The Ceres Community Project FY2023 filing

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We create health for people, communities, and the planet through love, healing food, and empowering the next generation.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$420K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.2M a year · 33% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$420K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $110K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$746K
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$8.1M
+96% vs prior year
Spent
$5.3M
To programs
77%
Net assets
$6.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$8.1M
FY2023▲ +96%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.2M
FY2021$4.9M
FY2022$4.2M
FY2023$8.1M
FY2024$11.8M
Expenses
$5.3M
FY2023▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.8M
FY2021$3.7M
FY2022$4.4M
FY2023$5.3M
FY2024$6.0M
Net assets
$6.5M
FY2023▲ +80%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$3.8M
FY2022$3.6M
FY2023$6.5M
FY2024$12.4M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jul 2008.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $4.0M Management & general 13% · $664K Fundraising 11% · $555K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

23 people listed on the 990; $420K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$172,743Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Program Officer
$124,282Pt VII · Sec A
COO (former)
$123,140Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Chair (former)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director (former)
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Cathryn Couch’s $177K as CEO is at the 33rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Cathryn Couch$176,590$172,743$167,041$129,370$120,903
Brenda Paulucci-Whiting$124,095$124,282$110,600——
Andre Mills—$123,140———

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See The Ceres Community Project executive salaries →

1 open job right now. See them →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Nourish people, communities, and the planet with healing food and empower future generations.

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3 programs · $4.0M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

See schedule o

$3.6Mprogram expense
02

See schedule o

$397Kprogram expense
03

See schedule o

$20Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$110K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$8.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$49K
Money outPt IX
$5.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.0M
Managementcol C$664K
Fundraisingcol D$555K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$7.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$746K
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$884K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$423K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$49K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$8.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.4M
SavingsLn 2$764K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.1M
Accounts receivableLn 4$1.5M
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$139K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$56K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.4M
Other assetsLn 15$61K
Total assetsLn 16$7.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$746K
Net assetsLn 32$6.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5100
VolunteersI 6994
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$884K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M$2.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.6M$3.4M
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M$7.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$847K$746K
Net assetsLn 32$3.6M$6.5M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$173K$69K$52K$52K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.7M$2.1M$318K$263K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$186K$120K$51K$14K
Payroll taxesLn 10$228K$175K$29K$24K
Management feesLn 11a$123K$21K$7K$95K
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$39K$0$39K$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$25K$1K$0$24K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$59K$23K$0$36K
Office expensesLn 13$13K$5K$9K$25
Information technologyLn 14$199K$136K$46K$17K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$252K$235K$12K$4K
TravelLn 17$16K$7K$8K$379
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$18K$18K$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$48K$0$48K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.1M$1.1M$18K$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$109K$57K$27K$24K
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.3M$4.0M$664K$555K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS May 13, 2025 $11.8M$6.0M$5.9M$12.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Jun 3, 2024 $8.1M$5.3M$2.9M$6.5M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 15, 2023 $4.2M$4.4M−$202K$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 14, 2022 $4.9M$3.7M$1.2M$3.8M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Jul 13, 2021 $5.2M$3.8M$1.4M$2.6M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $8,144,362 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,203,537$6,926,630
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,029,405$1,243,879
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $17,510$49,336
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$94,519−$75,483
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,155,933$8,144,362
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,760,073$3,242,439
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,597,446$2,011,536
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,357,519$5,253,975
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$201,586$2,890,387
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $8,144,362 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $1,370 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$423,303
VIII-1e Government grants$1,054,716
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,448,611
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$883,937
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$6,926,630
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,243,879$1,243,879
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $49,336$49,336
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossUnrelated business $541$541
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$77,394−$77,394
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,245,249 · Unrelated business $541 · Excluded from tax −$28,058$8,144,362
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,253,975 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $69,097 · Management $51,823 · Fundraising $51,823$172,743
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,074,731 · Management $318,280 · Fundraising $262,558$2,655,569
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $120,437 · Management $51,227 · Fundraising $14,237$185,901
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $174,659 · Management $29,095 · Fundraising $24,472$228,226
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $21,256 · Management $6,620 · Fundraising $94,800$122,676
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $38,625 · Fundraising $0$38,625
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,414 · Management $0 · Fundraising $23,836$25,250
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $22,844 · Management $0 · Fundraising $35,784$58,628
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,839 · Management $8,632 · Fundraising $25$13,496
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $135,752 · Management $46,382 · Fundraising $17,182$199,316
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $235,356 · Management $12,010 · Fundraising $4,134$251,500
IX-17 TravelPrograms $7,123 · Management $8,035 · Fundraising $379$15,537
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 InterestPrograms $17,513 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$17,513
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $47,895 · Fundraising $0$47,895
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,093,443 · Management $17,730 · Fundraising $1,251$1,112,424
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $57,311 · Management $27,227 · Fundraising $24,138$108,676
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,035,775 · Management $663,581 · Fundraising $554,619$5,253,975
Part X · Balance sheet $7,240,685 assets, 30 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $574,604$1,375,037
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,519,078$764,141
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $380,234$1,492,258
X-5 Loans to officers and key peopleStart of year $0$0
X-6 Loans to other insidersStart of year $0$0
X-7 Notes and loans receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $106,221$138,537
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $59,445$56,321
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,592,847$3,353,505
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $219,290$60,886
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,451,719$7,240,685
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $321,348$385,324
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-21 Escrow or custodial accountsStart of year $0$0
X-22 Loans from officers and insidersStart of year $0$0
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $316,985$302,992
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $208,790$57,386
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $847,123$745,702
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,444,160$3,202,052
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $160,436$3,292,931
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,604,596$6,494,983
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,451,719$7,240,685
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,494,983 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$8,144,362
XI-2 Total expenses$5,253,975
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,890,387
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,604,596
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,494,983

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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