CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION
CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION
EIN: 68-0118991
as of September 2023
as of September 18, 2023
Mission
The California Fire Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, provides emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters and the communities they protect. Formed in 1987 by California Professional Firefighters, the California Fire Foundation’s mandate includes an array of survivor and victim assistance programs and community initiatives including: the California Firefighters Memorial, the Daniel A. Terry Scholarship for children of fallen firefighters, the California Firefighters Benevolent Fund, the California Last Alarm Service Team and Pipes and Drums of CPF, public safety campaigns in underserved communities via Firefighters on Your Side, the Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) Program, efforts for long term wildfire relief, and more.
Ruling year
1987
Chair
Brian K. Rice
Main address
1780 Creekside Oaks Dr
Sacramento, CA 95833 USA
EIN
68-0118991
Public safety
Disasters and emergency management
Fire prevention and control
Population served
Adults
Families
Economically disadvantaged people
Victims and oppressed people
Emergency responders
NTEE code
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution (M12)
Disaster Preparedness and Relief Services (M20)
Fire Prevention / Protection / Control (M24)
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
The California Fire Foundation serves firefighters, their families, and the communities they protect. This includes honoring fallen firefighters and supporting the needs of their families through the California Firefighters Memorial, assistance with survivors benefits, the California Last Alarm Service Team, Pipes and Drums of CPF, and the Daniel A. Terry Scholarship for children of fallen firefighters. Firefighters are supported through the California Firefighters Benevolent Fund, which addresses the issues faced by firefighters who have lost their homes or been impacted by fire or natural disasters. The needs of victims of fires and natural disasters are addressed through immediate relief via the Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) Program, and new efforts to support long term wildfire relief. Additionally, issues of public safety are addressed via the Firefighters on Your Side Program and additional outreach efforts, with emphasis on underserved communities.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
California Firefighters Memorial
The California Firefighters Memorial was designed and built in 2002 to honor firefighters killed in the line of duty. Every year, hundreds gather in Sacramento to honor and remember their loved ones. It is our mission to ensure that our brave heroes are always remembered for their ultimate sacrifice. The Foundation is the official recipient of proceeds generated from the firefighter license plate and the State Income Tax “Check-Off” programs, which help support the California Firefighters Memorial.
Supporting Firefighters and Their Families
The California Fire Foundation has a number of programs to directly support firefighters and their families. Through the Daniel A. Terry Scholarship program, higher education financial assistance is provided to children of fallen firefighters in California—and to date, the Foundation has provided over 100 scholarships since 2007.
Through the California Last Alarm Service Team (Cal-LAST), the Foundation provides comprehensive support for local fire departments and firefighter associations who lose one of their own in the line of duty. In the tradition of honoring fallen colleagues, the Pipes and Drums of California Professional Firefighters was created to perform at memorial services honoring firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The Foundation also publishes a Survivor Benefits Guide, which keeps family members informed about the most current state and federal benefits available to them.
The California Firefighters Benevolent Fund was established in 2018 in response to the losses experienced by firefighters battling the Camp Fire in Northern California and the Woolsey and Hill Fires in Southern California. The Benevolent Fund is intended to provide assistance and support to firefighters displaced or impacted by fires or natural disasters.
Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency
The California Fire Foundation administers victim assistance programs to help those impacted by fire or natural disaster.
The Foundation’s Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program brings immediate, short-term relief to victims of fire or other natural disasters throughout California. Working with the Foundation, participating firefighters distribute $250 gift cards to eligible victims of fire or other natural disasters so they may purchase basic necessities such as medicine, food, or clothing.
Since its inception in 2014, over 67,000 disaster victims in California have received immediate financial relief through the SAVE program.
In 2019, the Foundation expanded its victim assistance programs to include long-term relief efforts within communities that have been impacted by wildfires.
Community Improvement
The California Fire Foundation supplies public safety resources and creates public education campaigns about fire safety and emergency preparedness through its Firefighters On Your Side program. Aligned with the belief that everyone should have an equal opportunity to pursue a fire service career and that firefighters’ diversity should reflect the communities they serve, the Foundation gives individual grants to any California citizen who demonstrates financial need for testing fees associated with firefighting job recruitment. The Foundation also provides support to and works in partnership with other organizations that aim to enhance and improve the communities that California firefighters protect.
