2014-11-14T09:03:41-08:00 2013-12-31 Katz Cassidy An Accountancy Corporation 11400 W Olympic Blvd Suite 1050 Los Angeles CA 90064 990 2013-01-01 680359676 OCCIDENTAL ARTS AND ECOLOGY CENTER OCCI 7078741557 15290 COLEMAN VALLEY ROAD OCCIDENTAL CA 95465 DAVE HENSON Executive Director 2014-11-13 true LARRY PETERSEN NMK P00826372 3104776300 2013 2015-11-30 17:44:51Z 2211897 false false X www.oaec.org X 1995 CA Preserve and restore native AND AGRICULTURAL biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, with a particular focus on the Northern California bioregion. 12 7 58 100 0 1512925 1270342 398329 433146 -514 -3299 10647 10363 1921387 1710552 0 0 844704 1008987 0 120200 555242 650530 1399946 1659517 521441 51035 1208200 1255814 307883 305586 900317 950228 X Preserve and restore native AND AGRICULTURAL biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, with a particular focus on the Northern California bioregion. Preserve and propagate biodiversity in open-pollinated and heirloom varieties of food, fiber and medicinal agricultural crops. Support appropriate-scale ecological farming and sustainable local food systems. Cultivate ecological literacy, especially within watershed communities and in public schools. Create and model sustainable, local, practical alternatives to global corporatization and the economic paradigm that is dependent on growth and consumption. false false 690939 OTHER PROGRAMS NONE OF WHICH ARE AS LARGE AS THE THREE LARGEST PROGRAMS OAEC has eight other major program areas:1. School garden program 2. Water institute 3. Ecological Agriculture Program 4. Intentional Communities Program 5. Movement Generation Justice and Ecology Program 6. performance arts Program 7. FIGR Traditional Environmental Knowledge Program 8. Wildlands Biodiversity Program Each of our programs uses the same methods and strategies to achieve our public benefit mission, including:1. OAEC Conducts Participatory Research and Demonstration to Model Community-Based Solutions: We research and demonstrate ecological, cultural and economic sustainability in human settlement patterns, including land management, water management, agriculture, food systems and built infrastructure. We strive to practice what we teach, making our research and program work transparent, open for critique and adaptive to change. 2. OAEC Educates Individuals, but Focuses on Training and Supporting Whole Communities:OAEC's programs train and build capacity in diverse communities so they can self-organize to solve their own complex ecological, economic and cultural problems. Through our courses, training programs and campaigns, we also teach thousands of individuals each year practical sustainable living skills they can integrate into their workplaces, communities and lives. We use many different participatory training and evaluation methodologies to most effectively stimulate deep changes in the actions of individuals and communities. 3. OAEC Builds Coalitions to Organize and Advocate for Positive Social ChangeWe organize people and communities around strategic campaigns to support the restoration and stewardship of healthy ecosystems, biological diversity and human communities. We bring together diverse sectors of communities into coalitions to craft community-based, ecologically and economically viable solutions to pressing bioregional problems. We choose the issues for our campaigns based on those that are most likely to affect deep and lasting change; those that will stop persistent problems and create sustainable alternatives. 403938 406264 Exempt Purpose Achievements in 2013: OAECs California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) is a statewide network of sustainable agriculture organizations, including: Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, California Certified Organic Farmers, Center for Food Safety, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, and Ecological Farming Association.in 2013 the CalCAN program:A. Cap-and-Trade Revenue for Sustainable AgricultureCalCAN and its allies have been the leading voices advocating for cap and trade auction proceeds investment in sustainable agriculture and farmland conservation solutions to climate change. Our work led to the inclusion of sustainable agriculture and working lands conservation as eligible funding categories in the guiding legislation for investments (AB 1532). In 2013, CalCAN successfully advocated for inclusion of our priorities in the first cap-and-trade investment plan, released by the Governors administration in May.Below is a summary of some of our other 2013 work on sustainable agriculture investments:CARB input The California Air Resources Board held three workshops