Pando Populus Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To create a more sustainable and equitable future through education programs for civic engagement, focusing on Los Angeles County and guided by its sustainability plan the most ambitious regional plan in the country.
- Income
- $377,928
- Spending
- $394,185
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- -2.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 2
- Highest pay
- $112,500, president
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
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 405% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 74% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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: 61 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a 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.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (1)
- $291,345 spent. In 2024, our educational mission remains helping young people do amazing things to create a more sustainable Southland and world by providing the framework and resources needed to get their best ideas out of the classroom and put to work in local communities. We remain an educational organization with a civic engagement focus on sustainability. Our programs primarily target higher ed, with additional focus on K-12 and non-traditional learners. We work in collaboration with NGOs, community and faith based partners, government and public agency officials, and sustainability professionals. Our work remains highly consistent with our founding mission. Our web-based presence (www.pandopopulus.com) remains an active information and education hub; and we continue to have an active social media presence primarily over Facebook. Our newsletter, ROOTBALL, goes out to our community every few weeks with progress updates and involvement solicitations. Our YouTube channel archives our video content.Special Initiatives for 2024 included:- The fifth season of Pando Days, our flagship program bringing together colleges and universities from across the California Southland to help implement Los Angeles County's ambitious social and environmental goals, as articulated in its plan, OurCountyLA.LACounty.gov. Pando Days works at the intersection of higher ed and public agencies for community betterment. The 2024 program saw 21 higher education projects created in courses/studios/labs at institutions across the Southland - including Orange County. The program delivers on-the-ground community impact related to a range of diverse challenges. The program is produced in partnership with LA County's Chief Sustainability Office, in consultation with LA's Chief Sustainability Officer Strategic Taskforce.- Magenta House is our K-12 program on water and power conservation and efficiency for middle schools. The program reached more than 20 middle schools and eventually saw some 15 projects through to the Expo premier (Spring 2024). Magenta House offers extensive curricular resources, including content-related resources such as articles, videos, and special presentations and learning opportunities on water and power; as well as project-development resources such as a brainstorming workshop for project innovation, mentor, and advisor support, project presentation and pitch support and more.- CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer) Strategic Taskforce, a network we have developed serving sustainability professionals from across Los Angeles County representing higher ed, public agencies, NGOs, and business. The Taskforce holds occasional meetings up to three times per year; its members advise on special projects, such as Pando Days (which Taskforce members helped to conceive). In 2024, the Taskforce continued to build on its ouput of useful publications focused on Southland sustainability, under the direction and authorship of noted regional sustainability planner Mark VanderSchaff. The publications are made available free of charge via the Pando website. - Pando's office remains based on the Encino campus of the Sisters of Social Service, a collaborating partner for community development and support.- The Pando Sustainability Awards, an annual showcase of the student- and faculty-based projects developed through Pando Days and any of Pando's project-based learning programs. The Pando Awards is an opportunity to see and honor the on-the-ground, community-based work that Pando teams have developed over the prior season, and to network with an extroardinary group of civic, business, NGO, philanthropic, and other leaders. 2024 marked the third Pando Awards event, the second such event to be held on the campus of Caltech in Pasadena.
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 August 2016.
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.