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Fire Safe Marin

EIN 68-0375763 · San Anselmo, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair62 out of 100GovernanceGood77 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FIRE SAFE MARIN IS DEDICATED TO REDUCING WILDFIRE HAZARDS AND IMPROVING FIRE-SAFETY AWARENESS IN MARIN COUNTY, CA. WE FOSTER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT BY BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, CREATING FIREWISE COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR MITIGATING FIRE DANGER AND ENHANCING WILDFIRE SAFETY.

Income
$2.5 million
Spending
$2.4 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
1.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 90%
Employees
11
Volunteers
35
Highest pay
$134,992, dir. of programs

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 29% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% 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 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (2)
  1. $1.6 million spent. WILDFIRE HAZARD REDUCTION: WORK INCLUDES ROADSIDE VEGETATION CLEARANCE ALONG CRITICAL EVACUATION ROUTES, GOAT GRAZING AND OTHER FUEL REDUCTION PROJECTS, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY VEGETATION CHIPPING PROGRAM.
  2. $658,308 spent. COMMUNITY EDUCATION & OUTREACH: FIRE SAFE MARIN PROVIDES A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, WHICH GIVE MARIN RESIDENTS, HOMEOWNERS, LANDOWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION RELATED TO WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS. THE CORE FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE: PERSONAL PREPAREDNESS, HOME HARDENING, DEFENSIBLE SPACE, AND COMMUNITY.

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 September 1996.

    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.