to gather input into its recommendations on the investment plan. CalCAN provided testimony at one workshop and organized allies to speak at the other two to deliver our messages. We also submitted a comment letter signed by 40 farmers and ranchers, businesses and organizations.Legislative staff briefing CalCAN collaborated with The Nature Conservancy, Pacific Forest Trust, California Relief and Trust for Public Land to brief 20 legislative staff on the topic of cap-and-trade revenue allocations for natural resources activities with climate benefits, including sustainable agriculture. Educational meetings with key legislators We organized meetings between farmer and other allies with the offices of three legislators on key budget committees to educate them about the role of sustainable agriculture in climate protection and the need for the state investment in climate-friendly farming practices.Scoping Plan input CARB is releasing a 2013 version of the Scoping Plan, a road map for meeting AB 32 greenhouse gas reduction goals (1990 levels by 2020) and beyond to 2030 reductions. CalCAN provided input on possible contributions from the agriculture sector .B. Blueprint: California Climate Change and Agriculture ProgramTo bolster our case for investing in sustainable agriculture and to influence the design of an eventual program when cap-and-trade funding is allocated, we are finalizing a blueprint for a California agriculture and climate change program outlining the design elements of such a program. We interviewed approximately 40 expert stakeholders (farmers, farm advisors, researchers and NRCS and RCD staff), consulted with a five-member advisory committee and hosted a round table attended by 15 expert stakeholders to produce the blueprint. The report will be released early in 2014. C. Farmland ProtectionIn February 2013, we released a report entitled Triple Harvest: Farmland conservation for climate protection, smart growth and food security based on interviews with experts in land conservation and sustainable agriculture and a round table with many of these experts. This led to an effort to implement one of the recommendations in Triple Harvest, the California Farmland Protection Act (AB 823), a bill introduced early in 2013 by Assembly member Susan Talamantes Eggman. CalCAN, CAFF and the American Farmland Trust are co-sponsoring AB 823 that would, for the first time, establish a minimum statewide farmland mitigation standard for development projects. However, shortly into our efforts to build support for the bill, developer and other business interests joined in opposition the bill and local government and agriculture groups raised significant concerns. D. Renewable Energy & Energy/Water EfficiencyWe actively supported a 2012 bill (SB 594) that allows for the aggregation of electric meters on farms and other properties and makes it easier and more practical and economical for farmers to tie into the grid if they are producing renewable energy. We also submitted comments to the state Public Utilities Commission to make recommendations on outreach by the major utilities to small and medium scale farmers about energy efficiency programs. E. Farm BillCalCAN continues to be a key leader in a Caucus of eleven California-based members of National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), along with CalCAN members CCOF, EFA and CAFF. Our coalition focus has been on strengthening relationships with key California members of Congress influential in agriculture policy and on highlighting farmer voices in support of the conservation, organic and beginning farmer/rancher programs of the Farm Bill. CalCAN has raised and managed funds on behalf of the California NSAC Caucus, facilitates strategy meetings and works closely with the Caucus policy consultant.F. Network Building and Leadership CultivationIn addition to our policy campaigns, CalCAN uses a number of tactics to build our base and cultivate new leaders from the agriculture, environmental and food systems arenas to take action on our initiatives. Tactics include:Hosting the California Climate & Agriculture Summit (approximately every 18 months) Brings together diverse stakeholders including growers, researchers, ag professionals and advocatesOrganizing farm field trips We typically offer 2-3 per year Telling farmer stories In the form of short profiles of farmer leaders in our newsletter, longer farmer profiles in fact sheet or video formMedia stories We typically place 5-10 op eds, letters-to-the editor, quotes or blogs annually on our campaign topics, often authored by farmer advisors and other partnersSign on letters, meetings with legislative offices We organize meetings and