CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
Increasing awareness and education for California agriculture.
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CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
EIN: 68-0100601
Mission
To increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California's educators and students.
Ruling year
1986
Executive Director
Ms. Becca Whitman
Main address
2600 River Plaza Drive, Suite 220
Sacramento, CA 95833-3673 USA
EIN
68-0100601
Agriculture
Education
Agriculture for youth
Population served
Students
Adults
NTEE code
Agricultural, Youth Development (O52)
Agricultural Programs (K20)
Education N.E.C. (B99)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Affiliations
Programs and results
Reports and documents
Download annual reportsWhat we aim to solve
Agriculture education is not only needed, but vital to sustainably feed a growing population. Only 20% of Americans suggest that they have a good understanding of farming and agriculture (source: 2022 report by the American Farm Bureau Federation). Additionally, while people may know that their food is grown or raised on farms, they often lack detailed information about the agricultural processes delivering food from farm to table (source: International Food Information Council survey, 2021). Agriculture in the Classroom’s decades long mission it to bridge this agriculture literacy gap. We develop and provide free educational resources and programs to detail the farm to food journey. By enhancing curricula with lessons on agriculture we aim to empower teachers and, most importantly, students, the world’s future decision-makers, to make informed food choices and foster a greater appreciation for agriculture.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Lesson Plans and Resources
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (CFAITC) offers a variety of free lesson plans and teaching tools that make it fun and easy to incorporate agriculture into any subject. All CFAITC lesson plans and units have been written, field-tested, and reviewed by educators and align with the California Education Standards. Cooperative learning, individual and group problem solving, and critical thinking activities encourage students to learn about California agriculture while developing skills in science, mathematics, reading-language arts, history-social science, health and nutrition, and the visual and performing arts. Each unit includes background information about the subject, black-line masters and creative teaching strategies.
What’s Growin’ On? Student Newspaper
This 16-page student newspaper takes readers on a journey through California—agriculture-style. This year’s edition focuses on fresh California asparagus, apples, turf, leafy greens, turkey, heat safety and more. Activities, trivia, and graphics are utilized throughout, providing a connection for every learner. Activities on each page are aligned to the Content Standards for California Public Schools, grades 3-8.
Imagine this… Story Writing Contest
Imagine this… a story writing contest for children in grades 3-8, links agriculture and education in a way which supports both language and fine arts. Students write short, creative, agriculturally-themed stories for the chance to become a published author. The stories are judged on two levels, regional and state. Two regional winners from each grade level in each region are recognized and awarded. From the regional winning stories one story from each grade level is selected as the state winner. The winning stories are distributed to high school art departments where students create illustrations for each story. The book is published and distributed to school libraries and classrooms in California.
Literacy for Life Grants for Teachers
Literacy for Life grants are designed to help initiate new projects or expand existing ones that promote agricultural literacy. Grants of up to $500 are provided to California K-12 educators to support the integration of agriculture into regular classroom instruction.
Ag in the Classroom Conference
The purpose of the annual California Agriculture in the Classroom Conference is to provide a forum for educators to gather for the purpose of gaining knowledge, training, and resources for their use in spreading agriculture awareness in their classrooms and communities. Since 1989 this Conference has allowed a constructive exchange of ideas and an increased momentum in agriculture education and garden-based learning teaching methods from all areas of the state, and provides attendees with an abundance of quality, standards-based and hands-on, experiential lesson plans and ideas to use in a wide variety of educational outreach environments.
Taste & Teach
Teachers from throughout California apply to participate in the year-long Taste & Teach program. Each month a different California commodity is featured and teachers are provided with instructional materials as well as a $100 gift card to purchase hands-on materials to learn about that commodity. The resources for this program are free online. Currently more than 400 classrooms in California participate in this monthly activity with the supplemental gift card included.
Cream of the Crop
Cream of the Crop is a monthly opt-in e-newsletter distributed electronically to nearly 30,000 educators across California. The newsletter is designed to inform and share information about agriculture-related resources, ideas, current events, articles and overviews of California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom resources and programs. Each issue contains the following segments: a Teacher Profile; a standards-aligned Agriculture-themed Lesson; LearnAboutAg program updates; links to upcoming LearnAboutAg programs and agriculture-related news stories; Recommended Resources; Fun Facts and a Calendar of Events.
LearnAboutAg.org
Our LearnAboutAg website is a gateway to all the information available from the organization. Each resource created by Ag in the Classroom is available for download through the website. The website extends beyond a static page on the Internet; it is also the base for communication with educators and industry specialists throughout the state. Through e-mail, newsletters, photos and social media, our LearnAboutAg website provides electronic communications, creating conversations and community that help support those interested in agriculture literacy.
