Coleopterists Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SOCIETY IS THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE OF COLEOPTEROLOGY IN ALL ITS ASPECTS OF THEORY AND PRACTICE, WITH EMPHASIS ON AREAS OF COMMON INTEREST TO ALL COLEOPTERISTS REGARDLESS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIALIZATION. THE SOCIETY IS ORGANIZED AND OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES INCLUDING THE FOSTERING OF COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION AMONG COLEOPTERISTS, RECOGNITION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY COLEOPTERISTS, AND THE PUBLICATION OF COLEOPTERA-RELATED RESEARCH.
- Income
- $137,278
- Spending
- $129,595
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 71%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $16,800, managing editor
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
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (4)
- $54,499 spent. BULLETIN PRODUCTION - PUBLISHED ISSUES OF SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL "THE COLEOPTERISTS BULLETIN" (ISSN 0010-065X) APPROXIMATING 1000 PUBLISHED PAGES. COPIES ARE MAILED TO MEMBERS AND INSTITUTIONAL SUBSCRIBERS (MOSTLY ACADEMIC LIBRARIES). YOUTH INCENTIVE AWARDS ARE MADE TO TEENS RECOGNIZING COMPLETED SCIENCE PROJECTS INVOLVING BEETLES. AWARDS CONSIST OF A SMALL HONORARIUM AND A DISPLAY PLAQUE.
- $31,768 spent. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION - AUTHORS OF ARTICLES PAY PAGE CHARGES TO PARTIALLY OFFSET THE COSTS OF PUBLICATION, AND MAY ORDER ADDITIONAL REPRINTS OF ARTICLES FOR AN ADDITIONAL FEE. ADDITIONALLY, THE SOCIETY OCCASIONALLY MAKES SMALL DONATIONS TO OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE MISSION OF THE SOCIETY, INCLUDING OTHER GROUPS THAT PROMOTE THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF INSECTS. ALSO, AWARDS ARE MADE TO MEMBERS IN RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENT PUBLICATIONS ON BEETLES, RECOGNIZING PAPERS BASED ON MASTER'S AND DOCTORAL THESES, AND THE BEST PAPER PUBLISHED IN "THE COLEOPTERISTS BULLETIN" EACH YEAR (AS JUDGED BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD).
- $19,343 spent. THE COLEOPTERISTS SOCIETY PROVIDES AND SUPPORTS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION THROUGH PUBLICATIONS, AND PROMOTION OF EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS CONCERNING COLEOPTEROLOGY, THE STUDY OF BEETLES.
- OTHER: MEMBERSHIP
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 July 2015.
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.