Cougar Fund Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE COUGAR FUND PROTECTS COUGARS, BEARS, WOLVES, AND OTHER NATIVE CARNIVORES THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS BY EDUCATING CHILDREN AND ADULTS ABOUT THEIR ESSENTIAL ECOLOGICAL ROLE, BY SUPPORTING AND PROMOTING SOUND SCIENCE, AND BY MONITORING STATE AND REGIONAL POLICIES TO HELP ENSURE A LASTING PLACE FOR THESE SPECIES ALONGSIDE HUMAN COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $342,896
- Spending
- $247,347
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 16.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $100,000, managing director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 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
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 June 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 (2)
- $168,352 spent. COUGAR FUND PARTICIPATES IN PUBLIC EVENTS, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO DISSEMINATE EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL, INFORMATION, AND RESOURCES PROMOTING CURRENT SCIENCE RELATED TO LARGE CARNIVORES. COUGAR FUND STAFF ATTEND APPROXIMATELY 100 VENUES PER YEAR, INCLUDING PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS,COMMUNITY EVENTS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT WYOMING AND NEIGHBORING STATES. THESE EVENTS SERVE A VARIETY OF DEMOGRAPHICS AND INVITE EXPLORATION OF QUESTIONS SURROUNDING WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT WHILE OFFERING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS PROMOTING THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE, PETS, LIVESTOCK, AND WILDLIFE ITSELF THROUGH PREVENTION AND NON-LETHAL DETERRENCE. THE ORGANIZATION ATTENDS AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND MAINTAINS A REMOTE CAMERA PROJECT THAT COLLECTS VIDEO FOOTAGE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. SOME MATERIALS HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THE COUGAR FUND PROVIDED A RESEARCH GRANT TO SUPPORT DATA COLLECTION, MOVEMENT MONITORING, AND CONNECTIVITY IDENTIFICATION TO MITIGATE HABITAT LOSS.
- $60,000 spent. RESEARCH IS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR COUGAR MANAGEMENT. THE COUGAR FUND HAS SPENT STAFF TIME EXAMINING PROPOSALS FOR RESEARCH FUNDING, AND IS DEVELOPING A PROTOCOL TO BE ABLE TO OFFER ASSISTANCE IN THE FUTURE. OUR EMPHASIS WILL BE ON THE LATEST METHODS OF TECHNOLOGY, ESPECIALLY THOSE INCLUDING NON-INVASIVE MONITORING AND DATA COLLECTION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 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 June 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 September 2001.
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.