Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation

EIN 26-1368021 · Monte Sereno, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood77 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The mission of The Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation is to ensure the survival of the most threatened small wild cats and their natural habitats worldwide by identifying and mitigating threats to their continued existence.

Income
$4.9 million
Spending
$827,235
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
91.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
0
Volunteers
0

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

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 91.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 83% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 463% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 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 (23)
  1. $159,447 spent. $159,447 was granted to the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MbZSCF) to launch new small cat conservation projects around the world. The MbZSCF budget for big & small cat conservation projects is $108,000. SWCCF's grant to MbZSCF created additional small cat conservation projects. The MbZSCF platform serves as SWCCF's recruiting platform for new projects.
  2. $98,300 spent. $98,300 was granted to the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance to support existing threat reduction projects and to create new projects across the geographic range of the Fishing cat in South Asia. Many of the projects were begun with funding from the Mohamed bib Zayed Species Conservation Fund.
  3. $20,488 spent. 20,488 was granted to the Pampas Cat Working Group to support existing threat reduction projects and to create new projects across the geographic range of the Pampas cat in South America. Some of the projects were begun with funding from the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.
  4. $25,000 spent. $25,000 was granted to Fauna Andina, a rescue, rehabilitation, and release center in Chile.
  5. $59,040 spent. $59,040 was granted to The Colocolo Project in central Chile that benefits the Pampas cat (Leopardus colocola - Colocolo). Some of the grants were used to support projects led by Con Garra for Guigna and the Pampas cat (Leopardus garleppi) in northern Chile.
  6. $11,081 spent. $11,081 was granted to the Ocelot Working Group that also benefits Jaguarundi and Margay. In Mexico, existing projects were continued and new projects were launched.
  7. $20,300 spent. $20,300 was granted to Geoffroy's Cat Working Group to support existing threat reduction projects and to create new projects across the geographic range of Geoffroy's cat in South America. Many projects were begun with funding from the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MbZSCF). Partners continue to apply to MbZSCF.
  8. $13,000 spent. $13,000 was granted to the Manul Working Group to support an existing threat reduction project in Mongolia led by Steppe Wildlife.
  9. $78,055 spent. $78,055 was granted to the Clouded Leopard Working Group to support existing threat reduction projects for Clouded leopard, Marbled cat, and Asiatic golden cat and to create new projects in Nepal, India, and Bhutan.
  10. $52,985 spent. $52,985 was granted to The Oncilla Project in Costa Rica. An isolated population of the soon-to-be-new species of the Andean (or Clouded) tiger-cat exists in the cloud forest of Costa Rica and Panama.
  11. $31,966 spent. $31,966 was granted to the Uruguay Small Cat Conservation locally called Rock & Pampa to support existing threat reduction projects for Geoffroy's cat, and Munoai's Pampas cat.
  12. $32,500 spent. $32,500 was granted to the Tiger-cat Conservation Initiative to support existing threat reduction projects and to create new projects benefiting three species of Tiger-cats in northern South America.
  13. $43,411 spent. $43,411 was given the African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance to support projects on behalf of the African golden cat across its range.
  14. $10,000 spent. $10,000 was granted to the Rusty-spotted Cat Working Group to support ongoing threat reduction actions.
  15. $40,695 spent. $40,695 was provided to Con Garra in Chile for supporting threat reduction actions for Guigna and Desert Pampas cat.
  16. $36,120 spent. $36,120 was provided to the Black-footed Cat Working Group to support ongoing conservation efforts.
  17. $54,098 spent. $54,098 was provided to the Eastern Himalayan Marbled Cat Project. This is a new projected started in 2025 in NE India that is rapidly expanding to seven states. The funding is used to reduce treats to Asiatic golden cat, Clouded leopard, Leopard cat, and Marbled cat as well as Leopard and Tiger.
  18. $25,790 spent. $25,790 was used to support creation of the Pakistan Felidae Initiative working to conserve all eight species of small wild cats in Pakistan. These are Asiatic wildcat, Caracal, Eurasian lynx, Fishing cat, Jungle cat, Leopard cat, Manul, and Sand cat.
  19. $7,036 spent. $7,038 was used to support meetings, talks, and workshops.
  20. $327 spent. $327 was provided to SWCCF partners for information technology.
  21. $152 spent. $152 was the cost of filing CA tax forms and the 990 Federal tax form.
  22. $5,180 spent. $5179 was the cost of 450 Edition II t-shirts to be sold to raise funding.
  23. $2,264 spent. $2264 was needed to buy a desktop computer and monitor to replace the 2013 outdated desktop computer.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 December 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 April 2009.

    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.