. $1.8 million spent. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: THE RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (RCD) GRANT FROM HHS: OCS, ALSO PROVIDES TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) TO SMALL, RURAL WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS. THIS GRANT FUNDING ALLOWS SERCAP TO IMPACT FOUR KEY ISSUES FACING LMI RURAL AREAS IN THE SOUTHEAST US, INCLUDING: CLEAN DRINKING WATER, ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SERCAP'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS (TAPS) SUPPORT THESE COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING TRAINING TO COMMUNITY BOARDS, TRAINING TO W/WW OPERATORS, AND NECESSARY TA, INCLUDING: W/WW NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, PLANNING & OPERATIONS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND MORE. 100 PROJECTS AND 14 TRAININGS COMPLETED.
  4. $1.5 million spent. HOUSING
  5. $822,803 spent. LOAN FUND

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1977.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.