Eco Center INC

Tax-deductible

San Juan Capo, CA501(c)(3)Since 2008EnvironmentEIN 80-0308638Revenue $6.5M in FY2024

On file with the IRStheecologycenter.org32701 Alipaz St, 92675-4110 · San Juan Capo, CATax-exempt since Mar 2009Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The ecology Center is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to building a healthy, abundant, and regenerative food future for southern california. The organization operates a 28-acre working farm that serves as a living classroom for public education, hands-on learning, and demonstrations of sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. Through community events, school and family programs, food access initiatives, farming education, and engagement opportunities for volunteers and visitors, the ecology Center connects people to healthy landscapes and equitable food systems while advancing resilient and regenerative community practices.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
53¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,000 volunteers and 123 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 $299K a year · 6% 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
53%
of spending
Worth a look: 53% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$236K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 90% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
14
named funders · $1.0M
Looks good: 14 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4.8M
63% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 63% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$6.5M
+36% vs prior year
Spent
$5.6M
To programs
53%
Net assets
$2.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$6.5M
FY2024▲ +36%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.2M
FY2021$4.5M
FY2022$4.3M
FY2023$4.8M
FY2024$6.5M
Expenses
$5.6M
FY2024▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.4M
FY2021$4.8M
FY2022$4.2M
FY2023$4.9M
FY2024$5.6M
Net assets
$2.9M
FY2024▲ +46%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$2.1M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$2.9M

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

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2009.

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

Where the money goes

53 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 53% · $3.0M Management & general 36% · $2.0M Fundraising 11% · $607K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $236K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Exec Director
$235,698Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Evan Marks’s $236K as Exec Director is at the 90th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M environment 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Evan Marks$235,698$223,742$169,754$171,144$176,779
Bret Babos———$106,087—

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.

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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

Builds a healthy food future through education, sustainable farming, and community programs.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $3.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Education Designed for families in search of a holistic framework for their education, our education programs are an exceptional outlet for learning core academic subjects through the lens of nature.

$3.0Mprogram expense
02

Design and Otherscapital Campaign

Development The Ecology Center's infrastructure build-out towards our forthcoming Eco-Village. This 5+ year program is designed to increase the educational and farming capacity of the property, creating more public engagement opportunities, improving infrastructure, and building necessary structures to accommodate our future farming…

Pt IX · col B

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 · FY2024
See all 14 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.4M
Money outPt IX
$5.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.0M
Managementcol C$2.0M
Fundraisingcol D$607K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M
Total assetsLn 16$7.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$43K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$832
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.4M
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$6.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.2M
SavingsLn 2$226K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.6M
Other assetsLn 15$3.9M
Total assetsLn 16$7.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$2.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5123
VolunteersI 61,000
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$1.6M$1.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$365K$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$6.4M$7.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.4M$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$2.0M$2.9M
4Every 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$246K$135K$80K$30K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.8M$1.6M$921K$351K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$216K$118K$71K$26K
Payroll taxesLn 10$344K$180K$127K$36K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$425K$268K$22K$135K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$30K$29K$119$913
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$125K$125K
TravelLn 17$10K$4K$6K$106
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$2K$203$2K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$224K$224K
InsuranceLn 23$51K$22K$24K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$680K$528K$145K$7K
All other expensesLn 24e$403K$119K$270K$14K
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.6M$3.0M$2.0M$607K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $6.5M$5.6M$897K$2.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.8M$4.9M−$93K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.3M$4.2M$70K$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $4.5M$4.8M−$270K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $4.2M$3.4M$892K$2.3M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $6,480,367 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,491,375$3,549,356
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,135,398$1,487,988
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $725$832
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,132,960$1,442,191
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,760,458$6,480,367
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,135,835$3,634,097
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,717,773$1,948,785
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,853,608$5,582,882
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$93,150$897,485
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $6,480,367 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $1,104,400 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$168,060
VIII-1e Government grants$43,031
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,338,265
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,549,356
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,487,988$1,487,988
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $832$832
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 events$306,435
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $31,356$31,356
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,520,176 · Excluded from tax $1,104,400$6,480,367
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,582,882 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 $135,268 · Management $80,036 · Fundraising $30,495$245,799
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,556,767 · Management $921,116 · Fundraising $350,965$2,828,848
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $118,252 · Management $70,931 · Fundraising $26,460$215,643
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $180,347 · Management $127,030 · Fundraising $36,430$343,807
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $268,395 · Management $21,851 · Fundraising $134,665$424,911
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $29,169 · Management $119 · Fundraising $913$30,201
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $125,000$125,000
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,828 · Management $6,449 · Fundraising $106$10,383
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 InterestManagement $203 · Fundraising $1,555$1,758
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $223,836$223,836
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $22,038 · Management $23,539 · Fundraising $4,931$50,508
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $527,722 · Management $144,653 · Fundraising $7,219$679,594
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $119,201 · Management $269,844 · Fundraising $13,549$402,594
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,960,987 · Management $2,014,607 · Fundraising $607,288$5,582,882
Part X · Balance sheet $7,680,072 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,301,080$1,233,284
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $315,643$226,015
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$340,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $72,387$112,414
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $69,675$202,779
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $364,618$1,616,410
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 $4,247,167$3,949,170
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $6,370,570$7,680,072
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $58,617$668,529
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $58,617$18,839
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,299,461$4,141,344
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,416,695$4,828,712
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,729,084$2,404,028
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $224,791$447,332
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,953,875$2,851,360
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $6,370,570$7,680,072
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,851,360 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,480,367
XI-2 Total expenses$5,582,882
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$897,485
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,953,875
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,851,360

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

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