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Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

EIN 68-0359676 · Occidental, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair62 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OOAEC CULTIVATES ECOLOGICAL LITERACY AND BUILDS THE CAPACITY OF CIVIC AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO GUIDE THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES TO AN ECOLOGICALLY REGENERATIVE, ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, AND SOCIALLY JUST FUTURE.INSPIRED BY NATURE, WHERE DIVERSITY IS A KEY INDICATOR OF THE HEALTH OF AN ECOSYSTEM, WE ASSIST PLACE-BASED COMMUNITIES IN REORIENTING HUMAN ECONOMY AND GOVERNANCE TOWARDS THE RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF BIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY. TO REALIZE OUR MISSION, WE INVEST IN PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE ECOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL CRISES OF OUR TIME.

Income
$6.6 million
Spending
$6.5 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
-0.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
118
Volunteers
85
Highest pay
$145,867, executive dir.

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

Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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 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 (1)
  1. $5.3 million spent. OAECS 2024 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE MOSTLY EXPRESSED THROUGH OUR MANY INTER-RELATED PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS. A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THIS PROGRAM WORK INCLUDES:1. THE RESILIENT COMMUNITY DESIGN / PERMACULTURE PROGRAM,2. THE WATER INSTITUTE AND BEAVER RESTORATION PROJECT,3. THE MOTHER GARDEN BIODIVERSITY PROGRAM,4. THE WILDLANDS PROGRAM,5. THE MOVEMENT BUILDING RETREAT PROGRAM,6. THE PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM,7. OAECS PARTNERSHIP WITH DOZENS OF SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLIANCES AROUND EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS, AND8. OAECS FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECTS PROGRAMEACH OF OUR PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS USE THE SAME METHODS AND STRATEGIES TO ACHIEVE OUR PUBLIC BENEFIT MISSION, INCLUDING:1. WE MODEL RESILIENCY - OAEC IS A RESILIENCY DEMONSTRATION SITE, MODELING DOZENS OF PRACTICAL PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY-SCALE SOLUTIONS TO COMMON CHALLENGES IN THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF SOIL, WATER, FOOD PRODUCTION, THE RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND MORE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO SELF-GOVERN AND MANAGE ECONOMY. OAECS PROGRAMS BENEFIT FROM OUR MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING AND CARING FOR OUR OWN 80-ACRE SITE, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING HUNDREDS OF OTHER LAND-BASED PROJECTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.2. WE TRAIN CHANGEMAKERS - THE TRANSITION TO A JUST AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY WILL ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF MORE INDIVIDUALS BECOME ECOLOGICALLY LITERATE CHANGEMAKERS. OAEC CONTINUES TO DEVELOP WORKSHOPS AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS THAT TRAIN, SUPPORT AND INSPIRE INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT LEADERS TO APPLY AN ECOLOGICAL LENS TO THEIR EXISTING SOCIAL CHANGE WORK.3. WE HELP BUILD THE CAPACITY OF COMMUNITIES TO TRANSFORM TOWARD RESILIENCE - OAEC STRIVES TO ACHIEVE A "SOCIAL CHANGE MULTIPLIER EFFECT" BY TRAINING AND BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF WHOLE COMMUNITIES TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AGENTS OF RAPID CHANGE. WE WORK TO FOSTER ECOLOGICAL LITERACY AND TO EMPOWER DIVERSE COMMUNITIES - SCHOOLS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC AGENCIES, FOUNDATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS, FARMS AND RANCHES, AND POLICY COALITIONS - TO DESIGN THEIR OWN PLACE-BASED STRATEGIES TO CREATE THE JUST TRANSITION TOWARDS A MORE REGENERATIVE CULTURE AND ECONOMY.4. WE WORK TO CHANGE THE RULES OF GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMY - WE WORK TO LEGALIZE AND REQUIRE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY, AND TO MAKE ILLEGAL AND DIS-INCENTIVIZE ACTIVITIES THAT SUBVERT IT. SOMETIMES ON OUR OWN, BUT MOST OFTEN THROUGH BROADER ADVOCACY ALLIANCES, WE SEEK TO CHANGE POLICY IN THE ARENAS OF GOVERNANCE IN WHICH WE ARE MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED - A CITY OR COUNTY COUNCIL, SCHOOL BOARD, WATER AGENCY, OR STATE LEGISLATURE OR AGENCY - ON ISSUES THAT ARE RIPE FOR CHANGE AND MOVE US TOWARD A JUST AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 August 1997.

    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.