Group of people hiking along a grassy trail on a mountain with scenic view of hills and blue sky.

200 donors gave between 2020 and 2024.

Other ways to give

A vehicle, a gift split between programs, a bequest, or a gift for a named purpose: email kat@thecrew.org.

Terms. Privacy. Transparency.

Help fund another generation of youth outdoor education and regional wildfire resilience

Your donation introduces young students to the ecosystems around them, improves wildfire resilience, maintains hiking trails, and engages 14-to-25-year-olds with conservation career tracks, training and good pay.

What your gift can pay for
$25
Work gloves and safety glasses for a new crew member
$100
About five hours of a crew member’s paid time in the field
$500
About the cost of one crew member’s S-212 chainsaw certification and first aid and CPR training
$1,000
About a full day on a trail for a five-person crew and its supervisor

A gift to C.R.E.W. goes where the work needs it that week, from wages to insurance.

See the record on the Impact page

C.R.E.W. is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 77-0374392. In 2024, 84.3% of spending went to programs (Form 990).

Form 990s Donor privacy Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency

Checks by mail

P.O. Box 1532, Ojai, CA 93024

A document with the title 'Platinum Transparency 2024' and the word 'Candid.' at the bottom.
A document with the title 'Platinum Transparency 2024' and the word 'Candid.' at the bottom.
Logo of American Trails featuring mountains, trees, a river, and a sunset, with the text "American Trails" and the slogan "More Trails. Better Trails." since 1988.
The Corps Network, proud member logo
Logo of 1% for the Planet with a blue globe and a white number '1' and percentage sign, accompanied by the words 'For the Planet' in bold blue text.

DONOR FAQ

Questions donors and partners ask

We publish our financials, name our partners, and track each job completed and each crew member trained. If you have a question we haven't answered here, call us at (805) 649-8847 or email kat@thecrew.org.

    • Yes. C.R.E.W. is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.

    • You receive no goods or services in exchange for your contribution, so your gift is deductible to the extent the law allows.

    • Verify our tax-exempt status anytime at IRS.gov Tax Exempt Organization Search or on our Candid/GuideStar profile.

    • Your donation directly funds paid crew positions for young people ages 14 to 25, who start at $18-20/hr performing wildfire mitigation and ecological restoration in the Ojai Valley and across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

    • Specifically: crew wages, safety equipment (chainsaw PPE, fire-resistant clothing, hand tools), certifications (S-212 chainsaw, first aid and CPR, trail building), field corps transport to work sites in the Los Padres National Forest and local watersheds, and program coordination.

    • In 2024, 84.3 cents of each dollar spent went to programs. A gift designated to a program is used 100% for that program.

    • Yes. Monthly giving is the most effective way to support C.R.E.W. Recurring gifts provide the stable, predictable funding that lets us hire and retain crew members season after season rather than scrambling between grant cycles.

    • Toggle "Monthly" on the donation form above. A $25/month gift ($300/year) funds roughly 15 hours of paid conservation work.

    • Monthly donors receive field updates with photos from active project sites and an annual impact summary showing exactly what their sustained support built, cleared, or restored.

    • You can modify or cancel anytime.

    • Yes. Many employers double or triple employee charitable contributions at no cost to the donor. After donating, check with your HR department or corporate giving portal and search for "Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers" or EIN 77-0374392.

    • Submit the match request through your employer and they'll send the matched funds directly to C.R.E.W.

    • If your employer needs a W-9, determination letter, or any other documentation to process the match, email us and we'll return it within 48 hours.

    • Yes to both. Gifts of appreciated securities may allow you to deduct full market value while avoiding capital gains tax.

    • Contact us directly for brokerage account details and DTC transfer instructions.

    • For planned giving, you can name C.R.E.W. as a beneficiary in your will, trust, retirement account (IRA, 401k), or life insurance policy. A bequest to C.R.E.W. is a permanent investment in Ojai's wildfire resilience and in the next generation of conservation professionals. We recommend working with your estate planning attorney to structure the gift.

    • An automated email receipt generates immediately after your donation is processed. It includes everything the IRS requires: your name, donation amount, transaction date, C.R.E.W.'s legal name and EIN (77-0374392), and confirmation that no goods or services were provided.

    • Recurring donors receive a receipt for each monthly gift and can request a consolidated annual giving statement for year-end tax filing.

    • Need a duplicate receipt or year-end summary? Email us and we'll return it within 48 hours.

    • 77-0374392.

    • C.R.E.W. (Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers) is a 501(c)(3) public charity, founded in 1991 and tax-exempt since 1995.

    • C.R.E.W. uses this number for tax filings, employer matching gift applications, donor-advised fund grants, and independent verification.

    • Look us up on Candid/GuideStar, the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, or ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.

    • A gift designated to the Green Valley Project or Once Upon a Watershed is used 100% for that program. Add the designation on the form.

    • Unrestricted gifts give us the greatest flexibility. They fund whatever the Ojai Valley needs most in a given season, whether that's additional crew weeks on a fuel break, emergency deployment after a storm, or equipment replacement.

    • For a gift to any other purpose, email kat@thecrew.org.

  • If you need to update or cancel your monthly donation, contact our team at kat@thecrew.org and we’ll process your request promptly.