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Coast Ridge Forest Council

EIN 86-1349313 · Cazadero, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The mission is to bring resources to the coastal hills community to create a healthier and safer forest where all residents flourish.

Income
$460,575
Spending
$626,813
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 96%
Employees
0
Volunteers
20

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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 36% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 63% 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, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 4 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.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $592,397 spent. In 2025 CRCF continued work on the Cal Fire grant-funded Fuels Reduction Project: Clearing the Way for Safe Evacuation Phase II. By 2026 this project will remove hazardous roadside fuels up to 100 feet on either side of the road, along 6.4 miles of rural access roads connecting to Fort Ross Road in Cazadero, the main evacuation route for hundreds of residents, in addition to .7 miles of rural access roads on Muniz Ranches, supporting mulitple rural communities in the coastal hills of Sonoma County. The project also funded three community workshops on forest health including: Tree Health, Thinning Your Trees, and Safe Pile Burning. The workshops were attended by 20-30 community members who gained important knowledge and hands on experience in land management and wildfire resliance. The project's expenses for 2023 were $78,616.25, with work focused on project and permit planning and landowner and community outreach. CRCF also completed additional work on the grant-funded Fort Ross Road Fuels Reduction Project: Phase I, this included removing hazardous roadside fuels along the lower portion of Fort Ross Road in Cazadero, not completed in 2022. The project's additonal expenses for 2023 were $952.30. In 2023 CRCF continued a Community Chipper Project, initiated by the grant-funded purchase of a commercial chipper. The Project was additionally funded in 2023 by $1577 in community-donated funds, which covered fuel, oil, maintenance, insurance, operation, and safety equipment purchases.

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 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 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 April 2021.

    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.