Student Action with Farmworkers (saf) mission is to bring students and Farmworkers together to learn about each other's lives, share resources and skills, improve conditions for Farmworkers, and build diverse coalitions working for social change.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 11 volunteers and 8 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $16K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$66K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $361K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 3.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $31K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$41K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$743K
+27% vs prior year
Spent
$918K
To programs
72%
Net assets
$898K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$743K
FY2025▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$820K
FY2021$916K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$737K
FY2024$586K
FY2025$743K
Expenses
$918K
FY2025▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$757K
FY2021$848K
FY2022$820K
FY2023$788K
FY2024$879K
FY2025$918K
Net assets
$898K
FY2025▼ -16%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$770K
FY2021$899K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$898K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · 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: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 1992.

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

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $663K Management & general 21% · $188K Fundraising 7% · $67K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $66K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$66,262Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sylvia Zapata’s $66K as Executive Director is at the 58th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Melinda Wiggins———$68,950$68,050$67,050
Sylvia Zapata$66,262—————
Sylvia Shoemaker—$62,282————
Sylvia Zapata Shoemaker——$62,282———

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 Student Action with Farmworkers 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects students and farmworkers to share lives, skills, and build coalitions for social change.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $663K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Internship Programs

* into the fields internship: twenty-five into the fields students conducted outreach to nearly 3,158 farmworkers and their families in labor camps and communities. Students worked on site and lived in the communities they were serving. The students worked with legal, health, education, and organizing partners.

$306Kprogram expense
02

Education & Advocacy

From the ground up: saf staff and interns conducted virtual and in-person presentations on issues ranging from child labor to food security. We had 35 partners for farmworker awareness week, and continued to build on the powerful influence of unions and student activism. We co-coordinated community events, both in person and virtually.

$248Kprogram expense
03

Levante Leadership Institute

Nine high school students from farmworker families in eastern north carolina participated in the levante leadership institute program. They received training, mentorship and tutoring. The program participants focused on learning about heat stress, higher education, and the farmworker justice movement.

$108Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$31K
Grants paid · 10 grants · $634K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$160,925
Unitemized GrantFY2024$15,490
Unitemized GrantFY2023$165,584
Unitemized GrantFY2023$17,200
Unitemized GrantFY2022$15,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$15,000
Unitemized GrantFY2020$75,484
Unitemized GrantFY2020$64,520
Unitemized GrantFY2019$58,970
Unitemized GrantFY2019$45,700

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$743K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$715K
Investment incomeLn 3$23K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4K
Money outPt IX
$918K
Ln 25
Programscol B$663K
Managementcol C$188K
Fundraisingcol D$67K
Owns and owesPt X
$898K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$261K
Total assetsLn 16$939K
LiabilitiesLn 26$41K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$715K
Government grantsLn 1e$110K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$3K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$20K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4K
Investment incomeLn 3$23K
Other incomeLn 4–11$1K
Gains on assetsLn 7$12K
Total revenueLn 12$743K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$261K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$261K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$361K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Total assetsLn 16$939K
LiabilitiesLn 26$41K
Net assetsLn 32$898K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 58
VolunteersI 611
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$531K$261K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$339K$361K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$688$2K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M$939K
LiabilitiesLn 26$71K$41K
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M$898K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$710$710
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$176K$176K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$69K$45K$15K$8K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$339K$224K$73K$42K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$14K$9K$3K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$39K$25K$9K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$32K$21K$8K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$45K$45K
Investment management feesLn 11f$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$68K$66K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$13K$5K$6K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$506$345$106$55
OccupancyLn 16$28K$18K$7K$3K
TravelLn 17$28K$28K$358$154
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$30K$27K$3K$39
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$716$258$135
InsuranceLn 23$8K$44$8K$8
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$22K$15K$6K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$918K$663K$188K$67K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $743K$918K−$175K$898K 990 PDF
FY2024 $586K$879K−$293K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $737K$788K−$50K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.1M$820K$294K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $916K$848K$68K$899K 990 PDF
FY2020 $820K$757K$63K$770K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $742,918 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $545,658$714,631
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $12,690$3,660
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $26,933$23,203
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,141$1,424
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $586,422$742,918
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $184,084$177,125
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $515,108$492,932
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $180,298$247,598
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $879,490$917,655
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$293,068−$174,737
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $742,918 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $471 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$20,065
VIII-1e Government grants$110,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$584,566
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,573
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$714,631
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $3,660$3,660
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $11,467$11,467
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $11,736$11,736
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $953$953
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $3,660 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $24,627$742,918
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $917,655 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $710$710
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $176,415$176,415
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $45,301 · Management $14,825 · Fundraising $8,386$68,512
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $224,264 · Management $73,394 · Fundraising $41,514$339,172
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $9,396 · Management $3,427 · Fundraising $1,484$14,307
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $25,261 · Management $9,419 · Fundraising $4,209$38,889
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $20,718 · Management $7,510 · Fundraising $3,824$32,052
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $44,629$44,629
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,408$3,408
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $65,991 · Management $2,147$68,138
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,439 · Management $5,891 · Fundraising $2,061$13,391
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $345 · Management $106 · Fundraising $55$506
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $18,210 · Management $6,564 · Fundraising $3,422$28,196
IX-17 TravelPrograms $27,725 · Management $358 · Fundraising $154$28,237
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $27,345 · Management $2,972 · Fundraising $39$30,356
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $716 · Management $258 · Fundraising $135$1,109
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $44 · Management $7,607 · Fundraising $8$7,659
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $14,697 · Management $5,906 · Fundraising $1,366$21,969
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $662,577 · Management $188,421 · Fundraising $66,657$917,655
Part X · Balance sheet $939,202 assets, 11 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $530,666$260,998
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $105,479$311,030
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,947$3,766
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $688$2,231
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $338,968$361,177
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,134,696$939,202
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $71,027$40,965
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $71,027$40,965
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,063,669$898,237
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,063,669$898,237
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,134,696$939,202
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $898,237 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$742,918
XI-2 Total expenses$917,655
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$174,737
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,063,669
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$9,305
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$898,237

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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