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Mendocino County Fire Safe Council Inc

EIN 83-0395685 · Ukiah, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To inform, empower and mobilize county residents to survive and thrive in a wildfire-prone environment.

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
3.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 82%
Employees
11
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$82,812, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 30% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 June 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 (2)
  1. $2.5 million spent. FIRE FUELS REDUCTION: MCFSC manages grant-funded projects and programs to reduce fuel loads and improve wildfire mitigation in Mendocino County. Using both its own crew and subcontractors, MCFSC provided free defensible-space clearing at the homes of 143 income-qualified seniors and/or disabled residents, supplied 85 days of free chipping services for neighborhood-level defensible-space improvement (serving roughly 700 residences), and conducted 79 free home assessments for wildfire-preparedness. MCFSC's fuel-reduction projects created safer ingress/egress routes and shaded fuel breaks that will slow fires and provide safe workspaces for responders, totaling 410 acres. MCFSC's crew partnered with Sherwood Firewise Communities to clear additional acres in Brooktrails. MCFSC also collaborated with numerous local groups to sponsor or apply for other successful fuel reduction grants such as PG&E funded vegetation management grants. Thanks to a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy, MCFSC added a track mower to its fleet that will improve its ability to deliver community chipping services and work projects in future years.
  2. $432,295 spent. EDUCATION and OUTREACH: MCFSC conducted outreach and education in support of wildfire preparedness and mitigation through convening and/or attending numerous community meetings, including 113 inter-agency coordination meetings, 56 local neighborhood Fire Safe Council meetings and 37 community events. MCFSC participated in radio interviews, issued print articles, and maintained a resource-rich website, blog and monthly newsletter. There are now over 1,677 subscribers to the newsletter, whose email version was opened 9,135 times this year. Our website has 17,396 users, and this year we recorded 76,645 Facebook hits, and 2,431 views of how-to videos on home-hardening and defensible-space clearing on the MCFSC YouTube channel. MCFSC provided $135,000 of micro-grants to local fire departments and Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils for small but key strategic local preparedness projects. MCFSC continued to partner with other agencies to plan and strategize for wildfire mitigation and preparedness projects. MCFSC hosts regular leadership meetings for its affiliated Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils, which grew last year to 81 countywide. MCFSC encouraged the Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils to obtain Firewise status, increasing the number of Firewise communities in the County from 4 to 14. MCFSC expanded its school outreach and education program in conjunction with the University of California Hopland Research and Extension Center to provide fire science and wildfire preparedness education to 5th grade through middle school ages. 711 students from 16 different schools participated in the program. MCFSC launched a new blog/podcast series with an initial 16 episodes and published new brochures, including two on wildfire smoke management. MCFSC also created and distributed 263 reflective address-number signs.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 August 2007.

    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.