Sonoran Desert Aquatics
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $754,652
- Spending
- $718,364
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- 5.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 97%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $77,492, cfo / coo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1596% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 7 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
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
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 August 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 (1)
- $686,492 spent. SONORAN DESERT AQUATICS OFFERS THREE MAIN PROGRAMS: (1) A SWIM TEAM FOR YOUTH AGES 4 THRU 19; (2) A MASTERS SWIM PROGRAM FOR ADULTS AGES 18 AND OVER; AND (3) A SWIM LESSONS PROGRAM FOR AGES 3 THRU 12. (1) YOUTH SWIM TEAM: SONORAN DESERT AQUATICS, D.B.A. FAST, IS AN OUTDOOR YEAR-ROUND COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM THAT PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL COACHING AND TECHNIQUE INSTRUCTION FOR AMATEUR SWIMMERS OF ALL ABILITIES AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 4 AND 19. SUPERVISED SWIM PRACTICE SESSIONS ARE ORGANIZED BY AGE GROUP AND ABILITY AND ARE CONDUCTED MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AT THE ORO VALLEY MUNICIPAL POOLS LOCATED AT 23 WEST CALLE CONCORDIA AND 10555 NORTH LA CANADA DRIVE, ORO VALLEY, ARIZONA. SWIM PRACTICES PREPARE SWIMMERS, THROUGH PROFESSIONAL COACHING, TO COMPETE IN USA SWIMMING SANCTIONED COMPETITIONS AT THE RATE OF ONE TO TWO SWIM MEETS PER MONTH. AT SUPERVISED SWIM PRACTICES, COACHING STAFF WORK WITH EACH SWIMMER ON CONCEPTS SUCH AS CONFIDENCE, CONCENTRATION, MOTIVATION, ATTITUDE, COMPOSURE, AND GOAL SETTING. ADDITIONALLY, SOME SWIMMERS PAY FOR PRIVATE LESSONS FROM COACHING STAFF TO FURTHER IMPROVE THEIR TECHNIQUE. COACHING STAFF ALSO ACCOMPANIES SWIMMERS TO USA SWIMMING SANCTIONED MEETS. FAST COACHES ORGANIZE AND HOST MEETS IN ORO VALLEY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF FAMILY PARTICIPATION BY MEMBER VOLUNTEERS. FAST COOPERATES WITH THE TOWN OF ORO VALLEY, PIMA COUNTY, AND ARIZONA SWIMMING TO HOST MEETS FOR TEAMS NATIONWIDE. FAST HOSTS MORE MEETS THAN ANY OTHER TEAM IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA. THESE MEETS BRING A GREAT DEAL OF BUSINESS TO ORO VALLEY AND TUCSON. DURING THESE SWIM MEETS, MANY SWIMMERS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA AND THE NATION QUALIFIED FOR JUNIOR NATIONALS, OLYMPIC TRIALS, JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. DURING 2025, FAST SWIMMERS PLACED IN THE TOP TEN AT THE FOLLOWING MEETS: JUNIOR NATIONALS, JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. FAST WAS THE ONLY ARIZONA SWIM CLUB TO SEND A SWIMMER TO THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2025. MANY FAST SWIMMERS RECEIVED DIVISION I COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AND WON STATE TITLES. DURING THE PAST YEAR, A RECORD NUMBER OF PERSONAL BESTS WERE ACHIEVED BY FAST TEAM MEMBERS. FAST WAS AWARDED BRONZE LEVEL STATUS BY U.S.A. SWIMMING AND RANKED AS THE 22ND CLUB AMONG SMALL TEAMS (LESS THAN 200 SWIMMERS) IN THE NATION BY THE AMERICAN SWIMMING COACHES ASSOCIATION IN 2025. (2) MASTERS SWIM TEAM: FAST'S MASTERS PROGRAM IS FOR ADULTS AGES 18 AND OVER. ALL PRACTICES ARE SUPERVISED BY PROFESSIONAL COACHES. FAST MASTERS SWIMMERS ARE AN EXTREMELY DIVERSE GROUP IN TERMS OF ABILITY AND SKILL LEVEL. SOME SENIOR SWIMMERS SUFFER INJURY, ARTHRITIS, OR OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS AND SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR FITNESS LEVEL. MANY MASTERS SWIMMERS ATTEND PRACTICE TO COMPETE IN SWIM MEETS, OPEN WATER COMPETITIONS, AND TRIATHLONS. ALL ARE WELCOME. (3) SWIM LESSONS PROGRAM: FAST OFFERS OUTDOOR, ORGANIZED, HIGH QUALITY, SMALL GROUP SWIM LESSONS YEAR-ROUND FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 THRU 12. GROUP LEVELS ZERO THROUGH FOUR BEGIN BY TEACHING BASIC WATER SAFETY AND PROGRESS THROUGH LEARNING ALL FOUR STROKES. LITTLE FISH GROUP IS THE MOST ADVANCED SWIM LESSON LEVEL AND PRACTICES OUTDOORS YEAR-ROUND. LITTLE FISH GROUP BUILDS ENDURANCE AND INTRODUCES SWIMMERS TO THE SKILLS THEY WILL NEED TO TRANSITION TO A COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM. SWIM LESSONS ARE AVAILABLE MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AND ARE OFFERED AT THE ORO VALLEY MUNICIPAL POOLS LOCATED AT 23 WEST CALLE CONCORDIA AND 10555 N LA CANADA DRIVE, ORO VALLEY, ARIZONA. FAST OFFERS FINANCIAL NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS TO SWIMMERS IN THE AGE GROUP AND LESSONS PROGRAM. FAST TAKES PRIDE IN ITS ABILITY TO OFFER QUALITY PROGRAMMING AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE SPORT FOR ALL SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 October 13, 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 August 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 February 2009.
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 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.