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Survival International USA

EIN 26-3208869 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO: CAMPAIGN, LOBBY & PROTEST FOR: INDIGENOUS RIGHTS; INVESTIGATE, EXPOSE AND CONFRONT ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY GOVERNMENTS AND BIG BUSINESS; AMPLIFY INDIGENOUS VOICES AROUND THE WORLD

Income
$485,822
Spending
$323,943
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
37.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
4
Highest pay
$84,937, us director

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 37.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 72% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    6 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, 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 (4)
  1. $243,187 spent. UNCONTACTED TRIBES CAMPAIGN THERE ARE MORE THAN 150 UNCONTACTED PEOPLES AROUND THE WORLD AND SURVIVAL WORKS TO SECURE THEIR LAND RIGHTS ACROSS THE GLOBE. UNCONTACTED TRIBES AREN'T PRIMITIVE RELICS OF A REMOTE PAST. THEY LIVE IN THE HERE AND NOW. THEY ARE CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES, A VITAL PART OF HUMANKIND'S DIVERSITY, AND THE GUARDIANS OF THE MOST BIODIVERSE PLACES ON EARTH. WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THEM BUT WE DO KNOW THEY HAVE VAST BOTANICAL AND ZOOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND A UNIQUE UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING. THEIR TERRITORIES ARE THE BEST BARRIER TO DEFORESTATION, PARTICULARLY IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST. (SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION)
  2. DECOLONIZE CONSERVATION --INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE THE BEST CONSERVATIONISTS AND GUARDIANS OF THE NATURAL WORLD. EVIDENCE PROVES THEY MANAGE THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND ITS WILDLIFE BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES ARE THE AMONG MOST BIODIVERSE PLACES ON EARTH. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WERE EXPERT CONSERVATIONISTS LONG BEFORE THE WORD "CONSERVATION" WAS DREAMED UP. IT'S OFTEN WRONGLY CLAIMED THAT INDIGENOUS LANDS ARE "WILDERNESSES". THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS LIKE YELLOWSTONE, THE AMAZON AND THE SERENGETI ARE THE ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS OF MILLIONS OF TRIBESPEOPLE WHO HAVE SHAPED THEM, BEEN DEPENDENT ON THEM, AND NURTURED AND PROTECTED THEM, FOR MILLENNIA. (SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION)
  3. INDIGENOUS VOICES INDIGENOUS VOICES, UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES THERE ARE MORE THAN 476 MILLION INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVING IN MORE THAN 90 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. FROM THE AMAZON TO THE KALAHARI, FROM THE JUNGLES OF INDIA TO THE CONGO RAINFOREST, INDIGENOUS VOICES IS A PLATFORM WHERE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CAN SPEAK OUT ABOUT WHAT MOST MATTERS TO THEM, AND TELL THE STORIES THAT GOVERNMENTS, MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES AND OTHERS THAT ARE INVADING AND STEALING THEIR LANDS, WANT SILENCED. INDIGENOUS VOICES PROVIDES A PLATFORM WHERE THEIR OWN WORDS AND VOICES ARE HEARD AROUND THE WORLD.
  4. FULL MISSION STATEMENT OUR MISSION IS TO PREVENT THE ANNIHILATION OF INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PEOPLES AND WORK IN DEFENSE OF THEIR RIGHTS. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION, SURVIVAL: - WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRIBAL AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, OFFERING THEM A PLATFORM TO ADDRESS THE WORLD; - CARRIES OUT RESEARCH IN INDIGENOUS AREAS, PARTICULARLY WHERE THEIR SURVIVAL IS THREATENED OR WHERE VIOLATIONS OF THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS ARE TAKING PLACE; - EDUCATES AND MOBILIZES THE PUBLIC TO DEFEND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS; - MAKES REPRESENTATIONS TO GOVERNMENTS, COMPANIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHOSE ACTIVITIES IMPACT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OR VIOLATE THEIR RIGHTS, AND SEEKS TO INFLUENCE THEM INTO ACTING IN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' INTERESTS; - SEEKS TO ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, AND PROMOTES LEGISLATION WHICH PROTECTS THEIR RIGHTS; - SUPPORTS THE ACTIVITIES OF REPRESENTATIVE INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR AIMS; - SUPPORTS APPROPRIATE PROJECTS IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. ------------------------------------- PSA 1 "UNCONTACTED TRIBES" CONTINUATION: BUT WHERE THEIR LANDS ARE STOLEN AND INVADED, UNCONTACTED TRIBES ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLES ON THE PLANET. WHOLE POPULATIONS ARE BEING WIPED OUT BY GENOCIDAL VIOLENCE FROM OUTSIDERS, AND BY DISEASES LIKE THE FLU AND MEASLES TO WHICH THEY HAVE NO RESISTANCE. ALL UNCONTACTED TRIBES FACE CATASTROPHE UNLESS THEIR LAND IS PROTECTED. THEY ARE RESISTING INVASION OF THEIR TERRITORIES, AND ALONGSIDE THEIR CONTACTED RELATIVES, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SECURE THEIR LAND RIGHTS. WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING FOR THEIR LANDS TO BE PROTECTED SINCE 1969. OUR CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES ARE SIMPLE: PROTECT THE LANDS OF UNCONTACTED TRIBES AND ENSURE THEIR RIGHT TO REMAIN UNCONTACTED IS RESPECTED. IN 2024 WE CAMPAIGNED FOR THE RECOGNITION OF UNCONTACTED PEOPLES' LAND IN INDIA, INDONESIA, BRAZIL, PERU AND PARAGUAY AND TO DEFEAT LEGISLATION AND LAND INVASIONS THAT THREATENED THEIR TERRITORIES. ------------------------------------------------------------------- PSA 2 "DECOLONIZE CONSERVATION" CONTINUATION: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE BEING ILLEGALLY EVICTED FROM THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS IN THE NAME OF CONSERVATION AND ACCUSED OF "POACHING" BECAUSE THEY HUNT TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES. THEY FACE ARREST AND BEATINGS, TORTURE AND DEATH, AT THE HANDS OF ANTI-POACHING SQUADS FUNDED BY BIG WESTERN CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS, WHILE BIG GAME TROPHY HUNTERS ARE ENCOURAGED. BUT TARGETING INDIGENOUS HUNTERS DIVERTS ACTION AWAY FROM TACKLING THE TRUE POACHERS - CRIMINALS CONSPIRING WITH CORRUPT OFFICIALS. SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL IS LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ABUSE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE NAME OF CONSERVATION: FOR TRIBES, FOR NATURE, FOR ALL HUMANITY.

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

  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 October 13, 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 2024.

    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 June 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 October 21, 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.