Coexistence Story Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE HARNESS THE POWER OF CREATIVITY AND STORYTELLING TO INSPIRE THE HUMAN RACE TO SHARE SPACE. THROUGH CREATIVE INITIATIVES AND CULTURAL COLLABORATIONS, WE PROMOTE COEXISTENCE WITH WILDLIFE, RESTORE HABITATS, AND FUND PROGRAMS THAT DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE, ELEPHANTS, AND OTHER WILD SPECIES. IN 2024, COEXISTENCE STORY ADVANCED THIS MISSION THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INDIGENOUS ART ENTERPRISE, THE REAL ELEPHANT COLLECTIVE, A HIGH-PROFILE US PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL ART EXHIBITION AND GRANTS TO CONSERVATION PARTNERS GLOBALLY.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 10.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 169
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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 51% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 40% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1228% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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
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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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)
- $953,284 spent. PROMOTING COEXISTENCE THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION: COEXISTENCE STORY'S FLAGSHIP CREATIVE INITIATIVE, THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION, WAS DESIGNED AS A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AWARENESS BUILDING CAMPAIGN, SHARING INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES ON ELEPHANTS AS SENTIENT BEINGS AND FOSTERING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ART & NEWPORT, THE CAMPAIGN COMBINED A HIGH-VISIBILITY ENVIRONMENTAL ART EXHIBITION WITH STRATEGIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO ENGAGE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT OTHERWISE ENGAGE WITH HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONSERVATION STORIES.THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION WAS A YEAR-LONG 5,000-MILE JOURNEY THAT BROUGHT AN INDIGENOUS-LED CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STORY INTO SOME OF THE MOST VISIBLE PUBLIC SPACES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE EXHIBITION LAUNCHED IN NEWPORT (RHODE ISLAND), BEFORE MOVING TO NEW YORK CITY AND MIAMI BEACH, WITH ADDITIONAL STOPS PLANNED IN HOUSTON, BROWNING (MONTANA), JACKSON (WYOMING), AND LOS ANGELES IN 2025.STOP 1: NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, JULY 4 - SEPTEMBER 1. STOP 2: MEATPACKING DISTRICT, NEW YORK CITY, SEPTEMBER 6 -OCTOBER 20. STOP 3: MIAMI BEACH, ART WEEK, NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 9.LOCAL PRESENCE AND STORYTELLING: INFORMATIONAL SIGNAGE AND SHORT ONSITE TALKS PROVIDED VISITORS WITH ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION ABOUT COEXISTENCE, INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES, AND ELEPHANT CONSERVATION, TURNING PUBLIC SPACES INTO INFORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT: TRAINED VOLUNTEERS - MANY OF THEM LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS - SHARED STORIES DIRECTLY WITH VISITORS, ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND HELPING CONNECT THE CULTURAL INSTALLATION TO REAL-WORLD CONSERVATION ACTION.LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS: COLLABORATIONS WITH ART & NEWPORT, LOCAL TOURISM BOARDS, AND CONSERVATION GROUPS AMPLIFIED MESSAGING THROUGH THEIR NETWORKS, REACHING BOTH RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS. LOCAL BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED BY DISPLAYING PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS, CREATING AN INTEGRATED AWARENESS PRESENCE AROUND EACH EXHIBITION.CLASSROOM LEARNING: COEXISTENCE STORY ALSO PARTNERED WITH THINK ELEPHANTS TO BRING CONSERVATION LEARNING INTO CLASSROOMS. EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA EXPLORED ELEPHANT BEHAVIOR, BIOLOGY, AND COEXISTENCE, EXTENDING THE IMPACT OF THE EXHIBITIONS WELL BEYOND THEIR PHYSICAL FOOTPRINT.THIS MULTI-FACETED AWARENESS AND EDUCATIONAL BUILDING GAINED IMPRESSIVE REACH AND IMPACT. STREET-LEVEL ENGAGEMENT: AN ESTIMATED 4 MILLION VISITORS ENGAGED WITH THE MIGRATION BETWEEN JULY AND DECEMBER 2024. VISITOR NUMBERS TO NEWPORT'S CLIFF WALK INCREASED BY 227%. NYC'S MEATPACKING DISTRICT SAW AN ESTIMATED 1.6 MILLION ADDITIONAL VISITORS. IN MIAMI BEACH, THE HERD WAS THE LEAD ATTRACTION DURING ART BASEL, WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF VISITORS ON MIAMI BEACH, DRAWING OVER 1,000 PEOPLE AT PEAK TIMES. MEDIA COVERAGE: INCLUDED 508 ARTICLES AND BROADCAST FEATURES, WITH A TOTAL CIRCULATION EXCEEDING 7 BILLION. MAJOR OUTLETS FEATURED THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION, INCLUDING THE NEW YORK TIMES (FRONT PAGE OF ARTS SECTION TWICE), CBS SUNDAY MORNING (8-MINUTE FEATURE), AND NATIONAL COVERAGE BY CNN, FORBES, ABC, AND NPR.DIGITAL REACH: A SIGNIFICANT 308% GROWTH IN INSTAGRAM FOLLOWING EXPANDED THE DIGITAL COMMUNITY TO 32 MILLION COMBINED FOLLOWERS BRINGING THE STORY OF COEXISTENCE AND INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP TO AUDIENCES FAR BEYOND THE EXHIBITION SITES.
