The mission of 18 Reasons is to empower our community with the confidence and creativity needed to buy, cook, and eat good food every day.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 300 volunteers and 17 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $192K a year · 8% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$456K
to officers and key staff · 13% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 13% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
23
named funders · $672K
Looks good: 23 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$425K
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.2M
+56% vs prior year
Spent
$3.6M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$1.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$4.2M
FY2024▲ +56%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.8M
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$4.2M
Expenses
$3.6M
FY2024▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$2.3M
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$3.6M
Net assets
$1.5M
FY2024▲ +78%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$953K
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$853K
FY2024$1.5M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2012.

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

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $3.0M Management & general 8% · $269K Fundraising 8% · $294K

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; $456K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$131,000Pt VII · Sec A
Program Dir.
$114,558Pt VII · Sec A
Operations Dir.
$105,101Pt VII · Sec A
Program Dir.
$105,000Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sarah Nelson’s $131K as Executive Dir. is at the 74th percentile of top reported officer pay among 818 $1–10M food & agriculture 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Sarah Nelson$131,000$125,000$101,408$101,850$97,000
Theresa Salcedo$114,558————
Claudia Guerrero$105,101————
Brianna Tejuco$105,000————

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 18 Reasons executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

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

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Teaches people to confidently buy, cook, and eat good food daily.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

At our Community Cooking School, community residents can take basic cooking classes, attend community dinners, and learn about food, cooking, and social issues surrounding food. Over 2,000 people attended classes and programming at our Community Cooking School in 2023.

$830Kprogram expense
02

Food as Medicine helps low-income Medi-Cal patients with diet sensitive conditions learn cooking, nutrition, and household planning and budgeting skills that help them take control of their health. For up to twelve months, patients receive weekly boxes of home-delivered healthy groceries, sourced from local farms and grocery partners.

$796Kprogram expense
03

Our Cooking Matters program offers free cooking and nutrition classes to low-income adults, children, and families. Each series of classes meet once a week for six weeks. Each class is two hours long, and is taught by a team consisting of a chef, a nutrition instructor, and a class assistant.

$779Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 23 funders →
Grants paid · 14 grants · $145K · 2020–2024
All My UsosCA · FY2024$20,000
Social Good Fund INCCA · FY2023$10,000
Push Dance CompanyFY2023$10,000
Faatasi Youth Services INCCA · FY2023$10,000
San Francisco Parks AllianceCA · FY2022$10,000
Life After NextCA · FY2022$10,000
Kids Enjoy Exercise NowCA · FY2020$7,091
Girls Leading Girls INCCA · FY2020$7,091

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$25K
Money outPt IX
$3.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.0M
Managementcol C$269K
Fundraisingcol D$294K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$425K
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$128K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$388K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$25K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$4.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$157K
SavingsLn 2$1.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$47K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$425K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 517
VolunteersI 6300
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$639K$1.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$377K$425K
Net assetsLn 32$853K$1.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$40K$40K
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$143K$43K$57K$43K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.5M$1.3M$52K$167K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$46K$39K$2K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$99K$86K$3K$10K
Payroll taxesLn 10$133K$105K$8K$19K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$67K$67K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$8K$8K
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$378K$359K$18K$480
Advertising and promotionLn 12$18K$850$17K
Office expensesLn 13$41K$33K$2K$7K
Information technologyLn 14$91K$74K$9K$8K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$95K$83K$11K$933
TravelLn 17$67K$49K$11K$6K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$26K$26K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$792K$787K$3K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.6M$3.0M$269K$294K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $4.2M$3.6M$666K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.7M$3.0M−$254K$853K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.8M$2.3M−$481K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.1M$1.5M$635K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.8M$1.4M$395K$953K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,244,231 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,923,206$2,516,855
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $740,862$1,713,251
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $8,885$25,210
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $46,676−$11,085
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,719,629$4,244,231
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $40,000$40,000
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,749,506$1,955,675
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $14,055$7,795
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,170,036$1,574,781
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,973,597$3,578,251
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$253,968$665,980
Part VI · Governance 14 of 17 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members14
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $4,244,231 across 14 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$5,870
VIII-1c Fundraising events$387,787
VIII-1e Government grants$1,225,261
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$897,937
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$127,500
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,516,855
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,713,251$1,713,251
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $25,210$25,210
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$44,540−$44,540
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $33,455$33,455
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,713,251 · Excluded from tax $14,125$4,244,231
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,578,251 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $40,000$40,000
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 $42,808 · Management $57,077 · Fundraising $42,808$142,693
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,316,394 · Management $52,008 · Fundraising $166,517$1,534,919
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $38,841 · Management $1,568 · Fundraising $5,871$46,280
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $85,695 · Management $2,709 · Fundraising $10,479$98,883
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $105,344 · Management $8,390 · Fundraising $19,166$132,900
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $66,804$66,804
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $7,795$7,795
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $359,474 · Management $17,624 · Fundraising $480$377,578
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $850 · Fundraising $17,294$18,144
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $32,988 · Management $1,900 · Fundraising $6,509$41,397
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $73,911 · Management $9,355 · Fundraising $7,732$90,998
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $83,193 · Management $10,645 · Fundraising $933$94,771
IX-17 TravelPrograms $49,075 · Management $11,421 · Fundraising $6,352$66,848
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $26,309$26,309
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $786,546 · Management $3,354 · Fundraising $2,032$791,932
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,015,119 · Management $269,164 · Fundraising $293,968$3,578,251
Part X · Balance sheet $1,944,403 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $131,224$157,160
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $508,060$1,157,606
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $103,510$111,941
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $393,831$446,184
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $15,987$24,982
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $77,615$46,530
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,230,227$1,944,403
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $219,303$241,726
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $78,996$135,947
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $78,845$47,667
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $377,144$425,340
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $616,083$1,124,491
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $237,000$394,572
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $853,083$1,519,063
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,230,227$1,944,403
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,519,063 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,244,231
XI-2 Total expenses$3,578,251
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$665,980
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$853,083
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,519,063

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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