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Student Action With Farmworkers

EIN 56-1789014 · Durham, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

STUDENT ACTION WITH FARMWORKERS (SAF) MISSION IS TO BRING STUDENTS AND FARMWORKERS TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER'S LIVES, SHARE RESOURCES AND SKILLS, IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR FARMWORKERS, AND BUILD DIVERSE COALITIONS WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.

Income
$742,918
Spending
$917,655
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
8
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$68,512, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 27% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 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 August 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 (3)
  1. $306,036 spent. INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS:* INTO THE FIELDS INTERNSHIP: TWENTY-FIVE INTO THE FIELDS STUDENTS CONDUCTED OUTREACH TO NEARLY 3,158 FARMWORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN LABOR CAMPS AND COMMUNITIES. STUDENTS WORKED ON SITE AND LIVED IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY WERE SERVING. THE STUDENTS WORKED WITH LEGAL, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND ORGANIZING PARTNERS. THEY INFORMED WORKERS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS, TAUGHT ESL, MENTORED MIGRANT STUDENTS AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH, AND DID HEALTH OUTREACH. THEY CREATED VIDEOS, NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH THE LARGER PUBLIC THROUGH BLOGS.* SOLIDARIDAD INTERNSHIP: FOUR COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AREA WORKED AS INTERNS FROM SEPTEMBER TO APRIL. THE INTERNS MET WEEKLY TO PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS, PANELS AND SITE VISITS. THEY LEARNED ABOUT FARMWORKER JUSTICE AND NONPROFIT WORK. THEY MET WORKER RIGHTS ADVOCATES, PLANNED SAF EVENTS, CREATE COMMUNICATION TOOLS, AND ORGANIZE ACTIONS. THEY ALSO SUPPORTED SAFS ADMINISTRATIVE AND OUTREACH WORK.
  2. $108,146 spent. LEVANTE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: NINE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM FARMWORKER FAMILIES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA PARTICIPATED IN THE LEVANTE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE PROGRAM. THEY RECEIVED TRAINING, MENTORSHIP AND TUTORING. THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS FOCUSED ON LEARNING ABOUT HEAT STRESS, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE FARMWORKER JUSTICE MOVEMENT. THEY MADE ONE CAMPUS VISIT TO A NORTH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY. THE STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A DOCUMENTARY WORKSHOP.
  3. $248,395 spent. EDUCATION & ADVOCACY - FROM THE GROUND UP: SAF STAFF AND INTERNS CONDUCTED VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS ON ISSUES RANGING FROM CHILD LABOR TO FOOD SECURITY. WE HAD 35 PARTNERS FOR FARMWORKER AWARENESS WEEK, AND CONTINUED TO BUILD ON THE POWERFUL INFLUENCE OF UNIONS AND STUDENT ACTIVISM. WE CO-COORDINATED COMMUNITY EVENTS, BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 August 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 November 1992.

    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.

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