- $521,300 spent. POWERING COEXISTENCE - THE GRANTS: COEXISTENCE STORY SUPPORTED HUMAN-WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE EFFORTS ACROSS AFRICA, ASIA, AND EUROPE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH DEDICATED CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS. LION GUARDIANS: $150,000EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES IN THE AMBOSELI TO COEXIST PEACEFULLY WITH LIONS, BLENDING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE REDUCED LION KILLINGS BY MORE THAN 90% IN THE AMBOSELI-TSAVO ECOSYSTEM. FUNDS SUPPORTED A COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AGAINST WILDLIFE POISONING, THE CREATION OF A MOBILE VETERINARY UNIT FOR LIONS, ELEPHANTS, AND LIVESTOCK, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW CONFLICT-MITIGATION TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE COEXISTENCE.WILD BIRD FUND: $10,000THE WILD BIRD FUND IS NEW YORK CITY'S ONLY REHABILITATION CENTER FOR BIRDS, CARING FOR THOUSANDS OF INJURED BIRDS EACH YEAR. TOGETHER WE EXPANDED PUBLIC EDUCATION ON COEXISTENCE, FROM BIRD-PROOFING BUILDINGS TO PREVENTING VEHICLE COLLISIONS, CREATING A SAFER CITY FOR MILLIONS OF MIGRATING BIRDS WHICH PASS THROUGH EACH YEAR. BLUE LAB PRESERVATION SOCIETY: $85,000THE REEFLINE IS RESTORING MIAMI'S COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH ART, SCIENCE, AND COMMUNITY ACTION. FUNDS SUPPORTED THEIR FLAGSHIP PROJECT - A 7-MILE UNDERWATER PUBLIC SCULPTURE PARK AND HYBRID REEF THAT PROTECTS MARINE BIODIVERSITY, FOSTERS OCEAN LITERACY, AND INSPIRES GLOBAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION. REWILDING ARGENTINA: $100,000REWILDING ARGENTINA REINTRODUCES SPECIES WHILST ENSURING A PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THEIR ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN IBER, EL IMPENETRABLE, PATAGONIA PARK AND PATAGONIA AZUL. IN 2024, REWILDING ARGENTINA REINFORCED CO-EXISTENCE MEASURES AND MAINTAINED A RESPONSE TEAM WHICH SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING TRAINING TO PARK GUARDS, POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS ABOUT HOW TO BEST RESPOND IN CASE OF A "JAGUAR ALERT; DESIGNING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION MATERIAL LINKED TO CO-EXISTENCE WITH REINTRODUCED WILDLIFE TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN LOCAL SCHOOLS AND EXPANDING THE "I AM A GUARDIAN OF IBER" COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN INTO THE ENTIRE PARK BUFFER AREA TO CREATE CONNECTIONS TO THE PARK WILDLIFE.PANGEA: $63,000PANGEA IS WORKING TO END ELEPHANT EXPLOITATION IN EUROPE AND INSPIRE COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR COEXISTENCE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD. FUNDS FROM COEXISTENCE STORY SUPPORTED THE FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT FOR EUROPE'S FIRST ELEPHANT SANCTUARY - A HAVEN FOR ELEPHANTS IN NEED AND A REFUGE WHERE NATIVE WILDLIFE CAN THRIVE. THE SANCTUARY WILL OFFER A TRANSFORMATIVE NEW MODEL FOR HOW ELEPHANTS ARE PERCEIVED AND PROTECTED. EUROPEAN NATURE TRUST: $10,800FUNDS SUPPORTED A PARTNERSHIP WITH ITALIAN COMMUNITY NGO SALVIAMO DORSO, WHO ARE TAKING PROACTIVE MEASURES TO SUPPORT BEAR POPULATIONS AS HUMANS EXPAND IN THEIR HISTORIC TERRITORIES, WITH THE CREATION OF 'BEAR SMART COMMUNITIES'. THIS INCLUDES AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, SCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND PRACTICAL PREVENTION EFFORTS, SUCH AS ANTI-POISONING MEASURES AND "BEAR-SAFE" ROADS. INDIGENOUS LED: $50,000INDIGNEOUS LED BRAIDS INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE WITH WESTERN SCIENCE TO RESTORE ECOSYSTEM BALANCE THROUGH THE RESTORATION OF KEYSTONE SPECIES AND INDIGENOUS WAYS OF LIVING. FUNDING SUPPORTED COLLABORATIONS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH AND SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY TO BUILD THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION FOR LARGE-SCALE INDIGENOUS-LED CONSERVATION AND ADVANCE BUFFALO RESTORATION POLICY AT THE STATE LEVEL. SHELDRICK TRUST: $26,200FUNDS SUPPORTED THEIR REACH