CA Firefighters Benevolent Fund
The California Firefighters Benevolent Fund was established in 2018 to support firefighters who lost their own homes in wildfires or natural disasters. Since then the program has expanded to also offer financial support to firefighters seeking job-related behavioral health treatment, and who are injured or killed in the line of duty.
Disaster Relief
The California Fire Foundation administers a variety of programs that provide assistance to the victims, firefighters, and communities that are affected by natural disaster. These programs support critical needs of those touched by natural disaster — from immediate assistance to long-term recovery. In the event of a major wildfire or other natural disaster, the California Fire Foundation works with local Community Based Organizations and logistics partners throughout the state to administer cash cards to victims who have lost their homes or needed to evacuate for extended periods of time.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of students who receive scholarship funds and/or tuition assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Young adults, Families
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These numbers reflect the children of fallen firefighters each year who receive support through the Daniel A. Terry scholarship program-- more than 120 scholarships have been awarded.
Number of fallen firefighters commemorated at the California Firefighters Memorial
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Emergency responders
Related Program
California Firefighters Memorial
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
When the California Firefighters Memorial was created in 2002, 855 names of fallen firefighters were added to the memorial. Since then, the memorial has grown to honor more than 1400 fallen heroes.
Number of fire and public safety campaigns launched
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Ethnic and racial groups, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Community Improvement
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
These metrics reflect the number of fire and public safety campaigns launched each year targeted towards underserved communities.
Goals & Strategy
Learn 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?
The California Fire Foundation's goals focus on providing support to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters and the communities they protect:
1) Help families of fallen firefighters cope with a line of duty loss, emotionally and financially.
2) Aid those in the fire service cope with a line of duty loss, emotionally and financially.
3) Aid firefighters who have lost homes or been impacted by fire or natural disaster.
4) Assist underserved communities in staying safe from the dangers of fire and natural disaster through public safety education and outreach.
5) Aid California communities with immediate short term relief in the aftermath of a fire or other natural disaster, and provide support for longterm relief efforts in communities impacted by wildfires.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The California Fire Foundation's strategies include:
Departments/Families of Fallen Firefighters:
Maintain the California Firefighters Memorial in Sacramento, CA and continue to hold an annual ceremony for families of fallen firefighters, fire service members and the public at large, commemorating those that have fallen in the line of duty.
Update and create accessible ways for families of fallen firefighters to access survivor benefits resources.
Provide support to the children of fallen firefighters via the Daniel A. Terry scholarship program.
Through the Cal-LAST program and Pipes and Drums of CPF, be a resource for departments who experience a line of duty death, providing support in honoring their fallen.
Support for Firefighters:
Provide support to firefighters who have lost their homes or been impacted by fires or natural disasters via the California Firefighters Benevolent Fund.
Communities – Public Safety:
Create public safety campaigns through the Firefighters on Your Side program that target underserved communities across California that lack accessible information regarding fire prevention, preparedness, and safety.
Communities – Victim Assistance:
Launch and manage SAVE, a gift card program, that provides immediate, short-term financial assistance to victims of fire or other natural disaster. Provide support for longterm relief efforts in communities impacted by wildfires.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
California Fire Foundation is owned/operated by California Professional Firefighters, with a membership of over 30,000 firefighters. This relationship allows the Foundation and its partners to reach a large audience and assists in the widespread implementation of programs across the state.
The California Fire Foundation is financially sustainable, which includes multi-year partnerships, corporate support, and reliable funding from the special license plate program and tax check-off program.
Additionally, since its founding in 1987, the California Fire Foundation has a proven record of success in implementing programs and has developed deep capabilities in creating measurable impact for target populations.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The California Fire Foundation has a proven record of success in providing support and programs for firefighters, their families, and the communities they protect. Moving forward, the Foundation is working to expand the reach and impact of its programs across the state, and introduce newer programs including the California Firefighters Benevolent Fund and funding directed towards long-term wildfire relief efforts.
