I-20 Wildlife Preserve & Jenna Welch Nature Study Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENSURE CONSERVATION, RESTORATION, EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND OUTDOOR ENJOYMENT OF MIDLAND'S URBAN PLAYA FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
- Income
- $262,633
- Spending
- $393,849
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- 15.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $87,814, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 50% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 December 31, 2024, 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)
- $86,299 spent. Education: PRESERVE IS A 100-ACRE LIVING LABORATORY WHERE STUDENTS AND FACULTY CAN ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN A HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO REVEAL THE MYSTERIES OF THIS UNIQUE PLAYA HABITAT. OUR CURRICULUM IS A MODEL OF EXPERT FIELDWORK AND SPURS THE SCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY OF STUDENTS K-12 WHO WILL MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENCES.
- $73,363 spent. Conservation and Land Management: OUR HOLISTIC LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICE WORKS TO CONSERVE THE VIBRANT NATURE OF THE URBAN PLAYA ENVIRONMENT AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTDOOR AND WILDLIFE EDUCATION. CAREFUL REMOVAL OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES OPENS THE WATERSHED TO A GREATER BIODIVIERSITY OF AQUATIC AND AVIAN WILDLIFE, FORTIFIES THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS, AND MAINTAINS THE WILD SPACE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY.
- $73,014 spent. Playa Wetlands Research Institute/CONSERVATION JOB CORPS PROGRAM: The preserve continues to provide biology professors with a place to instruct their students in the field. UTPB professor, David Hembry brings his class for specific instruction on identification, classification, and taking field notes. Additionally, he has oversight of 1 student doing pollinator research at the preserve. THE CONSERVATION JOB CORPS PROGRAM ALLOWS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN MEDICINE, BIOLOGY AND LIFE SCIENCES AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN CONSERVATION, RESTORATION, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BEFORE ENTERING COLLEGE. THE PROGRAM BLENDS LIFE SKILLS LESSONS, SUCH AS LEARNING TO USE TOOLS, WITH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, AND HANDS-ON EXPLORATION AND OBSERVATION. STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE SEVERAL TEXAS ECOSYSTEMS, AS WELL AS MEET WITH EXPERTS, SCIENTISTS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ON THEIR FIELD TRIPS ACROSS THE STATE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.
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 March 2008.
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.
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.