Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Wild Earth Wilderness School

EIN 20-1675636 · High Falls, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair58 out of 100GovernanceGood88 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WILD EARTH LEADS TRANSFORMATIVE NATURE IMMERSION EXPERIENCES THAT CULTIVATE CHARACTER, CONFIDENCE, PASSION AND PERSEVERANCE IN NEW YORK'S YOUTH.

Income
$2.7 million
Spending
$2.9 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
0.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 50%
Employees
83
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$100,560, former executive director

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

Financial health

Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 August 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 (1)
  1. $2.5 million spent. WILD EARTH LEADS PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, ADULTS, AND FAMILIES, SERVING NEARLY 4,000 INDIVIDUALS IN NEW YORK'S HUDSON VALLEY. CENTRAL TO WILD EARTH PROGRAMS IS A PHILOSOPHY THAT PRIORITIZES BUILDING CONNECTIONS, SET WITHIN THE NON-DISCRIMINATORY AND UNPLUGGED SPACES OF THE OUTDOORS. WILD EARTH BELIEVES THAT FOSTERING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE NATURAL WORLD, ALONG WITH BUILDING SUPPORTIVE MENTORED RELATIONSHIPS, HAS TRANSFORMATIVE POWER TO BUILD SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES THAT SUSTAIN YOUTH AS THEY GROW INTO LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 August 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 March 2005.

    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.