Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Get Inspired

EIN 01-0927185 · Garden Grove, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

We seek to inspire stewardship and curiosity for the natural world through the exploration and hands-on application of science.

Income
$354,588
Spending
$263,353
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
46 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
1
Volunteers
400
Highest pay
$100,000, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 46.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (6)
  1. $132,508 spent. Green Abalone restoration project- we outplanted 57 eight-year-old abalone on the Orange County coast this year. We have seven classrooms of students growing them in schools and we have trained 60 volunteers to help us survey them on our coast. We teach students ocean chemistry, aquaculture, abalone anatomy, kelp forest ecology in a year long program in schools to compliment this restoration work so that young people know the story of how our abalone disappeared. We are preparing a publication summarizing all the work we have done on our reefs to locate and measure abalone populations. We are working with local and state government to relocate an imperiled population of abalone.
  2. $15,196 spent. White Seabass restocking project- We are teaching five classrooms of students (1600 kids) to grow white seabass in their classroom for release along our coast. Students learn about ocean chemistry, aquaculture, kelp forest ecology, and conservation while growing the seabass for release in December and June. Students also have the opportunity to snorkel to see the underwater world for the first time.
  3. $12,399 spent. Aquaponics programs- We are teaching this program to 680 students at 4 schools. Students are learning how to grow crops and fish together in a closed system. This form of food production is viable in places where water is scarce and allows us to grow food where we live while teaching valuable lessons in water chemistry, fish biology, and plant biology. This is considered a "green tech" job and we hope to inspired kids to get jobs in this field.
  4. $50,063 spent. Pismo clam restoration project- We are surveying the Orange County coast for Pismo clams to complete a population assessment while we are attempting to learn how to culture them by having kids conduct experiments with us in classrooms. We conducted 15 clam surveys with more than 400 volunteers and worked with 360 students in middle and high school to try and figure out how to grow them. We had two high school students present their research at local science conferences and we are partnering with a local shellfish farm to further our research.
  5. $34,021 spent. Norcal Kelp- A marine heatwave destroyed 600 miles of kelp forest on California's north coast. More than 800 species rely on them. With over 10 years experience restoring kelp in Southern California, we have started a project to help restore these lost forests in Mendocino County. Last year, we removed 23,746 pounds of purple sea urchins from urchin barrens in Caspar cove.
  6. $5,364 spent. Kelp Sargassum- After restoring the giant kelp forests of Orange County, California, we continue to monitor their health and survey for invasive species. We conduct 8 different surveys twice a year with 10 volunteer divers and work with student interns to analyze and present our data to the community.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2010.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.