Sierra Service Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Building faith and strengthening communities through service to others.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 41%
- Employees
- 50
- Volunteers
- 803
- Highest pay
- $96,312, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 52 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 38% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
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 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 (4)
- $349,015 spent. Summer Program: In 2025, Sierra Service Project celebrated 50 years of service through the summer program, which provided service-learning experiences for 537 youth, young adult, and adult volunteers, and employed 13 young adult staff. Volunteer groups came from churches, schools, and family groups. In two partner communities overnight volunteers participated in week-long sessions building bridges between communities where they completed 39 community-based and home improvement projects to improve the safety and livability of homes for lower-income residents. In Del Norte County, volunteers and staff completed 10 home repair projects throughout the county including: four sets of stairs, two porches, three accessibility ramps, and one ramp repair. Volunteers also contributed to nine community-based projects: - 4 garden partners: Yurok Tribe's Food Sovereignty Program, Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation's Howonquet Head Start Food Forest, Del Norte & Tribal Lands Community Food Council (school gardens), & Family Resource Center of the Redwoods' K!ds Garden - 2 paint projects at the Crescent City UMC's parsonage & Del Norte County Fairgrounds (both host facilities) - 2 invasive species removal projects with the Tolowa Dunes Stewards during our 11th year of partnership! We moved to a new section of the dunes, completing restoration of one area. - Trail and overlook maintenance with Redwood Parks Conservancy In San Diego County, volunteers and staff completed three home repairs (in partnership with Hope Crisis Response Network's flood recovery work) and 17 community-based projects: - 7 projects with the City of National City: Neighborhood Services, Emergency Services, & the Public Library - 3 garden partners: Tijuana River Valley Community Garden, New Roots, & Friends of International Friendship Park's Resilience Satellite Community Garden - 3 invasive species removal projects with Silver Strand State Beach, Border Field State Park, & San Diego Canyonlands - 2 paint projects at National City FUMC (host facility) & Fire Station 34 - 17' eagle puppet creation with Bonita Museum artists for the International Day of Friendship - Food recovery with Porchlight Community Services
- $207,238 spent. Workforce Development: In June 2023, we launched the Sacramento Sustainability Academy (SSA) a workforce development jobs program designed to provide young people with an introduction to climate action and community resilience work. Building on SSP's history of providing youth and young adults with hands-on experience with tools, home repairs, and high impact community projects, the Academy is focused on energy efficiency through the lens of building science, urban agriculture as a tool for achieving food security/sovereignty through permaculture design principles, and manufacturing design skills to provide young people high demand and cutting edge skills for high paying professions. All program fellows are required to reside within the city limits of Sacramento and meet additional requirements. Priority was given to individuals who have difficulty finding employment, are low-income, are unemployed and/or out of school, are or were justice-involved, are in or transitioning from foster care, or are engaged with the mental health or substance abuse system. We hosted two six-week cohorts in the summer and fall, funded by the City of Sacramento. They were paid above minimum wage to honor their time invested in learning and serving the community. In total, we had 12 workforce development fellows in 2025.
- $121,053 spent. Sacramento County Year-Round Programs: SSP hosted 197 year-round volunteers in Sacramento County during Days of Service and Alternative Break sessions. Alternative Break sessions are scheduled by group request, and vary from year to year significantly in length and location - all were day only programs this year (not overnight). In Rancho Cordova, five local youth spent their spring break working on home repairs and received a small stipend to honor their time and commitment. The Sacramento Youth Center partnered with us for the fourth year to host their spring break program, where they worked at the International Garden of Many Colors. Day of Service volunteers completed a two-year project building 1,000' of wood fences and installing 10 paver art medallions for the Dixieanne Clean and Green Alley Project, funded by CalTrans through the City of Sacramento. They also worked throughout the year at community gardens with partners from WeForce Inc.'s Safe Harbor community garden and Color the Block's Rainbow Mini Park Garden. In Rancho Cordova, 50 unique volunteers (24 youth, 21 young adults, and 5 adults) completed 12 home repair projects at 6 homes for 9 residents (4 over the age of 65, and 6 who live with disabilities). In total, 59 people were impacted by SSP's reciprocal home repair program: young people got to practice new skills and build their confidence, while older adults benefited from home repair projects. An AmeriCorps NCCC team of 10 young adults from across the country kicked off our program year as we started projects after the new year. We also worked with Lutheran Social Services of Northern California and its young adult participants for extra hands at times through their workforce development program. Twelve youth from Rancho Cordova volunteered with SSP this year. Stipends were provided via Visa Gift Cards to Rancho Cordova resident youth to honor their time and commitment. Over half of the youth participated in multiple Days of Service, including two who volunteered for 12 days each, and one who volunteered for 16 days! In Rancho Cordova, 12 project units were completed, including an exterior paint project, ramp repair, deck repair, six stair repairs, and a wheelchair lift installation. Youth also spent four days with SSP volunteering at the Rancho Cordova Food Locker.
- $93,923 spent. These expenses are a combination of general program costs, which are not able to be broken out into the different program categories, as well as smaller programs we run.
Source: Form 990 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 October 13, 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 June 2001.
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 October 21, 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.