comment letters to educate policymakers about CalCAN issues and positions and rely on participation from constituents to enhance our impact 162336 106015 OAECs Mother Garden Biodiversity Programs exempt purpose achievements in 2013 included: A.The OAEC Mother Garden stewards a large and rare collection of ornamental plants and food crops, while serving as an open-air classroom to demonstrate organic horticultural diversity. To ensure that all future horticultural operations at the site are free of synthetic chemicals, and in participating in the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) certification program, a permanent agricultural easement has been placed on OAECs organic gardens by the Sonoma Land Trust in 1994. B.OAEC's primary horticultural research work is in the area of bio-intensive gardening. We aim to cultivate healthy diverse soil and garden ecosystems that are highly productive and less susceptible to harmful insects, viruses, fungi and bacteria. OAEC has shown that the fertility of marginally productive soil can be enlivened and enriched without mechanized farm equipment and chemical inputs, and with a minimum of organic inputs from outside the system. The site demonstrates, for students and the visiting public, an array of horticultural methodologies that are sustainable and enhance the vitality of the land where they are implemented.C.Over many years, we have gathered some 3,000 varieties of annual ornamental plants and food crops, and maintain a diverse collection of 1,000 edible, medicinal and ornamental perennials including hundreds of heirloom and unusual fruits. The seed saving efforts of the OAEC gardens have focused on preserving the genetic heritage of ornamentals and cultivars through trailing and growing out for seed and vegetative propagation varieties that are well suited to the temperate conditions of coastal Northern California. D.OAEC's research is shared with others through our public education efforts. Throughout the year, the Center teaches numerous day long to 2-week long workshops in which participants learn practical skills on how to grow and save seed, garden design, bio-intensive techniques, plant selection, soil fertility management, and composting. OAEC instructors also provide presentations and workshops at major conferences, colleges and to horticultural groups around California. We are frequently invited to participate on radio shows and have been featured in many articles about horticulture and gardens.E.OAECs Horticultural Biodiversity Program disseminates extensive selections from our collection to thousands of gardeners at our dozen Biodiversity Plant Sales hosted annually at OAEC, and at seed exchanges that we sponsor for hundreds more gardeners and farmers at annual national conferences (such as the Ecological Farming Conference and the Bioneers Conference). We also provide tens of thousands of plants from our collection to more than 150 school gardens throughout Northern California, more than 50 community gardens in the urban centers of the Bay Area, and several dozen special gardens established at food banks, youth centers, womens shelters, and county jails. 125169 198949 1382382 true true false true false false false false false false true false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false true 62 0 true 58 true false false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false false false false X 12 7 true false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X DAVE HENSON 7078741557 15290 COLEMAN VALLEY ROAD OCCIDENTAL CA 95465 ROBERT McDONALD Treasurer 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 LAUREN WEBSTER President 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 DAVID BERMAN BOARD MEMBER 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 SUSAN McGOVERN BOARD MEMBER 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 DAVE HENSON Executive Direc 40.00 0.00 X 55419 0 937 DOUG GOSLING BOARD MEMBER 40.00 0.00 X 39297 0 7003 BROCK DOLMAN BOARD MEMBER 40.00 0.00 X 53737 0 3570 NICK ALLEN BOARD MEMBER 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 MARTHA KOWALICK BOARD MEMBER 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 ADAM WOLPERT BOARD MEMBER 6.80 0.00 X 12923 0 0 DAVID ATKIN Secretary 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 KENDALL DUNNIGAN BOARD MEMBER 10.00 0.00 X 22493 0 937 183869 12447 0 false false false 0 1270342 161307 1270342 FACILITY RENTAL INCOME 24420 24420 GARDEN SALES 104889 104889 INTERN FEES 13042 13042 OTHER INCOME 900 900 PROGRAM & WORKSHOP FEES 289142 289142 753 753 433146 1702 1702 0 0 0 496344 494809 6536 1535 -6536 -5001 -5001 0 0 0 CONSULTING INCOME 10363 10363 10363 1710552 438508 