Health Education Council

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
680249296
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
Phone
9165563344
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Public Health Program (Includes General Health and Wellness Promotion Services)

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,571,174
Expenses
$3,893,237
Assets
$6,654,541
Liabilities
$1,406,317

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • EMILY VASQUEZ (President)
  • RON BLANCHETTE (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • DEBRA OTO-KENT (Executive Dir.): $182,059 total reported compensation
  • Martin Ross (Deputy Dir Ext Aff): $134,396 total reported compensation
  • Philip Bensing (Dir of Operations): $133,571 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The Health Education Council, Inc. (HEC) is a California nonprofit corporation serving to implement programs that impact the underlying drivers of health education, neighborhood safety, social connection, economic well-being, access to healthy resources that affect a persons ability to achieve health and well-being in the community of Sacramento. The Organization offers programs to improve health and wellbeing for all who live and work in the Sacramento area through innovation and partnerships and community driven programming. Working with youth and their families, the Organization aims to break cycles of poverty and improve quality of life for those served. For more than 30 years, addressing the social drivers of health in underserved communities has been the foundation of the Organizations work. The Organization supports this foundation by tapping into the power of collaboration. By partnering with and connecting the residents, businesses, organizations, leaders, and influencers alre

What it reported doing in 2024

Economic Well-Being Financial Education and NavigationThrough the Ventanilla de Asesora Financiera y Proteccin al Patrimonio (VAF) at the Mexican Consulate in Sacramento, HEC provided financial education and resource navigation for low-income community members.In 20242025, HEC: Reached over 34,000 community members through in-person and online workshops, monthly fairs, and daily presentations.Provided individual navigation to 2,041 people.Reached 20,889 people through Facebook Live sessions.Reached 466 individuals through financial education workshops.Engaged 10,780 individuals at monthly resource fairs and ongoing presentations.Topics included banking, home ownership, saving and budgeting, fraud protection, unemployment support for migrant and seasonal farmworkers, employment and retirement resources, and financial tools available in MexicoHEC also provided community financial literacy workshops in English and Spanish at sites such as Midtown Church, Robla Community Park, Elkhorn Village Elementary, Swanston Community Center, Westfield Elementary, Capital College & Career Academy (CCCA), Logan Park Apartments, and the HEC office, reaching 200+ participants.Workforce Partnerships and EventsThe Workforce Development Advisory Board met monthly, bringing together employers, chambers of commerce, health providers, nonprofits, faith communities, financial institutions, and education partners. The Board focused on addressing employment as a social driver of health and helped plan workforce events.In September 2024, HEC hosted a Workforce Development Symposium & Job Fair at Midtown Church: The symposium drew 120+ attendees, including elected officials, business and nonprofit leaders, and government representatives, and explored links between workforce development and community health.The job fair featured 33 vendors and attracted 400+ job seekers.An on-site computer lab supported rsum development and job applications.Micro-Lending and Small Business SupportHEC launched a micro-lending pilot program to support small business owners, in partnership with: California Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) Inclusivity ProjectSacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SHCC) EmprendeBlack Small Business Association of California (BSBA) Business BoostHECs financial health programming at the Mexican ConsulateDuring outreach: Over 150 individuals received information on micro-loans and small business development.15 candidates were screened, 11 interviewed, and 8 selected for loans administered by Self-Help Federal Credit Union (SHFCU).Recipients included a street food vendor, custom clothing stylist, vehicle wraps and apparel business, low-voltage technologies business, Teff grain farm, Peruvian crafts and food products business, fitness program consultant, and preschool operator.Most participants maintained on-time payments, improved credit, and completed small business training programs. All were connected to the Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and most received one-on-one financial coaching. HEC also hosted a marketing workshop with 3fold Communications and coordinated technical assistance and referrals on bookkeeping, licensing, taxes, and business management.Career Readiness and Workforce PathwaysHEC launched a Career Readiness Cohort for high school juniors and seniors in Sacramento, Placer, and Yolo Counties.At Yolo High School in fall 2024:8 students participated in a 5-week program with two sessions per week.Topics included career exploration, job search skills, rsum building, dress for success, conflict resolution, interview preparation, mock interviews, panel discussions, and financial literacy.Post-survey results showed:90% felt more prepared for job interviews.80% better understood how to search for careers.90% knew what to include in a rsum.70% knew how to create a budget.80% felt more confident applying for entry-level jobs.90% knew how to dress for interviews.A second cohort was planned at Liberty Towers You

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 66% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filed totals do not add up and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 76
  • Transparency & Controls: 72
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 57
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 69.7%; rating input score 70
  • Program expense ratio: 80.5%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $336.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 14.8%; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.71; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.21; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14.8%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 69.7% of revenue deployed · 80.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 5 filed program accomplishments · $3.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $182K · 11 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 28 of 29 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 56/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 19/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 43/100.