Aprovecho Research Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO RESEARCH, DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS FOR MEETING THE BASIC HUMAN NEEDS OF LOW INCOME AND IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES IN ORDER TO HELP RELIEVE THEIR SUFFERING, IMPROVE HEALTH, ENHANCE THEIR SAFETY, AND REDUCE THEIR ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THEIR ENVIRONMENT. APROVECHO RESEARCH CENTER IS ESPECIALLY DEDICATED TO CREATING EFFECTIVE AND WIDELY USABLE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS SUCH AS COOKING AND HEATING WITH BIOMASS. APROVECHO RESEARCH CENTER ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO RELATED APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS WORLDWIDE.
- Income
- $704,181
- Spending
- $674,562
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 7.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 52%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 4
- Highest pay
- $45,395, research director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 252 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 June 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 (4)
- $10,329 spent. LABORATORY TESTING:APROVECHO RESEARCH CENTER PROVIDES TESTING AND DESIGN IMPROVEMENT SERVICES AT ITS LABORATORY IN COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON. STOVES ARE SHIPPED TO THE LAB FOR EMISSIONS TESTING AND DESIGN IMPROVEMENT.
- $277,134 spent. EMISSIONS MONITORING EQUIPMENT:APROVECHO RESEARCH CENTER DESIGNS, DEVELOPS, PROTOTYPES, TESTS, MODIFIES, AND SUPPLIES CUSTOM EMISSION MONITORING EQUIPMENT FOR USE IN LESSER-DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. UNIVERSITIES, NGOS AND OTHERS USE THIS EQUIPMENT TO MEASURE FOR MULTIPLE POLLUTANTS. THIS TESTING ALLOWS STOVE DESIGNERS TO MODIFY LOCAL STOVES TO BURN LESS FUEL, IMPROVE COOKING TIME, AND PRODUCE LESS POLLUTANTS. APROVECHO CONTINUES TO HELP THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN COOKSTOVES AND OTHERS ACHIEVE HIGHER COOK STOVE STANDARDS.
- $187,553 spent. TRAINING AND EVALUATION:APROVECHO CONDUCTS TRAINING CLASSES FOR PEOPLE WISHING TO LEARN HOW TO TEST, EVALUATE, IMPROVE AND MONITOR BIO-MASS BURNING COOK STOVES AND RELATED DEVICES. THES WORK IS DONE AT THE LABORATORY IN COTTAGE GROVE, OR, OR AT THE CLIENT'S SITE. COMBUSTION THEORY, TESTING PROCEDURES AND SIMILAR SUBJECTS ARE TAUGHT. SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE PEOPLE WERE TAUGHT, PRIMARILY IN SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA AND ASIA.
- $83,694 spent. STOVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 June 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 January 2007.
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.