Public Charity

SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS RESEARCH FOUNDATION

SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS RESEARCH FOUNDATION is a nonprofit organization categorized as Public Charity based in Santa Cruz, CA. Its most recent IRS filing (2025) reports revenue of $360K, expenses of $284K, total assets of $248K. Imperigo tracks 11 reported grant relationships connected to this organization totaling approximately $435K.

EIN: 472856470 Santa Cruz, CA Research Institutes & Public Policy Analysis NTEE: P05 Latest filing: 2025
Total Revenue$360K
Total Expenses$284K
Total Assets$248K
Grant Records11
Funding Total$435K
Filing Years2021–2025

Mission

The Sustainable Systems Research Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit green think tank and project incubator based in Santa Cruz, California. SSRF seeks to: Address complex and wicked environmental and sustainability problems that confound communities, defy singular technical or social solutions and cannot be addressed successfully at a global scale. Bring together numerous stakeholders with competing interests, capacities and approaches while addressing the critical importance of equity and justice. Collaborate with partner organizations to incubate and develop local projects and programs that promote community sustainability and development. Pursue projects that are replicable and scalable, based on best practices and insights drawn from successful projects. Our philosophy is that a project or program implemented successfully at one site can be replicated in many other places, with appropriate adjustments to local conditions.

Where $100 goes at Sustainable Systems Research Foundation

How Sustainable Systems Research Foundation divides every $100 it spends, from its own Form 990 filings, averaged across 5 years.

$89 Programs the work itself
$11 Management running the organization
$0 Fundraising none reported

No fundraising costs are reported. That often means fundraising runs through a separate affiliated organization that files its own return.

Inside the $89 for programs

$37
SSRF took on Fiscal sponsorship of Protect San Benito County a project to preserve open space and farmland from development
41% of program spending
$18
SSRF conducted a field experiment to see whether applications of compost to farm fields would reduce nitrate infiltration into groundwater
20% of program spending
$18
SSRF fiscally sponsored and supported Regeneration, a project to provide technical assistance and other services to disadvantaged operators of small farms (less than 50 acres) on the Central…
20% of program spending · Reported in the filing: 50 acres

Plus 2 more programs. Cost per person served and the full program breakdown are on the full profile.

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Source: Form 990 filings with the IRS, latest fiscal year 2025. Shares are from the organization's reported expenses. Data by Imperigo; not affiliated with the IRS.

Sample Grants Received

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK INC
2025
GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
$225,000
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND
2024
For grant recipient's exempt purposes
$15,000
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND
2023
For grant recipient's exempt purposes
$25,000
$20,000
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND
2022
For grant recipient's exempt purposes
$10,000

Showing up to 5 of 11 total records — full history available with membership.

Officers & Directors

Treasurer Adina Paytan
Board Member Ann Lopez
Board members Beatriz Smith
Board Member Dustin Mulvaney
Vice President Kevin W Bell
Board Member Marisha Farnsworth

Officer compensation and complete director data available with membership.

Top Grant Purposes

General Support
$415,000 10 grants
Human & Social Services
$20,000 1 grant

Financial Trends

Year Revenue Expenses Assets
2025 $360K $284K $248K
2024 $458K $323K $173K
2023 $163K $163K $94K
2022 $98K $62K $59K
2021 $82K $66K $23K

Between 2021 and 2025, reported annual revenue grew from $82K to $360K (+338%), with total assets most recently reported at $248K.

Interactive year-over-year charts and full filing details available with membership.

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