THROUGHOUT KENYA TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY'S THREATENED ELEPHANT POPULATIONS, WHILST OFFERING PRACTICAL SUPPORT TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO COUNTERACT HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT AND ENCOURAGE A SUSTAINABLE COEXISTENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE. THINK ELEPHANT: $10,000THINK ELEPHANTS INTERNATIONAL COMBINES SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ELEPHANT BEHAVIOR AND BIOLOGY. FUNDS FROM THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION ENABLED NEW RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF A 10-DAY CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ELEPHANTS ON A DEEPER LEVEL AND BECOME AMBASSADORS FOR COEXISTENCE. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST: $6,300THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST IS WORKING TO REDUCE HUMAN-TIGER CONFLICT AND BUILD LONG-TERM COEXISTENCE IN CENTRAL INDIA. FUNDING FROM THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION SUPPORTED CAMERA-TRAP SURVEYS TO MONITOR TIGER POPULATIONS AND HUMAN ACTIVITY, AS WELL AS TRAINING FOR LOCAL FOREST STAFF IN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING, WITH THE AIM OF CREATING A REPLICABLE MODEL FOR COEXISTENCE WITH LARGE CARNIVORES. SAVE THE BAY: $10,000SAVE THE BAY PROTECTS AND RESTORES RHODE ISLAND'S COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE. FUNDS RAISED SUPPORTED COMMUNITY-LED HABITAT RESTORATION, INCLUDING THE REMOVAL OF INVASIVE PHRAGMITES FROM NARRAGANSETT BAY, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF 26 SUMMER CAMPS TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO LIVE ALONGSIDE AND PROTECT THE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT.
- PERPETUATING COEXISTENCE - INDIGENOUS ART ENTERPRISE: WE ARE THE PRIMARY PARTNER TO THE REAL ELEPHANT COLLECTIVE, AN INDIGENOUS ART ENTERPRISE BASED IN THE NILGIRI BIOSPHERE RESERVE. POWERED BY THE SOLIGA, BETTAKURUMBA, KATTUNAYAKAN, AND PANIYA COMMUNITIES, WHO LIVE ALONGSIDE THE WILD ELEPHANTS IN THE GREAT ELEPHANT MIGRATION HERD, THE COLLECTIVE BROUGHT THEIR STORY OF COEXISTENCE TO LIFE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TREC, COEXISTENCE STORY DEVELOPED THE IDEA OF A HERD OF 100 LIFE-SIZED ELEPHANT SCULPTURES, CRAFTED FROM THE INVASIVE WEED LANTANA CAMARA, TO MIGRATE ACROSS CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES - TRANSFORMING AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE INTO A PLATFORM FOR CULTURAL STORYTELLING AND CONSERVATION MESSAGING. OUR ROLE WAS TO CONCEPTUALIZE THE PUBLIC ART MODEL, PROVIDE SEED FUNDING, DELIVER THE EXHIBIT AND CONNECT MARKETS. THE ARTISANS' EMPATHY, RESPECT, AND UNDERSTANDING OF THESE GIANTS ENABLED THEM TO REPLICATE THE ELEPHANTS WITH REMARKABLE ACCURACY, GENERATING APPROXIMATELY $680,000 IN REVENUE FOR THE COLLECTIVE IN 2024. IN 2024, THE NUMBER OF ELEPHANT-MAKING UNITS ACROSS THE NILGIRI HILLS GREW SIGNIFICANTLY, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF ARTISANS FROM 200 TO 300, MAKING IT INDIA'S LARGEST INDIGENOUS ECO-ENTERPRISE WHILE REINFORCING CULTURAL VALUES THAT SUSTAIN BIODIVERSITY. THE CREATION OF THE HERD ALSO ALIGNED ECONOMIC INCENTIVES WITH ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION. THE REAL ELEPHANT COLLECTIVE SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED 250 HECTARES OF LANTANA FROM BANDIPUR AND MUDUMALAI RESERVES. COEXISTENCE STORY'S INVESTMENT DIRECTLY SUPPORTED INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOODS, GENERATED LOCAL EMPLOYMENT, AND CREATED MEASURABLE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THROUGH THE REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES. BY LINKING ART, CULTURE, ECONOMY, AND ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION, THE PROGRAM STRENGTHENED CULTURAL HERITAGE, SUPPORTED BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION, AND EXEMPLIFIED HOW CREATIVE ENTERPRISE CAN ADVANCE COEXISTENCE STRATEGIES AT SCALE.
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 December 2013.
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.