Spring Farm Center Alternative Research Education Sanctuary
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SHELTER VARIOUS ANIMALS, TO UTILIZE AND TO STUDY ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF CARING FOR, HEALING, AND LOVINGLY CO-EXISTING WITH ANIMALS, TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AS TO THESE METHODS, AND TO SHARE OUR FINDINGS WITH A READERSHIP.
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $2.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 88.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 76%
- Employees
- 53
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $36,439, vice 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 88.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 37% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 254 of 8 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 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 (4)
- $1.5 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OSPRING FARM CARES ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WAS A LARGE PART OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT: THAT WAS TO CREATE IN SPRING FARM CARES A PLACE OF PEACE, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL RETREAT, LOVING INTERACTION BETWEEN BOTH THE ANIMALS THAT ARE SHELTERED HERE AND THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT OR ARE OTHERWISE IN CONTACT, AS WELL AS THE PROTECTION OF AND CONNECTION WITH NATURE, AND EDUCATION REGARDING BOTH DOMESTIC AND WILD ANIMALS AND NATURE.THIS PEACEFUL, HEALING, AND EDUCATIONAL CONNECTION HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY:TOURS OF OUR SMALL AND LARGE ANIMAL SANCTUARY AND TOURS OF OUR 250-ACRE NATURE SANCTUARY THAT WELCOME ABOUT 850 TOUR VISITORS PER ANNUM IN THE DOMESTIC ANIMAL SANCTUARY AND ABOUT 500 A YEAR IN THE NATURE SANCTUARY. THE DOMESTIC ANIMAL FACILITY IS OPEN TO VISITORS FROM 10AM TO 4PM, 365 DAYS A YEAR. THE NATURE SANCTUARY IS AVAILABLE BY APPOINTMENT.ANIMAL COMMUNICATION WORKSHOPS 5 OR 6 TIMES A YEAR THAT WELCOME TO THE FARM INTERACTIVE GROUPS OF ABOUT 15 STUDENTS EACH WORKSHOP WHO LEARN HOW TO DIRECTLY COMMUNICATE TELEPATHICALLY WITH ANIMALS. ZOOM CLASSES ARE GIVEN IN WINTER MONTHS.OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES THAT INCLUDE STORIES AND UPLIFTING MESSAGES ABOUT AND FROM THE ANIMALS AND REACH OVER 75,000 READERS. OUR TRI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER THAT REACHES ABOUT 15,000 READERS AND OUR DIGITAL JOURNAL THAT IS INSPIRED BY THE ANIMALS AND NATURE.OUR DOMESTIC ANIMAL FACILITIES THAT ARE LOCATED ON 50 ACRES OF BUCOLIC PASTURES AND PADDOCKS AND IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDED BY 2 ACRES OF FLORAL-AND-TREED GARDENS CONTAINING MARVELOUS DONATED GARDEN STATUARY, ARTISTIC CREATIONS, AND SITTING AREAS. ALL THOSE ARRIVING AT THE FARM GET TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY, WHILE MANY BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO ENJOY THE GARDENS AND OTHERS WHO COME JUST TO SIT AND READ OR MEDITATE.THE LOVING COMPANIONSHIP THAT IS PROVIDED BY OUR ANIMALS TO THOSE IN EMOTIONAL NEED, INCLUDING ELDERLY AND LONELY FOLKS WHO REGULARLY COME TO OUR SMALL ANIMAL FACILITY TO SIT WITH THE ANIMALS AND PET THEM OR READ, AND OUR PURRFECT READERS PROGRAM, WHERE CHILDREN SIT AND READ OUT LOUD TO A NON-JUDGMENTAL AUDIENCE OF CATS. THIS IS IMMENSELY HELPFUL IN INCREASING THE READING SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH READING PROBLEMS. APPROXIMATELY 100 CHILDREN USE THE PROGRAM YEARLY.
- $444,660 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OOUR DOMESTIC ANIMAL SANCTUARY IS HOME TO 225-250 ANIMALS, THE NUMBER FLUCTUATING DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES. THESE CURRENTLY INCLUDE CATS, RABBITS, GUINEA PIGS, VARIOUS EXOTIC BIRDS, TURTLES, HORSES, DONKEYS, GOATS, SHEEP, PIGS, AND VARIOUS KINDS OF POULTRY. MANY OF OUR ANIMALS HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS OR ARE OF ADVANCED AGE, AND SO ARE UNADOPTABLE. WE PROVIDE A LIFETIME HOME FOR THEM ALL, AND THEY THEN SHARE THEIR HEARTS, WISDOM, AND HEALING COMPANIONSHIP WITH THOSE WHO VISIT THEM IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY. WE ALSO MAINTAIN A RESOURCE CENTER TO AID THOSE WITH ANIMAL PROBLEMS. WE FIELD MORE THAN 10,000 PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, REGULAR MAIL, WEB, AND IN-PERSON PLEAS FOR HELP AND GUIDANCE EACH YEAR, ASSISTING AT LEAST 10,000 ANIMALS IN THE PROCESS.
- SEE SCHEDULE OTO OUR 250-ACRE NATURE SANCTUARY WITH ITS FEW OLD-GROWTH STANDS, WE HAVE INTRODUCED MANY THOUSANDS OF TREES, SHRUBS, FLOWERS AND PLANTS THAT WERE FORMERLY INDIGENOUS BUT WERE FARMED-OUT OVER THE LAST TWO CENTURIES. THIS HAS RE-ESTABLISHED HABITAT FOR AND ATTRACTED BACK AN AMAZING VARIETY OF LIVING THINGS THAT WERE ALSO ONCE NATIVE TO THIS PLACE. WE CURRENTLY DOCUMENT OVER 45 SPECIES OF MAMMALS, 190 SPECIES OF BIRDS, 60 SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES, THOUSANDS OF SPECIES OF INSECTS, AND 10 SPECIES OF FISH AND AMPHIBIANS. MANY ARE RARE SPECIES. THE HEART OF THE SANCTUARY, AND AN ATTRACTION TO AN AMAZING NUMBER OF SURPRISE NEW SPECIES, IS THE EVER-GROWING WETLAND CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY OUR ENDLESSLY INDUSTRIOUS BEAVERS, WHO LABOR AND STAY WITH US FOR HANDOUTS OF APPLES AND SWEET POTATOES. ABOUT 500 PEOPLE VISIT EACH YEAR FOR EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, AND FOR GUIDED TOURS ON OUR 5 MILES OF TRAILS. OUR DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION ALSO REGULARLY GIVES EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO CLUBS, SCHOOLS, AND VARIED AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT A WIDE AREA, REACHING OVER 1,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE NATURE SANCTUARY SHARES OUR WEBSITE AND HAS A SEPARATE FACEBOOK PAGE. VIDEO PRESENTATIONS OF THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE SANCTUARY ARE PRESENTED ON THAT SITE, AND SPREAD VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, WITH OVER 30,000 VISITS PER YEAR.
- FAMILY FOREST CARBON PROGRAM
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
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 November 6, 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 December 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 February 1993.
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 November 4, 2026.
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