New Pond Farm Education Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ON EVERY ACRE, IN ALL WE DO, WE PLANT SEEDS FOR A LIFETIME OF ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 43.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 45%
- Employees
- 32
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $136,149, executive director (end 12/24)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 43.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 43% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 (1)
- $1.1 million spent. NEW POND FARM EDUCATIONAL CENTER OFFERS PROGRAMS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, AGRICULTURE, NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES, ASTRONOMY AND THE ARTS. OUR 102-ACRE PROPERTY, WITH ITS MANY OUTDOOR TEACHING SITES, ALLOWS US TO SHARE DISCOVERY PROGRAMS IN MANY NATURAL HABITATS. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR WORK WITH AREA SCHOOLS, WHERE MORE THAN 5,000 CHILDREN VENTURE TO THE EDUCATION CENTER EACH YEAR FOR HANDS-ON FIELD TRIPS THAT BRING THEIR CLASSROOM STUDIES TO LIFE AND CONNECT THEM TO THE NATURAL WORLD. STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT OUR NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS SO THEY WILL WANT TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS. AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL "NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE COALITION", OUR EFFORTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COMBAT THE MUCH STUDIED AND DOCUMENTED "NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER." MANY LOCAL SCHOOLS LOOK TO NEW POND FARM TO PROVIDE A WINDOW INTO THE PAST LIVES OF EASTERN WOODLAND INDIANS. OUR AUTHENTICALLY RECREATED ENCAPMENT WITH THATCHED LONGHOUSE, BARKED WIGWAM, FOOD STORAGE PIT, AND FIRE CIRCLE IS AN EXCEPTONAL OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. STUDENTS ACTIVELY SCRAPE DEER HIDES, GRIND CORN WITH A MORTAR AND PESTLE, AND SAMPLE TRADITIONAL WOODLAND INDIAN FARE AS THEY SIT BY THE FIRE, LEARNING HOW OUR LOCAL TRIBES LIVED OFF THE LAND. THE "NATIVE AMERICAN MUSEUM" IN OUR LEARNING CENTER, FILLED WITH GENUINE AND LIVING ARTIFACTS FOUND ON THE PROPERTY BY ARCHEOLOGISTS, HELPS TO ROUND OUT THE PROGRAM AND BRING THE IN-SCHOOL CURRICULUM TO LIFE. NEW POND FARM OFFERS A CHANCE TO BE A PART OF A WORKING FARM AND MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH WHERE OUR FOOD REALLY COMES FROM (NOT JUST THE GROCERY STORE). VISITORS PARTICIPATE IN FARM CHORES, COLLECT WARM EGGS, WATCH OUR FARMERS MILK MEMBERS OF THE HERD, TRY THEIR HANDS AT SPINNING FLEECE FROM OUR SHEEP, AND PURCHASE DAIRY PRODUCTS, MEATS AND YARN. STUDENTS OF ALL AGES CAN WATCH OUR HEIFERS MATURE INTO COWS AND JOIN THE HERD. THEY CAN WATCH OUR SHEEP BEING SHORN AND OUR CHICKENS TAKING DUST BATHS. THEY SEE OUR HARD WORKING FARMERS FERTILIZING THE PASTURES IN THE FALL WITH OUR COMPOSTED MANURE AND THEN TAKING OFF BALES OF HAY IN THE SPRING. THE FARM CHORES BECOME A VERY UNDERSTANDABLE PART OF THEIR EDUCATION. WE ROUND OUR PROGRAMS WITH EVENING CLASSES AT OUR ASTRONOMY CENTER, WHERE VISITORS CAN VIEW PLANETS AND CONSTELLATIONS WITH OUR 14" CELESTRON TELESCOPE WITH "GO TO" CAPABILITIES, AND WE ALSO OFFER A CHANCE FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ACTORS TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR RENOWNED WINTER AND SUMMER SHAKESPEARE PROGRAMS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1984.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 21, 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.