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Rare Inc

EIN 23-7380563 · Arlington, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O.

Income
$42.9 million
Spending
$38.5 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
4.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
126
Volunteers
2,000
Highest pay
$722,091, ceo

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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 31% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 36% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    23 of 24 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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 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 (3)
  1. $16.6 million spent. SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND FARMING - RARE'S COASTAL FISHERIES PROGRAM, FISH FOREVER, USES AN INNOVATIVE BEHAVIOR-CENTERED APPROACH TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY-LED COASTAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND RESTORE THE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS WHERE MORE THAN 70% OF MARINE LIFE IS FOUND. RARE LEVERAGES BIOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES WITH PARTNERS AND LOCAL LEADERS TO SUSTAIN FISHERIES PRODUCTION, BUILD COORDINATED ADVOCACY AMONG GOVERNMENTS, AND ELEVATE COASTAL FISHERS' VOICES. RARE EMPOWERS LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENTS TO DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND ENFORCE A PROVEN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: MANAGED ACCESS AREAS WITH NO-TAKE RESERVES (MA+R). THIS SYSTEM BALANCES PEOPLE'S SUSTAINABLE USE OF COASTAL FISHING WATERS WITH THEIR PROTECTION. SMALLHOLDER FARMERS SHAPE OUR GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM AND ECONOMY. THROUGH REGENERATIVE FARMING, FARMERS CAN CREATE NEW SOCIAL NORMS FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING. THE RESULTS ARE INCREDIBLE. WE RESTORE THE SOIL, BIODIVERSITY FLOURISHES, CARBON REMAINS IN THE GROUND, AND WE CREATE BETTER COMMUNITY CLIMATE RESILIENCE. REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE IS A POWERFUL SOLUTION TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND FARMER LIVELIHOOD.RARE'S REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM SEEKS TO TRANSFORM AND REIMAGINE HOW WE FARM FOR THE FUTURE. WE PARTNER WITH FARMING COMMUNITIES IN HIGH-BIODIVERSITY ECOSYSTEMS TO SHIFT TO REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND MORE SUSTAINABLE RANCHING PRACTICES. THE PROGRAM HELPS SMALLHOLDER FARMERS CREATE SUSTAINABLE AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR PEOPLE, BIODIVERSITY, AND THE CLIMATE.WITH A SCIENCE-BASED, BEHAVIOR-CENTERED APPROACH PAIRED WITH PARTNERSHIPS FOR SCALE, RARE IS WORKING TO NORMALIZE CLIMATE-FRIENDLY BEHAVIORS THROUGH THE POWER OF CULTURE. WORKING WITH LEADING ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS, RARE IS PRODUCING GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH INTO THE POTENTIAL OF STORYTELLING TO SHIFT AUDIENCE PERCEPTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SHIFT CULTURE TO MAKE SUSTAINABILITY THE NORM.
  2. $10.6 million spent. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE AND RESEARCH - COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE LEADING EFFORTS TO PROTECT NATURE AND STRENGTHEN RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT LASTING CONSERVATION SOLUTIONS DEPEND ON MORE THAN SCIENCE AND POLICY - THEY DEPEND ON PEOPLE.RARE APPLIES BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE, NARRATIVE CHANGE, AND INNOVATION TO DESIGN SOLUTIONS THAT HELP COMMUNITIES PROTECT ECOSYSTEMS WHILE STRENGTHENING LIVELIHOODS, FOOD SECURITY, AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE. THROUGH RESEARCH, PRACTITIONER TOOLS, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENTS, NGOS, FUNDERS, COMMUNITIES, AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, RARE'S BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE WORK IS HELPING SHAPE CONSERVATION PRACTICE WORLDWIDE.BY UNDERSTANDING WHAT DRIVES HUMAN BEHAVIOR - AND SHIFTING THE NORMS THAT SHAPE IT - RARE HELPS CONSERVATION SOLUTIONS TAKE ROOT IN COMMUNITIES AND SPREAD.
  3. $4.5 million spent. CONSERVATION FINANCE - WHERE TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL APPROACHES AND INSTRUMENTS FAIL, INNOVATIVE FINANCE BRIDGES THE GAP. RARE'S INNOVATIVE FINANCE BUILDS RESILIENCE TO BOTH FINANCIAL SHOCKS AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN UNDERSERVED, RURAL, AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM USES A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO PROTECT VITAL ECOSYSTEMS AND BENEFIT LOCAL ECONOMIES, BY DE-RISKING INVESTMENTS, ADVANCING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, AND BUILDING SUSTAINABLE LOCAL ECONOMIES WITH PATHWAYS TO THE FORMAL ECONOMY.

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

  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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1985.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.