Santa Monica Mountains Regional Fire Safe Council
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Public education and outreach for wildfire mitigation
- Income
- $135,262
- Spending
- $123,991
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 85%
- Highest pay
- $9,860, executive director
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 82% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 (3)
- $91,572 spent. Firewise USA is a program that provides communities an outline of simple and effective steps to reduce the risk of destruction from wildfires. We offer support with initial inquiries, application support, risk assessments, educational services, etc. A home ignition zone evaluation (HIZ) is a review of the vulnerability of your house and landscape to wildfire and ember-ignition. We offer FREE HIZs. Community Workdays - During the Community Workday, neighbors help neighbors create an ember resistant zone and learn how to install 1/16in mesh screens on vents. SMMFSC works with resident leaders to coordinate the block-party style workday. Must be within a FIREWISE Community to be eligible. The SMMFSC supported a community-led defensible space through habitat restoration program on Entrada Road in Topanga. A dedicated group of neighbors banded together to transform an overgrown dry grass hillside into a budding oak grove. A piece of state park land was dense with invasives, leaving the neighborhood surrounded by dry fuels that could erupt in the face of a wildfire. Local leaders devoted time and energy to obtaining permits, raising funds, and finalizing plans. The area was cleared of non-native species and replaced. Along with the SMMFSC, a group of volunteers spent a day planting native species including scrub oaks, coast live oaks, and toyon shrubs. The hillside is now a budding oak grove that will grow to protect the street for years to come.
- $18,314 spent. Defensible Space Through Habitat Restoration - Work with your neighbors, SMMFSC team, and State Parks to promote native plant buffers around your community. This work focuses on supporting oak woodlands within 200 ft of structures.
- $12,210 spent. Community Wildfire Protection Plans are an essential way to outline the wildfire risk present in a community and to prioritize risk reduction and mitigation efforts. SMMFSC can provide facilitation and grant writing assistance for CWPPs. Gold Spotted Oak Borer Monitoring - Learn how to identify the signs of a tree infested with GSOB and help keep SMMs free of this pest by buying firewood where you burn it. We have begun building a collection of tools that can be used for a variety of defensible space and home hardening tasks. We have access to a variety of educational materials including brochures, door hangers, flyers, packets, etc. Subjects include Firewise USA, fire behavior, home hardening, etc.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.