Outdoor Afro
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUTDOOR AFRO IS A NATIONAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT CELEBRATES AND INSPIRES BLACK CONNECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP IN NATURE. OUR ORGANIZATION AIMS TO EMPOWER MORE BLACK PEOPLE TO ENTER INTO PROMINENT LEADERSHIP ROLES WITHIN THE CONSERVATION MOVEMENT, IN OUTDOOR COMPANIES, IN EDUCATION, AND IN PUBLIC AGENCIES CHARGED WITH PROTECTING OUR NATURAL HERITAGE. OUTDOOR AFRO WORKS TO RECONNECT BLACK AMERICANS TO LAND, WATER, AND WILDLIFE WHILE UPLIFTING THEIR ROLES AS LEADERS AND STEWARDS OF THE NATURAL WORLD. FROM ITS HUMBLE BEGINNING AS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND OUTDOOR BLOG, TODAY OUTDOOR AFRO IS A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT THAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY OBSERVED AND MEASURED SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE CHANGES IN OUTDOOR ENGAGEMENT, MEDIA REPRESENTATION, AND NEW PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AND AFFINITY GROUPS AMONG MORE BLACK PEOPLE AND BLACK COMMUNITIES IN OUTDOOR RECREATION, EDUCATION, AND CONSERVATION.
- Income
- $2.9 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- 20.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $223,475, ceo & 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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 20.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 55% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 9 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
7 of 7Has a 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 (1)
- $1.6 million spent. OUTDOOR AFRO IS THE NATION'S LEADING, CUTTING-EDGE ORGANIZATION THAT CELEBRATES AND INSPIRES BLACK CONNECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP IN NATURE. WE ARE A NATIONAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH LEADERSHIP NETWORKS IN 32 STATES, INCLUDING WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH 130 VOLUNTEER LEADERS TRAINED ANNUALLY IN NEARLY 60 CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. OUR ORGANIZATION CONNECTS ROUGHLY 60,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY TO OUR NETWORK ACTIVITIES AND CAMPAIGN PROJECTS. OUR SIGNATURE MAKING WAVES PROGRAM DEPLOYS SUPPORT ANNUALLY FOR OVER 1500 YOUTH AND THEIR CAREGIVERS TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM THROUGH SWIM SCHOLARSHIPS ISSUED TO CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR PARTNERS TO HELP ADDRESS THE HISTORIC CRISIS OF YOUTH DROWNINGS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS HELP TO CHANGE THE FACE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE OUTDOORS. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN OUR YEAR-ROUND NETWORK ACTIVITIES OR BECOME A PARTNER TO HELP US CONTINUE TO GROW OUR MULTIGENERATIONAL NATURE AND COMMUNITY WORK.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2015.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.