University Student Teacher Program
University Student Teacher Program offers workshops at no cost to college credential programs which are designed to introduce student teachers to agriculture literacy and the many opportunities and possibilities to incorporate agriculture into today’s classroom and curriculum. The workshops provide examples of lesson plans with agricultural themes for subjects already being taught at elementary and secondary levels. Classroom applications of hands-on, interactive agriculture awareness activities are demonstrated by trained presenters from the foundation.
California Virtual Farm Day
Students take a virtual Ag-Ventrue exploring the vast bounty of California agriculture. Over 20,000 students tune in to hear from and talk with farmers and leaders in agriculture to better understand how much agriculture affects their daily lives.
Where we work
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of teachers who utilize our resources
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of students reached through our educational materials
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of unique website visitors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
LearnAboutAg.org
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of downloads of the organization's materials and explanations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
LearnAboutAg.org
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our main goal is to increase awareness and understanding of how our food gets from the farm to our table.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our efforts incorporate the full system surrounding agriculture including economic impact, sustainability, workforce development, nutrition, and innovation. We do this through:
* Developing materials that are accurate, teacher-tested and scientifically sound to enhance the educational experience of PreK-12 students.
* Providing programs, inspiration and training opportunities for educators.
* Partnering with like-minded organizations to create awareness about the significance of agriculture in our everyday lives.
* Recognizing teachers and students for their achievements in agricultural literacy.
* Supporting the pursuit of agricultural careers and continuing education.
Our vision is an appreciation of agriculture by all.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
25.05
Months of cash in 2022 info
3.6
Fringe rate in 2022 info
29%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
Financial trends analysis Glossary & formula definitionsFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | -$202,817 | $180,344 | $317,812 | $238,755 | -$389,128 |
| As % of expenses | -18.8% | 16.6% | 36.6% | 28.9% | -40.3% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$202,817 | $180,344 | $317,812 | $238,755 | -$389,128 |
| As % of expenses | -18.8% | 16.6% | 36.6% | 28.9% | -40.3% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $1,154,319 | $1,114,692 | $988,119 | $959,430 | $874,333 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 18.3% | -3.4% | -11.4% | -2.9% | -8.9% |
| Program services revenue | 11.2% | 14.2% | 4.5% | 5.9% | 12.2% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 2.8% | 3.5% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.1% |
| Government grants | 3.3% | 2.9% | 8.0% | 1.9% | 2.1% |
| All other grants and contributions | 71.1% | 73.9% | 85.1% | 81.2% | 80.4% |
| Other revenue | 11.5% | 5.6% | -0.1% | 8.8% | 3.2% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $1,079,878 | $1,087,994 | $867,845 | $825,654 | $965,858 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 8.2% | 0.8% | -20.2% | -4.9% | 17.0% |
| Personnel | 36.4% | 42.0% | 56.6% | 54.9% | 53.9% |
| Professional fees | 15.0% | 14.4% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.2% |
| Occupancy | 4.5% | 4.5% | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5.0% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| All other expenses | 42.9% | 38.0% | 26.1% | 26.5% | 30.6% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $1,079,878 | $1,087,994 | $867,845 | $825,654 | $965,858 |
| One month of savings | $89,990 | $90,666 | $72,320 | $68,805 | $80,488 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $1,169,868 | $1,178,660 | $940,165 | $894,459 | $1,046,346 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 2.0 | 2.7 | 10.1 | 9.8 | 3.6 |
| Months of cash and investments | 18.5 | 20.8 | 29.7 | 33.4 | 25.3 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 10.4 | 12.3 | 19.9 | 24.4 | 16.0 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $175,570 | $248,203 | $728,804 | $675,564 | $292,775 |
| Investments | $1,488,276 | $1,637,824 | $1,417,609 | $1,621,856 | $1,743,908 |
| Receivables | $61,025 | $45,522 | $49,441 | $121,134 | $11,250 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $1,982 | $1,982 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 4.2% | 5.2% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 4.0% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $938,534 | $1,118,878 | $1,436,690 | $1,675,445 | $1,286,317 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $169,754 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $548,355 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $718,109 | $0 | $696,698 | $677,464 | $694,394 |
| Total net assets | $1,656,643 | $1,840,669 | $2,133,388 | $2,352,909 | $1,980,711 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Executive Director
Ms. Becca Whitman
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM
Board of directorsas of 07/27/2024
Board of directors data
Shannon Douglass
Douglass Ranch / California Farm Bureau
Kenneth Watkins
Watkins Ranches
Jane C Roberti
Roberti Ranch
Craig Thomson
Zenith Agribusiness Insurance
Correen Davis
Gorrill Ranch
Shannon Douglass
Douglass Ranch
Bobbin Mulvaney
Mulvaney's B&L
Ken Dey
J.R. Simplot
Ron Peterson
Peterson Family Farms
Shaun Crook
Crook Logging, Inc
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 07/25/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
Professional fundraisers
Fiscal year endingSOURCE: IRS Form 990 Schedule G
Solicitation activities
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- Letter of Determination
- Officer and/or Employee data for 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018
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