1702 0 0 0 0 196316 165664 17754 12898 0 675594 471176 115344 89074 0 64731 45312 11004 8415 72346 50642 12299 9405 0 564 564 5895 5895 0 0 0 160444 160444 9436 9436 0 2710 2710 0 55623 55623 0 0 0 9750 9750 0 48834 48834 8044 8044 TRAVEL; CONFERENCES 104669 104669 SUPPLIES AND SMALL TOOLS 38885 38885 FOOD-WORKSHOPS/EVENTS 37373 37373 REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 35317 35317 132986 132044 534 408 1659517 1382382 156935 120200 80446 143629 67330 82933 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1086176 213735 627963 872441 414928 150484 0 0 0 17533 6327 1208200 1255814 300000 300000 7883 5586 307883 305586 X 900317 950228 900317 950228 1208200 1255814 51035 -1124 X false false false X 811653 994263 965622 1512925 1270342 5554805 0 0 811653 994263 965622 1512925 1270342 5554805 1384075 4170730 2801 539 692 3523 1702 9257 0 51574 32497 18502 10647 10363 123583 5687645 1797973 0.73330 0.73430 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED false false 10247 30463 40710 1617920 1658630 232932 58233 false 205470 206147 214995 232932 859544 1289316 30953 31101 31248 40710 134012 51368 51537 53749 58233 214887 322331 2771 7261 5911 10247 26190 11052 11052 391234 45653 345581 468989 59695 409294 130790 100817 29973 84111 7570 76541 872441 CAFETERIA PLAN PAYABLE 4047 HEALTH SAVINGS 802 SALES TAX PAYABLE 737 5586 SOWING CIRCLE LLC LESSOR LESSEE 37050 SEE PART V false Schedule L, Part V Supplemental Information ATTACHMENT TO SCHEDULE L; PART IVa) Sowing Circle, LLC. b) The Sowing Circle LLC owns the 80 acre rural property at which the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (OAEC) is based. OAEC leases the right to use the property and most of the buildings on it for conducting its tax exempt programs. The Sowing Circle LLC has 10 members, each with an equal percentage of ownership and decision making in the LLC. Of the 10 LLC members, 9 are on the board of directors of OAEC (and of those 9, five are also employed by OAEC. c) $37,050d) The annual lease fee charged to OAEC by Sowing Circle LLC was $37,050 in 2013. It was $74,000 for the previous twelve years, but was re-negotiated in 2013. In the year 2000, OAEC hired an independent Certified General Appraiser (Campbell & Rhodes, Santa Rosa, CA) to appraise the fair market value of the lease that OAEC and Sowing Circle LLC had negotiated. The Appraiser determined that the fair market lease value in 2000 was $85,000. At that time OAEC and the Sowing Circle LLC agreed on a $74,000 annual lease so as to be sure to have the lease amount significantly less than the appraised fair market value the lease could command. Since 2000, the value of the lease has clearly increased considerably (as the Sowing Circle LLC has done major improvements to the leased land and buildings, as well as general appreciation of land values in our area), but the lease fee remained at $74,000. The Sowing Circle LLC's stated intention is to offer support to OAEC by keeping the lease fee lower than fair market value. The lease terms allow OAEC rights to use 95% of the 80 acre property for the tax exempt purposes of OAEC, including the use of:a. 4 acres of historically important biointensive gardens. The OAEC gardens is the 7th oldest Certified Organic Farm in California (which has over 1,500 certified farms).b. Two main entrances to the property, with roads and parking areas for up to 100 cars c. The 70 acre Wildlands Preserve of native prairie grass meadows and mixed oak, fir and redwood forest.d. Buildings, including:i. Meeting Room for 30+ii. Two office buildings which house 16 OAEC staff, each with their own deskiii. Kitchen and dining room (regularly feeding 20+ OAEC workshop participants each day)iv. Wood shopv. Arts studiovi. Overnight guest accommodations for up to 20 guests (in four separate buildings)vii. Seed storage room (for OAEC's collection of 3000 varieties of food and medicinal crops)viii.Large barnix. Storage buildingx. Outdoor theater (seats 150)xi. Two production greenhousesxii. Two propagation hoop housesxiii.Outdoor plant nurseryxiv. Dozens of outdoor chairs, benches and picnic tablesxv. 