Rural Advancement Institute

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
943342390
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2021–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2022, Form 990-EZ 2024
Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
Phone
9164474806
Rating
93
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Education N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$28,223
Expenses
$50,813
Assets
$268,087
Liabilities
$252,193

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

Leadership & pay

8 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PATRICK BLACKLOCK (PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR)
  • CRAIG FERGUSON (VICE PRESIDENT/SECRETARY)
  • MAGGIE CHUI (DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • PATRICK BLACKLOCK (PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR)
  • CRAIG FERGUSON (VICE PRESIDENT/SECRETARY)
  • MILENA DE MELO (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

Facilitating research and educational opportunities that advance the understanding of issues impacting rural California amongst policymakers and the public.

What it reported doing in 2024

Since 2004, the organization's operations have largely been dormant. Rai was revitalized in 2021 to facilitate research and educational opportunities that advance the understanding of issues impacting rural California amongst policymakers and the public. Rai's financial activity continues to be minimal through december 31, 2024, with one organized tour held and one research project initiated during the year.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and liabilities are high compared with assets.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 37
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 78.2%; rating input score 78

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -80%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.28; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.94; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 72.7% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 17.7% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 45.4% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 4 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 2 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 78.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $40K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 8 people listed
  • Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2021 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 9/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 6/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.