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Ground Zero Emergency Training Center Foundation

EIN 47-1789429 · Norman, OK

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceGood86 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

STRENGTHEN EMERGENCY RESPONSE AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS.

Income
$754,187
Spending
$611,361
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
11.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
4
Volunteers
13
Highest pay
$128,214, trainer

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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $582,162 spent. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SEARCH AND RESCUE CANINE TEAM TRAINING PROGRAM PRODUCES HIGHLY SPECIALIZED SAR CANINES, VALUED AT $50,000, PLACES THEM WITH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AT NO CHARGE, AND TRAINS THEM TO BE A TEAM. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES 18 MONTHS OF INTENSIVE CANINE TRAINING IN RUBBLE PILE, WILDERNESS, SCENT TRAILING, AND WATER RESCUE AND RECOVERY. TRAINING FOR SAR TEAMS INCLUDES STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE, SEARCH TACTICS, BASIC AND ADVANCED MEDICAL TRIAGE, RESPONSE TO ACTIVE SHOOTER INCIDENTS, HAZMAT, BASIC AND ADVANCED TECHNICAL RESCUE, AND MASS CASUALTY INCIDENTS. CANINES LEARN TO SEARCH, LOCATE AND ALERT WHEN HUMAN SCENT IS DETECTED AND ARE TRAINED TO IGNORE ALL OTHER SMELLS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY LEARN TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE SCENT OF THE FIRST RESPONDER AND THE VICTIM WHO MIGHT BE BURIED BENEATH THE RUBBLE. THIS SPECIALIZED TRAINING MEANS WHEN A TRAINED CANINE BARKS TO ALERT THE FIRST RESPONDER, THERE IS, IN FACT, A PERSON IN NEED OF RESCUING. CANINES ARE ALSO TRAINED TO NAVIGATE UNSTABLE FOOTING, INCLUDING COLLAPSED CONCRETE BUILDINGS WITH GLASS AND NAILS EVERYWHERE. OFF-LEASH TRAINING ENABLES THE CANINE, INDEPENDENT OF THEIR HANDLER, TO SEARCH THE SCENE OF A DISASTER MORE SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY THAN A HUMAN FIRST RESPONDER. IN 2016, THERE WERE ONLY 9 DOGS CERTIFIED IN OKLAHOMA TO RESPOND TO DISASTER EVENTS AND MOST WERE NEARING RETIREMENT AGE. OK TASK FORCE 1, COMPRISED OF EMERGENCY RESPONDERS FROM TULSA AND OKLAHOMA CITY, HAD BEEN ON A WAITLIST FOR OVER 3 YEARS TO RECEIVE NEW CANINES, PUTTING THE TASK FORCE TEAMS IN BOTH CITIES IN A DIRE POSITION. GROUND ZERO ENSURES OKLAHOMA EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ALWAYS HAVE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF CERTIFIED SAR CANINES REQUIRED TO DEPLOY AND PROVIDES ADVANCED TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATIONS FOR SAR TEAMS. GROUND ZERO'S PROGRAMS INCLUDE COMMUNITY EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS, DISASTER RISK AWARENESS, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PRESENTATIONS IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND ADVANCED SPECIALIZED SKILL TRAINING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.

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 March 2016.

    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.