Tom T East Sr & Alice K East & Alice H East & Robert C East Wildl
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The East Foundation is an Agricultural Research Organization. We promote the advancement of land stewardship through ranching, science and education (See Schedule O for continuation). On our land, ranchers, scientists, and educators work together to address issues important to wildlife management, rangeland health, and ranch productivity.
- Income
- $16.5 million
- Spending
- $14.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 7.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 47%
- Employees
- 74
- Volunteers
- 45
- Highest pay
- $718,514, president & 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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 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)
- $7.7 million spent. Ranching: The East Foundation's exempt purposes can only be achieved through the active management of a livestock ranch that is representative of the primary land use on 14.1 million acres of native rangeland in the South Texas Brush Country and Coastal Sand Plain region. This ranch serves as a laboratory for agricultural research that will facilitate advancement of land stewardship and management practices, wildlife conservation, and livestock production throughout these 14.1 million acres of native rangeland. The operating ranch also serves as the outdoor 'classroom' to fulfill elements of the education purpose of the East Foundation. (See Schedule O for continuation). Ranching: (Continued from Part III) The science and education activities are integrated into the ranching operation to ensure relevance to stewards of working lands in the region, and to encourage and inform land management, wildlife conservation, and livestock production systems in similar habitats across the United States and around the world.
- $2.8 million spent. Science: The science program's purpose, to enable more effective decision-making by stewards of working lands, is embedded in an active working landscape. Research programs span 3 key areas: Land Stewardship and Management, Livestock Production and Ranching, and Wildlife Conservation and Management, which focus on those factors that most threaten the productivity, sustainability, and utility of working native rangelands. Each of these program areas contains discovery elements, intended to elucidate mechanisms that govern the complexities of land ecology, animal science and production systems, and population ecology of wildlife; development elements, intended to implement discoveries into systems and technologies for application by land stewards; (See Schedule O for continuation). Science: (Continued from Part III) and documentation activities, which include long-term monitoring projects to evaluate the outcomes of management actions and inform future decision-making. We conduct research informed by and in partnership with land grant university systems and other agricultural colleges. We partner directly with the Texas A&M University System (a land grant university system), the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management in Texas A&M-Kingsville. Some examples of current research programs are the following: * Grazing strategies and their impacts on livestock, wildlife, and rangeland productivity * Season of burning effects on rangeland health * Sustainable harvest and white-tailed deer population dynamics in response to habitat management (grazing and vegetation management) * Sustainable harvest rates of Northern bobwhite quail populations in the context of cattle grazing * Supporting endangered ocelot recovery on privately owned working lands * Population demographics and dynamics of nilgai antelope on rangelands * Carbon transactions on working lands
- $332,006 spent. Education: East Foundation's Behind the Gates Education Program connects students to the land using hands-on, science-based curriculum. The program recognizes the value of a multifaceted system starting with delivering the message of natural resource conservation in schools and continuing with involving students in land stewardship practices on East Foundation's working lands. We believe that demonstrating how land stewardship provides quality of life for both people and wildlife is essential for their appreciation and understanding of working lands. Our goal is twofold. We aim to empower future leaders with knowledge and appreciation of how our natural systems work and we cultivate the next generation of natural resource professionals to support the working lands of Texas (See Schedule O for continuation). Education: (Continued from Part III) Behind the Gates is multifaceted and takes place in the classroom, on the land and in partnership with many organizations that are helping to lead the way in natural resource conservation education. In the Classroom: In partnership with Texas Wildlife Association, we take wildlife and natural resource conservation presentations into the classroom. Our educators visit the classrooms with interactive, Science TEKS aligned lessons programs. These interactive lessons are a means of promoting critical thinking skills while encouraging students to connect with the natural world. Out on the Land: Students who have participated in a classroom presentation delivered by an East Foundation educator are then recruited to attend a field lesson on either El Sauz or the San Antonio Viejo ranch. Field lessons provide hands-on learning opportunities that further expand on subjects introduced in the classroom. Land Stewardship Ambassador Program: In partnership with the Witte Museum, we bring the Land Stewardship Ambassador program to the students of Bexar, Cameron and Webb counties. The program increases awareness of land stewardship principles, promotes civil engagement in today's youth, and inspires students to obtain careers that support land stewardship. This course is reading and writing intensive and through interactive experiences, career exploration, and the study of stewardship students learn how to be a voice for Texas.
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
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 September 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 April 2022.
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.