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Sierra Institute for Community and

EIN 91-1818166 · Taylorsville, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Promoting healthy and sustainable forests and watersheds by investing in the well-being of rural communities and strengthening their participation in natural resource decision-making and programs.

Income
$13.3 million
Spending
$9.8 million
Spent on programs
102%
Reserves
4.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 57%
Employees
96
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$161,579, executive direc

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

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 123% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    102% 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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 8 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 (5)
  1. $5.3 million spent. Community based Natural Resource Management: The Sierra Institute's Community-based Natural Resource Management program includes on-the-ground resource management, applied research, and capacity-building work to promote resilient forest ecosystems that benefit rural communities. Current projects include: facilitation of several forest collaboratives; coordination of a statewide, peer-learning network of forest collaboratives; and, partnering to complete planning and implementation of forest and meadow restoration projects with multiple National Forests and Lassen Volcanic National Park.
  2. $3.0 million spent. Rural Community Development: Rural Community Development focused on planning and rebuilding rural economies throughout rural forested California. We have launched a workforce training program to train workers for a new forest worker economy. This includes training a tribal workforce to advance cultural burning on forest land and ancestral tribal land recovery. We also are managing dought funding from the California Department of Water Resources for communities and collaborative groups throughout the Sierra and Northern Sacramento regions.In Addition we host a 'pathways to the profession' program called Plumas Conservation, Restoration Education in Watersheds bringing 16-18 year old youth from urban and rural areas to do natrual resource projects.
  3. $1.6 million spent. Wood Utilization :SI is developing a wood utilization campus to show how burned wood and small wood harvested as a part of forest restoration projects can be turned into high value products that will support additional forest restoration. Goals include advancing forest restoration work; creating community scale projects that put people back to work; and share lessons learned and project development with other rural communities. Latest work includes construction of a sawmill to mill burned timber and turn it into lumber for rebuilding. Through this program we are helping residents get back into homes by building homes with cross laminated timber to create homes more resistant to wildfire and offer an example of a new hardened community.
  4. $269,251 spent. Developing Young Stewards and a pathways to the profession youth program: Sierra Institute takes a three prong approach to developing stewardship ethic among local and urban youth including recreation, environmental education, and career development. One example is: P-CREW is a mix of rural and urban high school students who participate in a five week restoration projects in the Feather River Watershed during the summer.
  5. Sierra Institute launched Indian Valley Strong to support residents and businesses displaced by the Dixie Fire. Sierra Institute provided short-term food, gas, clothing and similar assistance, along with longer-term assistance focused on helping get residents back into homes by building homes with cross laminated timber to create homes more resistant to wildfire and offer an example of a new hardened 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 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 October 13, 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 2024.

    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 January 1998.

    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 October 21, 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.