OCCIDENTAL ARTS AND ECOLOGY CENTER Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

OCCIDENTAL ARTS AND ECOLOGY CENTER

EIN 68-0359676 · Environment (C30Z)

What they do

OOAEC CULTIVATES ECOLOGICAL LITERACY and BUILDS THE CAPACITY of CIVIC and SOCIAL MOVEMENT LEADERS and ORGANIZATIONS to GUIDE THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES to AN ECOLOGICALLY REGENERATIVE, ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, and SOCIALLY JUST FUTURE.INSPIRED BY NATURE, WHERE DIVERSITY is A KEY INDICATOR of THE HEALTH of AN ECOSYSTEM, WE ASSIST PLACE-BASED COMMUNITIES IN REORIENTING HUMAN ECONOMY and GOVERNANCE TOWARDS THE RESTORATION and STEWARDSHIP of BIOLOGICAL and CULTURAL DIVERSITY. to REALIZE OUR MISSION, WE INVEST IN PROJECTS and PARTNERSHIPS THAT ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES of THE ECOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, and SOCIAL CRISES of OUR TIME.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $82.00 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders11 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

80.43%of revenue went to mission work82.0% of expenses · Program services

5.33%of revenue went to fundraising5.4% of expenses

$98.05spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

12.29%of revenue went to management and office costs12.5% of expenses

$1.62in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

79.4%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

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Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $145,867 for DAVE HENSON (EXECUTIVE DIR.). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$6,590,055

Mission workProgram services$5,300,28380.43% of revenue82.0% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$810,17512.29% of revenue12.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$350,9775.33% of revenue5.4% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$128,6201.95% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$6,461,43598.05% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 82.0% mission · 12.5% management · 5.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.05% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 82.8% mission · 10.0% management · 7.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 83.46% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 89.4% mission · 7.6% management · 3.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 69.33% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 85.4% mission · 9.7% management · 4.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.97% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.2% mission · 11.6% management · 6.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 73.49% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 71.8% mission · 19.3% management · 9.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 132.02% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 72.5% mission · 18.8% management · 8.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 55.20% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 65.8% mission · 28.9% management · 5.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 130.37% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$6,590,055

Expenses$6,461,435

Annual surplus $128,620 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$5,300,283 · 82.0% of expenses

Management and office costs$810,175 · 12.5% of expenses

Fundraising$350,977 · 5.4% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$6,590,055

Expenses$6,461,435

Assets$10,484,762

Income$2,495,323

Contributions$5,235,506

Mission work (program services)$5,300,283

Fundraising$350,977

Grants given$153,583

Average grant$38,396

Management and general$810,175

Executive compensation (total)$168,609

Stocks and bonds$49,095

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

DAVE HENSONEXECUTIVE DIR. · 52 hrs/week $145,867

MEGAN PONDERCO-DIR PEAK PLASTI · 40 hrs/week $125,500

STEPHEN WILSONCO-DIR PEAK PLASTI · 40 hrs/week $125,500

MICHAEL MCKENZIEED COUNTERSTREAM · 40 hrs/week $119,225

KENDALL DUNNIGANRCD PROGRAM MANAGE · 52 hrs/week $118,430

SUNNY HILLFINANCE DIRECTO · 52 hrs/week $105,747

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (11)

DAVE HENSONEXECUTIVE DIR.

MEGAN PONDERCO-DIR PEAK PLASTI

STEPHEN WILSONCO-DIR PEAK PLASTI

MICHAEL MCKENZIEED COUNTERSTREAM

KENDALL DUNNIGANRCD PROGRAM MANAGE

SUNNY HILLFINANCE DIRECTO

GOPAL DAYANENIDIRECTOR

JANELLE ORSIDIRECTOR

LORI MADDOXTREASURER

MELISSA K NELSONPRESIDENT

SUSAN MCGOVERNSECRETARY

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1997
Location: 15290 COLEMAN VALLEY RD, OCCIDENTAL, CA 95465-9301
County: Sonoma
In care of: % DAVE HENSON
Primary officer: Dave Henson, Executive Dir.

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailoaec@oaec.org Phone(707) 874-1557

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: GORANSON TAX AND CONSULTING INC
NTEE classification: Environment (C30Z)
IRS tax category: Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations
Grant-giving organization: Yes