Scooters Pals
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Provide within available resources safe, caring, and healthy living situations for neglected, abused, abandoned and otherwise homeless animals in the greater Nevada City/Grass Valley area and surrounding counties, including Sacramento County and throughout northern California.
- Income
- $198,958
- Spending
- $181,219
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 1.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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 (1)
- $158,199 spent. Scooter's Pals continues to be committed to be an all volunteer no paid staff rescue where all our resources go to the animals care.The collective impact of the pandemic has taken a substantial toll on our efforts and impacted our available resources both financial and with our volunteer base.Our inability to gather and meet in person has diminished our impact to our mission in subtle but substantial ways. Fund-raising has slowly lessened. And some expenses that can't be avoided such as vet services has increased. It has forced us to be more creative and driven to continue to aide abandoned dogs and cats to the extent our resources allow. We have had more call to assist dogs from the community to find new hones to avoid them going to shelters.Helping the displaced fire victims find temporary and in some instances permanent re-homes has been an increased need we meet to the extent possible. Social networking has been enormously helpful to us in these efforts. We have been forced by necessity to meet the community's changing needs. We are proud of our resourcefulness and how we have adapted to the changing world around us. Our devotion to abandoned animals and our community's animals in need drive our commitment to meet these needs. We still rescue as many dogs as we can find fosters and homes for and we continue to follow our safety and in-house procedures that protect the animals we help assist to stay alive and find good homes. We still take all our returned dogs back and either re-home them or place them in a safe Sanctuary setting for their remaining lifetime if they are not terminal but also not easily re-homed. Our focus is committed to the animals that are increasingly vulnerable to changes in a world they have no control over.Our mission has not changed and we put the safety concerns for the animals we help as our priority.We continue to share with other groups when we have excess food and goods for their animals. We constantly learn and grow and do our best for these animals in need.
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 October 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.