Past successes include:
We have inscribed the names of more than 1,300 fallen firefighters at the California Firefighters Memorial and have hosted 16 annual memorial ceremonies (as of 2018) to honor these heroes, with their families, fire service members, and the broader community.
Hundreds of families have access to survivor benefits resources via foundation provided materials and support.
More than 100 scholarships have been given to the children of fallen firefighters through the Daniel A. Terry Scholarship program.
Cal-LAST (California Last Alarm Service Team) has been deployed more than 10 times to assist departments and families coping with a line of duty death.
Through the Firefighters on Your Side program, fire and public safety resources have been made available in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese and have included campaigns like "Disaster Planning for the Elderly," "Have an Escape Plan," and "Wildfire Preparedness." In an example of the importance of these educational efforts, a seven year old girl in Fresno saved her family's life by using these escape plan materials.
The SAVE Program has impacted more than 55,000 victims since its inception in 2014.
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 aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2021 info
184.42
Months of cash in 2021 info
57.1
Fringe rate in 2021 info
25%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION
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.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION’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.
Created in partnership with
Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $386,791 | $4,495,833 | $2,697,622 | $3,560,120 | $1,237,780 |
| As % of expenses | 18.7% | 77.7% | 35.4% | 77.2% | 25.0% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $375,573 | $4,486,352 | $2,690,615 | $3,557,034 | $1,232,714 |
| As % of expenses | 18.1% | 77.4% | 35.2% | 77.0% | 24.8% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $2,587,607 | $12,756,209 | $14,788,443 | $11,239,326 | $6,496,275 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 74.7% | 393.0% | 15.9% | -24.0% | -42.2% |
| Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 1.0% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 1.6% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other grants and contributions | 98.9% | 99.6% | 99.7% | 99.4% | 97.6% |
| Other revenue | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $2,063,298 | $5,788,962 | $7,627,518 | $4,613,750 | $4,958,505 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 34.8% | 180.6% | 31.8% | -39.5% | 7.5% |
| Personnel | 11.7% | 4.7% | 3.6% | 7.5% | 9.0% |
| Professional fees | 12.4% | 0.5% | 4.1% | 6.5% | 7.3% |
| Occupancy | 1.4% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 33.2% | 63.6% | 51.2% | 51.5% | 53.0% |
| All other expenses | 41.3% | 30.8% | 40.7% | 33.8% | 30.2% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $2,074,516 | $5,798,443 | $7,634,525 | $4,616,836 | $4,963,571 |
| One month of savings | $171,942 | $482,414 | $635,627 | $384,479 | $413,209 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $12,340 | $0 | $4,670 | $43,850 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $2,246,458 | $6,293,197 | $8,270,152 | $5,005,985 | $5,420,630 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 8.9 | 17.9 | 23.9 | 57.0 | 57.1 |
| Months of cash and investments | 12.8 | 19.2 | 25.1 | 59.4 | 59.3 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 9.6 | 12.7 | 13.9 | 32.2 | 32.9 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $1,526,418 | $8,653,460 | $15,222,580 | $21,933,178 | $23,604,063 |
| Investments | $673,243 | $619,302 | $750,366 | $893,520 | $917,837 |
| Receivables | $224,395 | $216,155 | $505,891 | $499,793 | $245,246 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $174,500 | $177,706 | $180,114 | $184,784 | $228,633 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 97.5% | 95.9% | 96.0% | 95.3% | 79.2% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 6.2% | 9.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $1,660,108 | $6,146,460 | $8,837,075 | $12,394,109 | $13,626,823 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $864,659 | $3,228,278 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $864,659 | $3,228,278 | $7,805,647 | $10,986,804 | $11,266,076 |
| Total net assets | $2,524,767 | $9,374,738 | $16,642,722 | $23,380,913 | $24,892,899 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Chair
Brian K. Rice
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION
Highest paid employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 06/05/2023
Board of directors data
Brian Rice
California Fire Foundation
Term: 2018 -
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 ? Not applicable -
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? Not applicable -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
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
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/12/2022GuideStar 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 review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our 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.
Contractors
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- Financial statements for 2021, 2020, 2020, 2019
- Letter of Determination
- Officer and/or Employee data for 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
- Contractor and/or Paid Preparer data for 2021, 2020, 2019
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