Awareness Society a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Wilderness Awareness School provides educational programs for youth & adults that helps cultivate healthy relationships with nature, community & self.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $3.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- -2.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 78%
- Employees
- 111
- Volunteers
- 306
- Highest pay
- $157,292, executive dir.
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
Weak: 38 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 41% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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: 85 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
- $1.5 million spent. Youth Programs - We offer nature education programs for youth (ages 4-18) during the summer and school year. Our students discover the wonders of nature, explore our natural environment and build friendships. Our school year youth programs consisted of roots and wings (one day per week, ages 4-6, 25 students), youth school (one day per week, ages 7-12, 84 students), community school (one day per week, ages 13-18, 27 students), wild within (one weekend per month, ages 14-18, 40 students) and monthly program (once per month, ages 7-12, 284 students). Our summer youth programs, which consisted of day camps, overnight camps and expeditions served 1,998 students. Overall 2,458 students were served through our youth programs.
- $944,429 spent. Adult Programs - We offer a variety of programs for adults that range from a 2 hour workshop to a 9-month intensive. Through nature connection and cultural mentoring, our programs provide transformational experiences that awaken people's unique gifts, deepen their relationship with nature, and empower them to enrich the health of their communities. The immersion (our premier program for adults) met 3 days per week for the school year and covered our core curriculum of tracking, bird language, naturalist skills, survival skills, edible and medicinal plants and mentoring skills. We had 35 students for the year. The tracking intensive met for 10 weekends to focus on the art of tracking. We had 24 students for the year. The plant intensive met for 10 weekends to focus on learning about edible and medicinal plants. We had 20 students for the year. The 19 natural instruction training students spent one day per week at our youth programs and the immersion to learn our educational methodology, as well as increase the quality of these offerings. Adult programs also included once per month tracking clubs, and other special programs as well as weekend and week-long classes and expeditions, serving approximately 410 students. A total of approximately 508 students participated in our adult programs.
- $17,219 spent. Retail Sales - Retail sales provides educational resources to parents and students in order to deepen their understanding and appreciation of nature, community and self.
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
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 August 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 August 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 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.