6 acre-foot pond, with a solar powered pump and 1/8 mile of piping which provides year-round water supply for OAEC's gardensxvi. Two bath houses for workshop participants, including a hot tub and cedar saunaxvii. Seven toilets / bathroomsxviii.Extensive electrical, propane, potable water, sewage disposal, and other infrastructure to serve the above listed buildingsxix. Various other out-buildings associated with OAEC's gardens and outdoor classrooms X 2 161307 false false false Form 990, Part III, Line 4d: Other Program Services Description OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 4: OTHER PROGRAMS NONE OF WHICH ARE AS LARGE AS THE THREE LARGEST PROGRAMS OAEC has eight other major program areas:1. School garden program 2. Water institute 3. Ecological Agriculture Program 4. Intentional Communities Program 5. Movement Generation Justice and Ecology Program 6. performance arts Program 7. FIGR Traditional Environmental Knowledge Program 8. Wildlands Biodiversity Program Each of our programs uses the same methods and strategies to achieve our public benefit mission, including:1. OAEC Conducts Participatory Research and Demonstration to Model Community-Based Solutions: We research and demonstrate ecological, cultural and economic sustainability in human settlement patterns, including land management, water management, agriculture, food systems and built infrastructure. We strive to practice what we teach, making our research and program work transparent, open for critique and adaptive to change. 2. OAEC Educates Individuals, but Focuses on Training and Supporting Whole Communities:OAEC's programs train and build capacity in diverse communities so they can self-organize to solve their own complex ecological, economic and cultural problems. Through our courses, training programs and campaigns, we also teach thousands of individuals each year practical sustainable living skills they can integrate into their workplaces, communities and lives. We use many different participatory training and evaluation methodologies to most effectively stimulate deep changes in the actions of individuals and communities. 3. OAEC Builds Coalitions to Organize and Advocate for Positive Social ChangeWe organize people and communities around strategic campaigns to support the restoration and stewardship of healthy ecosystems, biological diversity and human communities. We bring together diverse sectors of communities into coalitions to craft community-based, ecologically and economically viable solutions to pressing bioregional problems. We choose the issues for our campaigns based on those that are most likely to affect deep and lasting change; those that will stop persistent problems and create sustainable alternatives. Form 990, Part VI, Line 2: Description of Business or Family Relationship of Officers, Directors, Et a. As described in Schedule L, nine of the OAEC board members are also members of the Sowing Circle LLC. The sole purpose of the Sowing Circle LLC is to hold in common the 80 acre site upon which OAEC operates.b. Two of the OAEC board members are married to each other: Kendall Dunnigan and Dave Henson are married. Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b: Form 990 Review Process The 990 is prepared by OAEC staff and board members and independent accountants retained to help prepare the filing. The draft 990 is reviewed, approved and amended as necessary by a committee of board members prior to the final 990 being submitted. Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c: Explanation of Monitoring and Enforcement of Conflicts A board "Conflict of Interest Committee" annually sits down with staff leadership to review the policy and to inquire IF any activities conducted by OAEC board members, directors or employees are in conflict with our policy and the law. Any such activities would be immediately addressed so as there not to be a conflict of interest as described in law or OAEC's policy. To date, there have not been any such conflicts of interest. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15b: Compensation Review and Approval Process for Officers and Key Employees The board and staff of OAEC have inquired with a dozen of other similar-type organizations in the greater San Francisco Bay Area (where OAEC is based) to identify comparable compensation rates for all OAEC employees. Our compensation comparison reviews show that OAEC clearly pays its employees less than the average paid for similar work in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. As a founding principle of OAEC, the highest paid employee at OAEC is not compensated more than 150% FTE of the lowest paid employee, regardless of type of work. So after 20 years in operation, OAEC's highest paid employees (those who have been with OAEC for 20 years) earn approximately $23/hour. The lowest-paid employees (those who have just began employment at OAEC), whether hourly or salaried, earn $16/hour. Form 990, Part VI, Line 19: Other Organization Documents Publicly Available OAEC makes all of its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements available to the public. When requested by letter, email or phone call, OAEC will mail provide such documents by mail to the requester within seven days of the request. -