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Nonprofit · EIN 27-1527559

CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL

Tax-exempt · VENTURA, CA 93003

Financials

$711K$748K2023$1.4M$1.1M2024$1.3M$1.3M2025
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2025990$1,296,065$1,279,007$17,058$846,495$418,817$427,678
December 31, 2024990$1,377,354$1,087,043$290,311$938,356$504,462$433,894
December 31, 2023990$710,705$747,968-$37,263$408,583$265,000$143,583
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$1,284,998
of which government grants
$1,064,534
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$1,476
Net income from fundraising events
$9,514
Other revenue
$9,591

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$43,669
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$102,978
Other salaries and wages
$617,874
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$816,402
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Occupancy
$51,665
Travel
$10,192
Program services (functional)
$1,022,305
Management and general (functional)
$222,853
Fundraising (functional)
$33,849

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$938,356
Total assets, end of year
$846,495
Total liabilities, end of year
$418,817
Net assets, end of year
$427,678
Land, buildings and equipment
$64,851
Net assets without donor restrictions
$331,787
Net assets with donor restrictions
$95,891
Gross receipts
$1,308,489
Employees
10
Volunteers
50
Year formed
2009
State of legal domicile
CA

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
STEPHEN WATSONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Highest-paid employee
40$102,978
KEN CARTERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
BRIAN CLARKDIRECTOR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
PATRICIA HANLEYTREASURER
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
ANDREW ORTEGAPRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
JIM KNISSSECRETARY
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
SUSAN ENGLERDIRECTOR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
JAMES STEPHENSONDIRECTOR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
MICHAEL LAPLANTVICE PRESIDENT
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
MICHAEL LOPEZDIRECTOR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
MARGARET TOUGASDIRECTOR
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 10 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
MICHAEL LAPLANTDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
JIM ROTHDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
PATRICIA HANLEYTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
ANDREW ORTEGAPresident
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
JIM KNISSSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
KYLE GORDONDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
JASON GIAMBIDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
LUIS ESPINOSAVice President
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
MICHAEL LOPEZDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
MARGARET TOUGASDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 10 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
MICHAEL LAPLANTDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
JIM ROTHDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
PATRICIA HANLEYTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
ANDREW ORTEGAPresident
Trustee or director, Officer
4$0
JIM KNISSDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
KYLE GORDONDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
JASON GIAMBISecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0
LUIS ESPINOSAVice President
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0
MICHAEL LOPEZDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
MARGARET TOUGASDirector
Trustee or director
2$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
3585 MAPLE ST STE 205, VENTURA, CA 93003-9143
In care of
% MEL WILLIS
Mailing address (990-N for 2018)
PO Box 3064, Ventura CA 93006
Principal officer (990 for 2025)
STEPHEN WATSON, 3585 MAPLE STREET 205, VENTURA, CA 93003
Principal officer (990-N for 2018)
Michael J Burns, PO Box 3064, Ventura CA 93006
Signed the 990
STEPHEN WATSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Phone
(805) 746-7365
Return prepared by
SINGERLEWAK LLP

California records

California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 27-1527559 or by the name CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL.

Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)

Mission

VENTURA REGIONAL FIRE SAFE COUNCIL IS A GRASSROOTS, COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATION THAT MOBILIZES RESIDENTS TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES, COMMUNITIES, AND ENVIRONMENTS FROM CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE, THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PLANNING, PROGRAMS, MITIGATION AND EDUCATION.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • THE VENTURA REGIONAL FIRE SAFE COUNCIL (VRFSC) PROVIDES ESSENTIAL WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAMS THAT ENABLE VENTURA COUNTY'S RESILIENT AND TREASURED COMMUNITIES TO LIVE MORE SAFELY WITH THE THREAT OF WILDFIRE. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS BRING A DEEP AND BROAD UNDERSTANDING OF WILDFIRE MITIGATION, RESOURCES, MAPPING, LOCAL LEGISLATION, AND CONTENT EXPERTISE.FACILITATED 177 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EVENTS, WEBINARS, TOWN HALL MEETINGS, AND WORKSHOPS, REACHING 6,637 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT VENTURA COUNTY. MAINTAINED MEDIA AND DIGITAL PRESENCE THROUGH VARIOUS OUTREACH PLATFORMS, ACHIEVING AN ESTIMATED DIGITAL REACH OF OVER 53,000 INDIVIDUALS. PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH TO PROMOTE INCLUSION AND EQUITY.COMPLETED 730 HOME HARDENING ASSESSMENTS, HELPING RESIDENTS IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THE MOST VULNERABLE COMPONENTS OF THEIR HOMES TO WILDFIRE. SUPPORTED THE RECOGNITION OF OVER 40 FIREWISE USA COMMUNITIES (41+ TO DATE). PROVIDED FIREWISE USA PROGRAM ASSISTANCE AND DISTRIBUTED OVER $25,000 IN FUNDING TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LEVEL WILDFIRE RESILIENCE THROUGH CHIPPER EVENTS, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, EMBER-RESISTANT VENTS, YARD SIGNAGE, AND OTHER MITIGATION ACTIVITIES.DELIVERED CHIPPER AND FUELS REDUCTION PROGRAMS RESULTING IN APPROXIMATELY 1,869 CUBIC YARDS OF VEGETATION REMOVED AND 194 ACRES TREATED, SUPPORTING DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP EFFORTS. THROUGH THE RESIDENT GRANT PROGRAM AND RELATED INITIATIVES, PROVIDED HOME RETROFITS AND TARGETED ASSISTANCE TO VULNERABLE AND LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS TO IMPROVE WILDFIRE RESISTANCE.
    Expenses $1,022,305

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026990 on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
27-1527559
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
2010
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$846,495
Income (IRS master file)
$1,308,489

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2025$1,296,065$1,279,007$846,495IRS
990December 2024$1,377,354$1,087,043$938,356XML
990December 2023$710,705$747,968$408,583XML
990December 2022$657,630$621,465$334,816IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990-EZDecember 2020–––IRS
990-EZDecember 2019–––IRS
990-N for 2018
Officer: Michael J Burns
December 31, 2018≤ $50,000 receipts––e-Postcard

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 27-1527559).

Questions about CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL

What is the EIN of CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL?
The employer identification number (EIN) of CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL is 27-1527559.
Is CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2010.
Are donations to CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL due?
The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
Who is the principal officer of CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names STEPHEN WATSON.
Who are the officers and directors of CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 11 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $102,978 (STEPHEN WATSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR).
How much revenue does CENTRAL VENTURA COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $1,296,065, expenses of $1,279,007 and total assets of $846,495 at year end.

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