Sustainable Economic Enterprises of La Dba Food Access Los Angeles

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
954597000
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2020
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
3234633171
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Urban, Community Economic Development

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$9,045,371
Expenses
$17,047,991
Assets
$6,531,823
Liabilities
$13,738,114

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JENNIFER GRISSOM (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • JENNIFER GRISSOM (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $136,164 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Food access la's mission is to build sustainable food systems and fresh food access, promote social and cultural activities that benefit low-to-moderate income residents of los angeles county, and support California small and mid-size farms.

What it reported doing in 2024

The organization's pompea smith good cooking/buena cocina program educates calfresh eligible adults about the importance of nutrition essentials and healthy preparation of meals. This is pursuant to a grant agreement with the los angeles county department of public health. Additional programing provides farmers' market adult classes showcasing in-season farm fresh produce funded by the California department of food and agriculture. Additionally, the organization administers programing providing farmers' market kids' culinary classes showcasing in-season farm fresh produce funded by the California department of food and agriculture. The organization's pompea smith good cooking/buena cocina program provides nutrition education in the classroom to 4th and 5th grade students in partnership with the lawndale elementary school district. This program is an extension of the grant funding through the los angeles country department of public health.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 62% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. A relatively small share of total spending goes to programs and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 65
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 14
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.4%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 42.1%; rating input score 42
  • Fundraising efficiency: $22.13 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • 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: 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: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -88.5%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.38; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 2.1; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.8%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 15.7% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 13.6% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 19.5% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.4% of revenue deployed · 42.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $7.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $136K · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 42/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 13/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 1/100.