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Tetiaroa Society

EIN 45-1080688 · Bellevue, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TETIAROA SOCIETY IS A CHARITABLE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO EDUCATION, CONSERVATION, AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TROPICAL ISLAND SOCIO-ECOSYSTEMS, PARTICULARLY THAT OF TETIAROA ATOLL, FRENCH POLYNESIA. THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE: -TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH AN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, THE HUMANITIES, AND THE ARTS AND CREATIVE SCIENCES; -TO ENCOURAGE THE PRESERVATION OF POLYNESIAN ECOSYSTEMS, BIODIVERSITY, AND CULTURE; -TO DEVELOP AND TEST NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND APPROACHES - PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY, FOOD, WATER SECURITY, AND THE CONTROL AND IMPACT OF INVASIVE SPECIES - THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR TROPICAL ISLANDS IN AN ERA OF RAPID GLOBAL CHANGE; AND -TO HELP ISLAND COMMUNITIES ACIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. TETIAROA SOCIETY IS COMMITTED TO THE PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF TETIAROA ISLAND THROUGH A UNIQUE CONSERVATION PLAN THAT SUPPORTS SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE INTERDEPENDENCE.

Income
$722,823
Spending
$649,682
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
83.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
0
Volunteers
55

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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 83.9 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 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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. $426,537 spent. TETIAROA SOCIETY HELPS SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF AN ECOSTATION, LOCATED ON MOTU ONETAHI, ONE OF THE TWELVE ISLETS OF TETIAROA (33 MILESNORTH OF TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA), AS A FACILITY ACCESSIBLE TO SCIENTISTS, VOLUNTEERS, CULTURAL ADVISORS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FROMAROUND THE WORLD. IT ALSO SERVES AS A BASE FOR THE SOCIETY'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. THE ECOSTATION ISA DYNAMIC AND POWERFUL TOOL IN OUR MISSION TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE INTERDEPENDENCE. DESIGNED AND BUILT TO LEAD PLATINUM STANDARDS, THEECOSTATION ALLOWS SCIENTISTS AND STUDENT TO BE INSPIRED BY TETIAROA'S UNIQUE, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WHILE THEIR WORK IS INTEGRATED WITH IT.THE RESEARCH CONDUCTED AT THE ECOSTATION AND ON TETIAROA SERVES AS A LIVING CASE STUDY, WHERE THE LESSONS LEARNED CAN BE IMPLEMENTED.THE TETIAROA ATOLL RESTORATION PROGRAM WITH ITS FOCUS ON RESTORATION OF BOTH TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE HABITATS IS THE CORE OF OUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THIS ISLAND. THE ISLAND'S STATUS AS A SANCTUARY ALLOWS THESE EFFORTS TO FLOURISH, PROMOTING LONG-TERM RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES.ONGOING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH HELPS MONITOR THE HEALTH OF THE ISLAND'S ECOSYSTEMS AND CONTRIBUTES TO A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS. THE ISLAND'S ISOLATION PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE NATURAL LABORATORY WHERE RESEARCHERS CAN STUDY THE EFFECTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN A PRISTINE CONTEXT, OFFERING INSIGHTS THAT CAN INFORM GLOBAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS.MOREOVER, THESE PROGRAMS ENGAGE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND VISITORS, PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND FOSTERING A SENSE OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ISLAND'S FUTURE. BY CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION ON TETIAROA, THE TETIAROA SOCIETY ENSURES THAT THIS FRAGILE ECOSYSTEM REMAINS INTACT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE.THE MAIN PROGRAMS OF 2024 WERE- RAT ERADICATION- YELLOW CRAZY ANT ERADICATION- SEABIRDS MONITORINGS- MOSQUITO ABATEMENT- LONG-TERM MONITORING OF VEGETATION DYNAMICS- INVESTIGATING THE ECOLOGY OF REEF SHARKS- MONITORING OF GREEN TURTLE POPULATIONS- TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT FOR CORAL DEVELOPMENT (COOL REEF)
  2. $910 spent. THE TETIAROA EDUCATION PROGRAM OFFERS YOUNG PEOPLE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE SCIENCE AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE ON A REMARKABLE ISLAND. LOCAL STUDENTS (AGES 8 TO 18) LEARN ABOUT THEIR CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE AND TAKE HOME VALUABLE LESSONS IN SUSTAINABILITY. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ARE INTRODUCED TO A TROPICAL ISLAND THAT SERVES AS A GLOBAL MODEL FOR CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO INSPIRE AND ENRICH ALL WHO PARTICIPATE. IN 2024, WE WORKED WITH:- THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY ISP COURSE- CHADWICK HIGH SCHOOL- LAKESIDE HIGH SCHOOL- MULTIPLE FRENCH POLYNESIAN SCHOOL GROUPS
  3. $111,560 spent. THE BLUE CLIMATE INITIATIVE ("BCI") IS TETIAROA SOCIETY'S GLOBAL EFFORT TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE WITH OCEANRELATED SOLUTIONS. THIS INITIATIVE BRINGS TOGETHER SCIENTISTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ENTREPRENEURS, BUSINESS LEADERS AND INFLUENCERS TO ACCELERATE OCEAN RELATED SOLUTIONS TO THE GREATEST ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS HUMANKIND HAS CONFRONTED: CLIMATE CHANGE. IN 2024, THE BLUE CLIMATE INITIATIVE CONTINUED WORK IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEEP SEA MINING ON TWO FRONTS: ECONOMICS AND CULTURE. THE BCI CO-SPONSORED A SIDE EVENT AT THE MARCH INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY (ISA) MEETING. THE PANEL MADE THE CASE THAT DSM IS ECONOMICALLY UNFEASIBLE DUE TO NEW BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES AND THE LACK OF NEED FOR DEEP SEA MINERALS. IN JULY, THE TEAM RETURNED TO THE ISA WHERE THEY REPRESENTED TETIAROA SOCIETY IN ITS NEW OBSERVER STATUS. TETIAROA SOCIETY HELPED TO ORGANIZE A SIDE EVENT WITH INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATIVES FROM MICRONESIA AND TONGA, INCLUDING TWO SENIOR (PWO) NAVIGATORS WHO PRESENTED THEIR VIEWS ON DEEP SEA MINING.

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 January 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.