Passes our checks

Bubye Valley Conservation Research

EIN 47-2943606 · Pleasanton, CA

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

What it says it does

CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH OF ENDANGERED WILDLIFE

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

Reserves
4 of 35
Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20
It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15
Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15
Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15
100% 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

Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

Independent board
18 of 25
3 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15
Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8
Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7
Reports no 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.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15
Its accounts were audited 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

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)

$8.5 million spent. LION CONSERVATION RESEARCH SINCE LIONS WERE REINTRODUCED TO BUBYE VALLEY CONSERVANCY (BVC) IN 1999, THE POPULATION HAS GROWN RAPIDLY. TODAY, BVC IS HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 20% OF ZIMBABWE'S LIONS. THIS IS NOT ONLY THE LARGEST CONTINUOUS POPULATION OF LIONS IN ZIMBABWE BUT ALSO THE DENSEST. DUE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS POPULATION FOR SPECIES CONSERVATION AND THE UNIQUE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH A LARGE FENCED POPULATION OF LIONS, A LONG-TERM CONSERVATION RESEARCH PROJECT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2009. SEVENTEEN LIONS WERE INITIALLY INTRODUCED TO BVC IN 1999. TEN YEARS LATER, IN 2009, WHEN CARNIVORE POPULATION SURVEYS WERE INITIATED, THE LION ABUNDANCE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 280 INDIVIDUALS. IT HAS CONTINUED TO GROW. TODAY, THERE ARE ESTIMATED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 400 LIONS ON BVC, WHICH IS THE LARGEST POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY. RHINO CONSERVATION: BLACK RHINOS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED TO BVC IN 2002, AND THE POPULATION GROWTH RATE WAS ACCELERATED BY CONTINUAL TRANSLOCATIONS FROM OTHER AREAS THAT WERE UNABLE TO PROTECT THEIR RHINO POPULATIONS AS POACHING ESCALATED DURING THE MID-2000S. IN THE FACE OF THE RENEWED RHINO POACHING ONSLAUGHT IN ZIMBABWE, ONLY THE BIG PRIVATELY-OWNED CONSERVANCIES ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE RHINO POPULATION GROWTH RATES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

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 May 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.

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