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Yuba Watershed Protection & Firesafe Council

EIN 84-1768260 · Browns Valley, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair51 out of 100GovernanceGood71 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

YUBA WATERSHED PROTECTION AND FIRE SAFE COUNCIL FACILITATES COLLABORATION THROUGHOUT THE YUBA COUNTY FOOTHILLS TO PROACTIVELY BUILD WATERSHED AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TO WILDFIRE BY EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING RESIDENTS, IMPLEMENTING COMMMUNITY LEVEL MITIGATION PROJECTS, AND SUPPORTING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.

Income
$573,369
Spending
$766,436
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
4.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 90%
Employees
7
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$60,555, executive dir.

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

Financial health

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 65% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 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

    0 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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, 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)
  1. $319,443 spent. MULTIPLE SMALL GRANTS INCLUDING: 1. BLM Community Wildfire Assistance Program: Increasing community engagement in wildfire risk reduction though outreach and education,2. California Fire Foundation: Support community engagement in wildfire risk reduction through outreach and education,3. FEATHER RIVER AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT PROVIDING 1,200 FIRE SAFE INFORMATIONAL CALENDARS TO THE COMMUNITY,4. PG&E FSC FUEL REDUCTION 2024 GRANTS RESIDENTIAL CHIPPING PROGRAM, HELPING RESIDENTS REDUCE WOODY FUELS AROUND THEIR HOMES,5. Sierra Nevada Conservancy RFFCP: Increase regional capacity to prioritize, develop and implement projects that improve forest health and fire resiliency,6. Yuba County Wildfire Prevention: Operating budget and capacity building.
  2. $235,965 spent. Capacity Building - Executive Director: Funding to support Executive Director position, Yuba Foothills Firewise: Firewise USA Site Activation Program for Yuba Foothills Communities, Roadside RPF: Project management for Yuba Foothills Wildland-Urban Interface fuels reduction project, Forest Business Alliance: Fiscal sponsor for the Yuba Forest Business Alliance to build capacity and peer-learning for forest based businesses, CWPP Update: Community Wildfire Protection Plan update, Community Impact Grant: Home Resilience Program - Defensible Space: Funding supports defensible space cost share and chipping to reduce Yuba Foothills residents' fire risk.
  3. $147,202 spent. Stevens Fund and Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG): implementation of the Brownsville, Oregon Ridge, and Brownsville-Oregon House Shaded Fuelbreaks is funded by USFS STEVENS FUND GRANTS. THESE FUELBREAKS CREATE A NETWORK OF REDUCED HAZARDOUS FUELS THAT SERVE AS ANCHORS FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION ACTIVITIES AND PROTECT THE COMMUNITIES OF THE YUBA FOOTHILLS FROM WILDFIRE. CWDG grant provides funding for the development of Community Wildfire Protection plans and implementation of projects outlined in the plans by assisting communities with wildfire risk and prioritizing those in high-hazard areas, low-income communities, or those impacted by severe disaster.
  4. CAL FIRE 11 FIRE PREVENTION GRANT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YUBA ROADSIDE FUEL TREATMENT PROJECT IN THE DOBBINS/OREGON HOUSE AREA. THIS PROJECT REDUCES FUELS ALONG ROADWAYS TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF WILDFIRE IGNITION, CREATE SAFER EVACUATION ROUTES, AND PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS IN CASE OF WILDFIRE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.