Nature Collective
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NATURE COLLECTIVE'S MISSION IS TO DRIVE A PASSION FOR NATURE FOR ALL. WE THINK INCLUSIVELY AND DIVERSELY WHEN SERVING THOSE DEVOID OF NATURE THOSE WHO REMEMBER NATURE AND WANT TO CONNECT BACK TO IT AND THOSE WHO HAVE AN AFFINITY WITH NATURE. WE BELIEVE IF EVERYONE HAS A PASSION TO CONNECT WITH AND EXPERIENCE NATURE THEY WILL WANT TO PROTECT IT.
- Income
- $4.3 million
- Spending
- $4.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 81%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 243
- Highest pay
- $206,841, executive dir.
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: 72 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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 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 (3)
- $1.7 million spent. HABITAT CONSERVATION:THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON RESTORATION PROJECT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST WETLAND RESTORATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. OUR PROJECT INCLUDES NEW MUDFLATS AND TIDAL DREDGING IN THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE IN ENCINITAS, CA. MUDFLATS ARE A KEY HABITAT FOR MANY ANIMALS ESPECIALLY WATERFOWL. WITHOUT RESTORATION, WE WOULD HAVE LOST THESE VITAL HABITATS NOW RESTORED AND ENHANCED FOR SEA LEVEL RISE.KEEPING LAGOON LANDS AND WATERS HEALTHY MEANS INCREASING TIDAL CIRCULATION, A NATURAL PROCESS THAT MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE HAD NEARLY HALTED. BUT WIDER BRIDGE SPANS, AND ENHANCED TIDAL CHANNELS, ARE NOW DELIVERING TIDAL FLOW FARTHER AND DEEPER INTO SAN ELIJO LAGOON. WHEN RESTORATION WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA IS COMPLETE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THROUGH THE NEXT 50 YEARS ENSURING THAT WHAT WE DESIGNED ISWORKING AS SEA LEVELS RISE AND OUR CLIMATE CHANGES.WITHOUT THRIVING PLANT SPECIES INDIGENOUS TO THIS AREA, OUR LANDS AND THEIR ECOSYSTEM AREN'T TRULY HEALTHY. THAT'S WHY WE WORK TO CONTROL INVASIVE PLANTS IN THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, THROUGHOUT THE CARLSBAD HYDROLOGIC UNIT, AND BEYOND. THE MORE PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO THIS AREA FLOURISH, THE MORE THAT ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN CALIFORNIA GET TO RESIDE IN THEIR LIFE-GIVING HABITATS.OUR SCIENTISTS MONITOR INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND FUNCTION IN SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, AND IN LANDS AND WATERS BEYOND. MONITORING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SURVEYS OF THE CONDITIONS OF MULTIPLE PLANT COMMUNITIES, WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, WATER QUALITY, AND HYDROLOGIC CHANGES. DATA ARE SHARED WITH REGIONAL AND STATE AGENCIES FOR WATERSHED MONITORING.
