Nature and Culture International
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NATURE AND CULTURE INTERNATIONAL CONSERVES BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE LANDSCAPES IN LATIN AMERICA, IN CONCERT WITH LOCAL CULTURES, FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE PLANET.
- Income
- $8.8 million
- Spending
- $8.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 13.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $200,530, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 25% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2510 of 10 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, 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 (3)
- $3.6 million spent. Management Plans, Governance and Financing Mechanisms and Community Development to Support Conservation:NCI creates and promotes conditions and tools such as governance structures, conservation financing mechanisms, and protected areas management plans that support land and resource conservation. Examples include our work to create livelihoods for people in and around protected areas based on sustainable use of resources, and the creation of water funds that create ecosystem service payments systems and link them to effective watershed conservation programs.
- $3.3 million spent. Latin American Conservation Programs in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru:NCI conserves lands and ecosystems in Latin America through the creation of natural reserves and programs to conserve rainforests and other threatened ecosystems. We do this in a grass-roots fashion, hiring local staff who work with regional and local governments, Indigenous Nationalities and Pueblos, and local communities to create conservation programs and designate new protected areas. We also build local capacity to manage and sustain the protected areas we help create. While emphasizing the conservation of forests and ecosystems, NCI's programs also promote sustainable community development.
- $113,330 spent. Science and Monitoring: NCI facilitates scientific research and carries out ecosystem monitoring that support our mission to conserve lands and ecosystems in concert with local peoples. We also operate the San Francisco Scientific Field Station in Ecuador, that serves international and Ecuadorian universities that conduct basic and applied science research projects in tropical mountain ecology.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 December 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 June 1998.
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.