Seed Systems Group Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
352651768
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Westlands Nairobi, KE
Phone
2028627851
Rating
55
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Relief

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,482,938
Expenses
$271,968
Assets
$1,277,748
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DR JOSEPH DEVRIES (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • ALINE O'CONNOR (BOARD SECRETARY)
  • DR NAMANGA NGONGI (BOARD CHAIRPERSON)
  • DR WILSON SONGA (BOARD TREASURER)

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

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

Overview

Mission

The charity is organized and operated in order to increase the production of food crops by poor, smallholder farmers in under-developed countries in order to allow them to improve their nutritional and economic wellbeing. (continued on schedule o)

What it reported doing in 2024

Seed systems group, inc. ("ssg") is a non-profit, technical assistance organization registered in the us and headquartered in nairobi, kenya. Ssg's work is systemic in approach, investing in capable, well-placed local actors and providing them with technical training and assistance to establish a public-private model for sustainable seed supply among poor, smallholder farmers in africa. In 2023, ssg partnered with iita to implement the USAID-funded "accelerated innovation and delivery initiative (aid-i)" in burundi and the democratic republic of congo (south kivu and haut-katanga provinces). The project focused on developing seed production and supply systems to significantly enhance food security and rural economic development in these regions. Since july 2023, ssg has been implementing the world bank-funded "somalia seed systems rehabilitation initiative" (sssri) to strengthen somalia's seed sector by enhancing the capacity of the ministry of agriculture and local private seed companies. In november 2023, ssg commenced the agra-funded "inclusive seed systems development" initiative in cte d'ivoire, burundi, sierra leone, and togo. This program aims to accelerate the production and delivery of improved, climate-resilient seed varieties to strengthen national seed supply chains. Around the same time, we received financial support from the innovation lab for crop improvement (ilci) to promote improved crop varieties among smallholder farmers in malawi. Additionally, we received funding from USAID for the" vision for adapted crops and soils (vacs) seed systems activity" project, implemented in partnership with cimmyt, in ghana, senegal, and kenya's arid and semi-arid regions. The vacs project, focusing on expanding the production of climate-resistant crop varieties, is set to conclude in october 2026. Ssg has also been collaborating with cimmyt since december 2023 on the USAID funded "seed systems design and strategy development for sustainable seed supply" project in haut-katanga province, drc. This initiative focuses on building robust seed supply systems for improved crop varieties. In 2024, ssg continued its efforts under the idrc-funded "farmer-driven assessment of climate-resilient crop varieties and downstream impacts for improved food systems" project in madagascar and togo. Launched in february 2022, this three-year initiative aims to improve food systems through the development of resilient seed systems and is scheduled for completion in 2025.

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

MIXED - Most voting board members are independent and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 39
  • Transparency & Controls: 58
  • Accountability: 70
  • Sustainability: 91
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 16.5%; rating input score 16
  • Program expense ratio: 89.8%; rating input score 90
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 81.7%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.7; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -16.3% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 29.1% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 33.1% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 16.5% of revenue deployed · 89.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 2 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $244K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 16 of 16 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 16/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Grant itemization coverage scored 0/100.
  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.