- $1.6 million spent. LAND TRUST:A KEY PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT LANDS IN THE ESCONDIDO WATERSHED, AND IN LANDS BEYOND, BY MANAGING HABITATS AND THE IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT NATURE PROVIDES. THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE IS LOSS OF HABITAT. AS A LAND TRUST WE ACQUIRE AND PROTECT LANDS IN THE WATERSHED, INCLUDING THE LATEST ADDITION OF 77 ACRES THAT IS CONSERVING RARE COASTAL SAGE SCRUB AND SOUTHERN COASTAL BLUFF SCRUB HABITATS. INTHESE ACRES, SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS SURVEYED INCLUDE: DEL MAR MANZANITA (FEDERALLY ENDANGERED), SEA DAHLIA AND NUTTALL'S SCRUB OAK. AT LEAST TWO SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES OF CONCERN CALL THIS PLACE HOME, THE SAN DIEGO POCKET MOUSE AND THE CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER. NATURE COLLECTIVE OWNS 143 ACRES THROUGH FEE-TITLE OWNERSHIP, AND HOLDS MORE THAN 70 ACRES OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY. LANDOWNERS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR LAND IS PROTECTED FOR GENERATIONS CAN CONTACT NATURE COLLECTIVE ABOUT WAYS WE CAN HELP CONNECT CONSERVATION GOALS. HARBAUGH SEASIDE TRAILS, A 3-ACRE COASTAL OVERLOOK FEATURES FOUR INDIGENOUS PLANT COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC TRAILS. AS A NONPROFIT LAND TRUST, NATURE COLLECTIVE COLLABORATES IN SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE MANAGEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
- $647,723 spent. SCIENCE EDUCATION & OUTREACH:AT NATURE COLLECTIVE, CHILDREN CAN GAIN SCIENCE SKILLS AND CONNECT WITH NATURE FROM FIELDWORK TO PREPARATORY AND POST-TRIP LESSONS. SCIENCE BECOMES RELEVANT AND MORE INTERESTING TO STUDENTS AS THEY DISCUSS ECOLOGY AND EXPLORE THE LAND. OUR PROGRAMS FOCUS ON OBSERVATION SKILLS, A CRUCIAL COMPONENT TO ANY SCIENCE-FOCUSED EDUCATION AND CAREER. AS THE STUDENTS EXPERIENCE OUR LOCAL LANDS, OUR EDUCATORS ENCOURAGE THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS, LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER, POSE EVIDENCE-SUPPORTED ARGUMENTS, DISAGREE RESPECTFULLY, AND UTILIZE THE SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE OF UNCERTAINTY.OUR K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAM CONNECTS, EDUCATES, AND ENGAGES THE COMMUNITY TO ACT TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE ESCONDIDO WATERSHED. OUR PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDE ESCONDIDO, VISTA, AND DEL MAR. WE SUPPORT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY OFFERING NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS, ALIGNED SCIENCE EDUCATION CURRICULUM-BASED FIELD TRIPS AND VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES. OUR GOALS ARE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUTDOOR NATURE EXPERIENCES IN ESCONDIDO; TO CONNECT STUDENTS TO NATURE THROUGH WATERSHED LITERACY AND RELEVANCY LESSONS AND PROGRAMS; AND TO INSTILL A LIFE-LONG CONSERVATION ETHIC AMONG STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN PARTNERING ESCONDIDO SCHOOLS. FROM VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT, TO IN-PERSON TOURS AND EVENTS, WE OFFER AN ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY WITH A COMMUNITY AS WELL AS 8 MILES OF TRAILS WHERE ONE CAN GO SOLO AND ENJOY THE PEACE. VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS WELCOME VISITORS OF ALL AGES WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE ANNIE'S CANYON TRAIL + SWAMI'S BEACH + SEASIDE STATE BEACH AND PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT HIGHLIGHTS UNIQUE FLORA AND FAUNA PLUS GUIDANCE ON HOW TO ENJOY OUR NATURAL WORLD IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY. HABITAT RESTORATION VOLUNTEERS HELP TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES, WATER MANY GROWING PLANTS, MONITOR FLORA AND FAUNA, AND ASSIST IN OUR PLANT NURSERY. THEY ARE REHABILITATING HABITATS AND MAKING A LASTING DIFFERENCE! LOCATIONS VARY ACROSS SAN ELIJO LAGOON, AND BEYOND. YOU ALSO GET A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT HOW NATURE THRIVES WHEN WE DEDICATE COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE TO MAKE THE OUTDOORS HEALTHY. THE SAGE INTERNSHIP HELPS YOUNG LEADERS BUILD THEIR RESUME WITH AN ECOLOGY-FOCUSED INTERNSHIP! AT NATURE COLLECTIVE, YOUTH OF TODAY CAN DEVELOP EXPERTISE IN CONSERVATION FIELDS THAT TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE. THEY DIVE INTO THE SPACE WHERE SAN DIEGO NATURE IS AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE, RIGHT WHERE THE OCEAN MEETS OUR RECEDING COASTLINE.
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 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 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 August 1993.
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.