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Friends of Cedar Mesa

EIN 35-2426283 · Bluff, UT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceFair65 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP WORKS TO PROTECT AND BUILD RESPECT FOR THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE GREATER BEARS EARS REGION.

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
6.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 91%
Employees
17
Volunteers
101
Highest pay
$138,042, executive di

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: 93 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 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 38% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 84% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% 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

Fair: 65 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (2)
  1. $1.8 million spent. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP CARRIES OUT IMPACTFUL WORK TO PROTECT THE GREATER BEARS EARS REGION IN SOUTHEASTERN UTAH THROUGH A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH TO CONSERVATION, WHICH INCLUDES PAIRING ON-THE-GROUND FIELDWORK, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY. WE SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTE TO SMART LOCAL, CONSERVATION EFFORTS, RESEARCH EFFORTS, AND VOLUNTEER SERVICE ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION AS WELL AS SUPPORT TRIBAL PARTNERS WORKING TO PROTECT THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS. IN 2024, BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP SAFELY CONTINUED PUBLIC LANDS STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS IN THE REGION, INCLUDING CARRYING OUT CONSERVATION EFFORTS AT HIGHLY VISITED CULTURAL SITES IN SOUTHEASTERN UTAH SUCH AS STRUCTURAL CONSERVATION, TRAIL WORK, FENCING, PLACEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE, AND MORE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO CARRIED OUT RESEARCH, INCLUDING RECORDING MULTIPLE ROCK IMAGERY SITES TO ASSIST LAND MANAGERS BY ADDING TO THE OFFICIAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE REGION. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP OWNS AND MANAGES THE BEARS EARS EDUCATION CENTER AND CONTINUED OUR PROGRAM AND ADVOCACY WORK, FOCUSED ON VIRTUAL OUTREACH EFFORTS. DURING PEAK SEASON, BEARS EARS EDUCATION CENTER PROVIDES CRITICAL VISITOR INFORMATION TO OVER 150 VISITORS A DAY. OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDES FIELD TRIPS FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS IN SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH, A FREE-FOR-PARTICIPANTS SUMMER CAMP, THREE-DAY, TWO-NIGHT RIVER TRIP ALONG THE SAN JUAN RIVER, CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS AND COMMUNITY STAR PARTIES PROMOTING THE DARK SKY RESOURCES OF THE REGION. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES FREE COMMUNITY LECTURES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. OUR ORGANIZATION SHARED VISIT WITH RESPECT MESSAGING AND BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT INFORMATION WITH MORE THAN 20,000 POTENTIAL VISITORS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, BEARSEARSPARTNERSHIP.ORG. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP ALSO LAUNCHED PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS TO ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO PAY THE PROPER BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT FEES, CRITICAL IN THE EFFORT TO INCREASE RESOURCES, AND TO PACK OUT HUMAN WASTE, A GROWING PROBLEM IN THE REGION. ADDITIONALLY, BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP LED A MOVEMENT TO ORGANIZE A COHORT OF NONPROFIT AND INDIGENOUS LEADERS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING A CULTURALLY RICH LANDSCAPE LOCATED EAST OF BEARS EARS IN SAN JUAN COUNTY, UT. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP CARRIES OUT IMPACTFUL WORK TO PROTECT THE GREATER BEARS EARS REGION IN SOUTHEASTERN UTAH THROUGH A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH TO CONSERVATION, WHICH INCLUDES PAIRING ON-THE-GROUND FIELDWORK, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY. WE SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTE TO SMART LOCAL, CONSERVATION EFFORTS, RESEARCH EFFORTS, AND VOLUNTEER SERVICE ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION AS WELL AS SUPPORT TRIBAL PARTNERS WORKING TO PROTECT THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS. IN 2024, BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP SAFELY CONTINUED PUBLIC LANDS STEWARDSHIP EFFORTS IN THE REGION, INCLUDING CARRYING OUT CONSERVATION EFFORTS AT HIGHLY VISITED CULTURAL SITES IN SOUTHEASTERN UTAH SUCH AS STRUCTURAL CONSERVATION, TRAIL WORK, FENCING, PLACEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE, AND MORE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO CARRIED OUT RESEARCH, INCLUDING RECORDING MULTIPLE ROCK IMAGERY SITES TO ASSIST LAND MANAGERS BY ADDING TO THE OFFICIAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE REGION. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP OWNS AND MANAGES THE BEARS EARS EDUCATION CENTER AND CONTINUED OUR PROGRAM AND ADVOCACY WORK, FOCUSED ON VIRTUAL OUTREACH EFFORTS. DURING PEAK SEASON, BEARS EARS EDUCATION CENTER PROVIDES CRITICAL VISITOR INFORMATION TO OVER 150 VISITORS A DAY. OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDES FIELD TRIPS FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS IN SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH, A FREE-FOR-PARTICIPANTS SUMMER CAMP, THREE-DAY, TWO-NIGHT RIVER TRIP ALONG THE SAN JUAN RIVER, CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS AND COMMUNITY STAR PARTIES PROMOTING THE DARK SKY RESOURCES OF THE REGION. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES FREE COMMUNITY LECTURES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. OUR ORGANIZATION SHARED VISIT WITH RESPECT MESSAGING AND BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT INFORMATION WITH MORE THAN 20,000 POTENTIAL VISITORS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, BEARSEARSPARTNERSHIP.ORG. BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP ALSO LAUNCHED PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS TO ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO PAY THE PROPER BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT FEES, CRITICAL IN THE EFFORT TO INCREASE RESOURCES, AND TO PACK OUT HUMAN WASTE, A GROWING PROBLEM IN THE REGION. ADDITIONALLY, BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP LED A MOVEMENT TO ORGANIZE A COHORT OF NONPROFIT AND INDIGENOUS LEADERS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING A CULTURALLY RICH LANDSCAPE LOCATED EAST OF BEARS EARS IN SAN JUAN COUNTY, UT.
  2. MISC. EXPENSE

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 December 2012.

    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.